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David Appleyard

David Appleyard

David has over a decade of experience in early years and reading as a school governor and EYFS lead. He's spent 20+ years working in online education for Envato and Design Shack, teaching creative and technical skills to millions (and managing a team of educators).

He's also taught two boys to read from scratch — and remembers exactly how bewildering the early stages can feel. He knows this journey from both sides of the fence.

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Reading dates and literacy events: the UK family calendar

March 16, 2026 • 10 min read

Reading dates and literacy events: the UK family calendar

All the key UK reading dates in one place — World Book Day, National Poetry Day, Storytelling Week and more. Your family literacy calendar.

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March 2, 2026 • 1 min read

World Book Day: last minute (onesie) costumes & ideas

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January 6, 2026 • 7 min read

Back into books: gentle ways to restart reading in January

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November 29, 2025 • 5 min read

Christmas and advent reading traditions to make the season magical

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November 1, 2025 • 5 min read

Bright ideas for Bonfire Night: spark imagination through reading

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Spooky stories and reading fun this Halloween

October 24, 2025 • 6 min read

Spooky stories and reading fun this Halloween

Make Halloween thrilling with spooky reading activities and themed books. Discover phonics-friendly ideas to keep children excited about reading this October.

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