Svitlo Lessons
What pupils study, when lessons run, and this year's school calendar.
Timetable & calendarHow it works
How Svitlo Lessons work
Svitlo School is a registered charity in England and Wales. We help young people in Ukraine, and those forced to leave it, carry on their education and gain new skills to a world standard.
Lessons are taught by volunteers from all over the world, in a warm and open-minded setting. They run from 15:00 Kyiv time and at weekends, so pupils attend their main Ukrainian school in the morning first.
When lessons run
Timetable and calendar
Choose your child's age group to see this term's weekly lessons, and click a timetable to open it full size. Times on the timetables are UK time (BST). Kyiv is 2 hours ahead, so 13:00 on the timetable is 15:00 in Kyiv.
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School calendar 2026/27
Term weeks, holidays, induction week and the Christmas special for the whole year, from September 2026 to August 2027.
- Term weeks
- Holidays
- Shopping week
What pupils study
The curriculum
Two age groups, six areas. Juniors (10–13) focus on mastering English, grouped by ability, and join mixed-ability lessons in other subjects. Seniors (14–18) keep up their English and explore a broader range of subjects to help them choose a career. Careers and Wellbeing are for seniors only.
English Acquisition
- Story time
- Book club
- Discussion club
- A2–C1
- IELTS
- Creative writing
- Penpals
- Debate
Humanities
- History
- Geography
- Discussion & art
- The Classics club
- Sustainability
- Ancient world
- Philosophy
- Economics
STEM
- Maths
- Investment club
- Astrophysics
- Maths word problems
- Psychology
- Animal life
- Experimental science
Creativity
- Music
- Art
- DT
- Blog
- Digital design
- Social media
- Film making
Careers
- Career talks
- Blog, newsletters & SMM
- Digital marketing
- Law & legislation
- AI psychology & ethics
- Business basics
Wellbeing
- Coaching
- The miracle of communication
- Wellness
- Yoga & meditation
- Pronunciation & identity
What pupils study
The curriculum
Six areas across two age groups: Juniors (10–13) and Seniors (14–18). Pick an area on the wheel to see what each age group does and which subjects it covers.
English Acquisition
Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Pupils are grouped by ability for English.
Advanced English, and other languages and cultures.
- Story time
- Book club
- Discussion club
- A2–C1
- IELTS
- Creative writing
- Penpals
- Debate
Humanities
The basics of history, geography and the arts, with discussion and critical analysis.
History, philosophy and global affairs, with critical thinking in real-life contexts.
- History
- Geography
- Discussion & art
- The Classics club
- Sustainability
- Ancient world
- Philosophy
- Economics
STEM
Science, technology and finance, building curiosity and problem-solving.
Specialist courses in biology, astrophysics and psychology.
- Maths
- Investment club
- Astrophysics
- Maths word problems
- Psychology
- Animal life
- Experimental science
Careers
Digital marketing, law and AI, with talks from professionals and hands-on experience.
- Career talks
- Blog, newsletters & SMM
- Digital marketing
- Law & legislation
- AI psychology & ethics
- Business basics
Wellbeing
A whole-person approach to physical, mental and emotional health.
- Coaching
- The miracle of communication
- Wellness
- Yoga & meditation
- Pronunciation & identity
Creativity
Music, art and creative projects that build confidence in performing.
Visual and performing arts, and the theory behind creativity.
- Music
- Art
- DT
- Blog
- Digital design
- Social media
- Film making
From our teachers
“The Ukrainian students I teach once a week with Svitlo Education genuinely astonish me every time I see them. We are currently going through International Relations theory at a university level of complexity and application, and they are more than keeping up, not in their first language! Despite the situation they are in, they turn up and show phenomenal discipline, resilience, and intellectual engagement.”
Life at Svitlo
School life
Many pupils now describe Svitlo as a second family. The war has affected children's education and wellbeing, and also their social lives and the attention they get from parents and relatives. Svitlo gives them a community where they meet new friends, find role models and feel they belong.
Assemblies
The whole school comes together online for assemblies.
Festive Competitions
Competitions in art, performance and writing through the year.
Buddy System
New students are assigned a Buddy who can support them and answer questions, helping them settle into Svitlo life.
Student-led Lessons
Senior pupils run their own clubs and classes for other students.
Summer Trips
Time together in person, away from the screen.
Beyond the classroom
Leadership and scholarships
Our learning partners
Educational partners
Partnerships with schools and organisations around the world add to the curriculum.
Keep exploring
Still unsure?
Find out more about Svitlo and what your child can do here.
