Platinum Jubilee Book for state-funded primary schools
Updated 1 July 2022
© Crown copyright 2022
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/platinum-jubilee-book-for-primary-school-children/platinum-jubilee-book-for-state-funded-primary-schools
Overview
The Department for Education commissioned a commemorative book ‘Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration’ as a gift to all children in state-funded primary school education in the UK. It is written for a reading age of 9 to 10 years old, upper key stage 2.
The book explains what the Platinum Jubilee is and why it is a significant milestone in Her Majesty’s reign. It covers:
- the system of constitutional monarchy in the UK and Commonwealth
- the role of the monarch
- important people, events, achievements, innovations and inventions in the UK and Commonwealth during Her Majesty’s 70-year reign
The hardback book will be available in English, Gaelic and as a bilingual Welsh-English version for children in Wales. Audio versions are available in English, Welsh, Gaelic, Irish and Ulster Scots.
It is funded by the DfE for £12 million. DK Books is the publisher and DfE will receive 10% of the income from private book sales (books sold in bookshops on the high street or online).
Eligibility
Each child in England from reception to year 6 will receive a book.
Copies are not available from the DfE for children in:
- early years or nurseries, either as part of a primary school or a separate setting
- secondary schools
- independent schools
- elective home education
Primary school children living with parents serving in HM forces overseas and in Ministry of Defence schools will receive the book via the MoD.
The book is available to buy from most high street or online booksellers from 16 June 2022. In September 2022 a digital version of the book will be available for free.
In Scotland and Wales, between 25 April and 19 May 2022, primary schools could opt-in online to receive books.
Allocations
For England and Northern Ireland we used data from school census returns for the book allocations. Only schools in Scotland and Wales needed to opt-in.
We will allocate additional books where a primary school in England had an increase in reception to year 6 pupil numbers between the 2021 autumn and 2022 spring school census returns.
Delivery
Books will be delivered from mid May and in:
- Northern Ireland by 20 June 2022
- England by 11 July 2022, the distributor will notify schools about their deliveries by 4 July at the latest
You will receive multiple deliveries and should receive all of your books within a week of the first parcel. Schools that had an increase in pupils will receive an email notification a few working days before the additional books arrive.
Books requested by schools in Scotland and Wales will be printed during the summer and delivered in September 2022.
Contact
Schools can complete the Platinum Jubilee book enquiry form (google.com) if they have missing or damaged books.
For all other enquiries, email the Jubilee commemorative book team: [email protected]