Restart a Heart Day · Friday 16 October 2026

Restart a Heart Day Workshops for Primary Schools

Hands-on age-appropriate CPR and life-saving workshops delivered in your school hall — EYFS through to Year 6. Meets statutory PSHE. Every pupil leaves knowing how to help.

Book for 16 October → See what's included
📅 Restart a Heart Day 2026 is Friday 16 October — book by late August to secure the day itself.

Every child in your school knowing how to save a life

Restart a Heart Day is the one moment in the primary calendar when the whole country focuses on CPR education. It's coordinated by the Resuscitation Council UK, backed by the British Heart Foundation, and increasingly a fixed point in primary school PSHE plans.

Our Save a Life workshop is our most-booked Restart a Heart Day session. Age-appropriate across EYFS, KS1 and KS2 — Reception children learn "Stop, Look, Listen" and how to call 999; Years 3-4 add the recovery position and chest compression rhythm using a familiar song; Years 5-6 progress to defibrillator awareness and confident hands-only CPR practice.

1,800+
UK primary schools
9.3/10
teacher rating
£499
half day
Statutory
PSHE Health Ed. compliant

What's included in the workshop

1

Whole-school assembly (optional)

A 20-minute WOW opener — real stories, national statistics, why CPR matters. Sets the tone for the day; pupils arrive at their workshop already engaged.

2

4 or 7 hands-on sessions

Half day: 4 differentiated sessions (up to 128 pupils). Full day: 7 sessions (up to 224 pupils). Each session pitched to the year group.

3

Age-appropriate CPR

EYFS/KS1: Stop-Look-Listen + calling 999. KS2: recovery position, chest compressions to song rhythm, defibrillator awareness. Only KS2 does hands-on chest compressions with mannequins.

4

Statutory PSHE evidence

Maps directly to the DfE 2020 PSHE Health Education statutory framework. One A4 evidence sheet supplied for your PSHE subject leader file.

5

Post-workshop parent letter

A pre-written letter home explaining what pupils learned and inviting parents to practice at home. Multiplies the impact.

6

All safety & safeguarding covered

Enhanced DBS-checked facilitators. KCSIE 2024-referenced safeguarding pack in advance. Mannequins sanitised between sessions. First-aid kit on site.

Try Save a Life free before Restart a Heart Day

Not sure if it's right for your school? We run a free digital Save a Life trial — pupils go through the workshop's core content online in one 30-minute lesson. Teachers can test the pedagogy and content with their class before committing to the workshop day.

Trial schools who then book the workshop use our free trial to prime their pupils. On the workshop day itself, pupils arrive already familiar with the key messages — freeing the facilitator to focus on the hands-on practice that only in-person delivery can do.

Common questions

When is Restart a Heart Day 2026?

Friday 16 October 2026. It's coordinated by the Resuscitation Council UK and runs across Europe on the same day each year.

Is CPR appropriate for EYFS and KS1 pupils?

Yes — the messages are differentiated by age. EYFS and KS1 focus on "Stop, Look, Listen" and how to call 999 (they will not do full chest compressions). KS2 progresses to recovery position, chest compression rhythm using a song, and defibrillator awareness. Our facilitators are trained in age-appropriate delivery.

Does this meet statutory PSHE requirements?

Yes. Statutory PSHE Health Education (DfE, 2020) requires primary pupils learn "basic first aid... how to make a clear and efficient call to emergency services". This workshop maps directly to those objectives with evidence for your subject leader file.

How much does a Restart a Heart Day workshop cost?

£499 half day (up to 128 pupils) or £599 full day (up to 224 pupils) + VAT. Future Skills mission-led pricing. Includes teacher pack, PSHE evidence sheet, and post-workshop parent letter.

Can you deliver on 16 October itself?

Yes — 16 October is our most-booked date of October. We can also deliver in the week either side (12-16 Oct or 19-23 Oct) if the day itself is full. Book by late August to secure the 16th.

Can we combine this with year-round provision?

Yes. Restart a Heart Day is the natural WOW-day anchor for our Whole-School Programme, which programmes one Future Skills workshop per half term across the year — with Save a Life as your Autumn 1 first-aid anchor.

Book your Restart a Heart Day 2026 workshop

Friday 16 October fills first. Book by late August to secure the day itself.

Check availability → See full workshop details