BBC Live Lessons 2026/2027 series

Live Lessons

BBC Live Lessons are back for the autumn term.

Live Lessons for 7–11-year-olds are returning for the new school year, supporting your teaching and bringing curriculum content to life at key moments in the school calendar.

The series kicks off on Wednesday, 30 September 2026 (not 23 September as previously stated), with a 500 Words Live Lesson where real writers will help break the creative writing process into bitesized chunks, helping pupils to use their imaginations, develop ideas, and plan and improve their writing.

We’ll also be inspiring your class to “Break the Silence” during Anti-Bullying Week with a Live Lesson on Monday, 16 November 2026. Through interactive activities we’ll explore why people might stay quiet in bullying scenarios, how to speak up safely and appropriately and how positive role models can help build a culture of support.

Our new series of Live Lessons will be available to watch on the BBC Live Lessons website, BBC iPlayer and the CBBC channel and will feature fun learning activities your class can join in with in real time.

This year, a signed version of each Live Lesson will be available to watch shortly after broadcast, making programmes accessible for people who use British Sign Language (BSL).

Keep an eye on this page for news about upcoming programmes or sign up to the free Bitesize for Teachers newsletter here for updates about Live Lessons.

500 Words 2026: LIVE at 11:00, Wednesday, 30 September

Everyone has a story to tell! In this interactive Live Lesson, pupils will discover how stories can grow from their own experiences, interests and imagination, creating characters and ideas to inspire their own entry for the 500 Words writing competition.

Find out more about 500 Words here.

The 30 minute Live Lesson will be available to watch live at 11:00 on Wednesday, 30 September on the CBBC channel and BBC iPlayer and from 09:00 on this page.

Curriculum links: English/Oracy/Language and Literacy for 7-11 year-olds.

Anti-Bullying Week 2026: LIVE at 11:00, Monday, 16 November

Break the silence and explore how we can stand up to bullying in our Anti-Bullying Week 2026 Live Lesson, made in partnership with the Anti-Bullying Alliance.

Anti-Bullying Week 2026 will take place from Monday 16th - Friday 20th November.

The 30 minute Live Lesson will be available to watch on Monday 16 November at 11:00 on the CBBC channel and BBC iPlayer and from 09:00 on this page.

Curriculum links: KS2/2nd Level Relationships Education/Health Education/Personal Development and Mutual Understanding/ Health and Wellbeing for 7-11 year-olds.

Winter Poetry: Monday, 7 December

Bring words to life this winter! Pupils will find inspiration, start writing their own poem and explore how voice, expression and rhythm can transform words into a performance – perfect preparation for an end-of-term performance.

The 30 minute Live Lesson will be available to watch on Monday 7 December 2026 at 11:00 on the CBBC channel and BBC iPlayer and from 09:00 on this page.

Curriculum links: English/Oracy/Language and Literacy for 7-11 year-olds.

Explore our archive of interactive lessons: