Guidance

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: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

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: Jubilee.Commemoration@education.gov.uk

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