Understanding time zones
Why your partner classroom may already be at home while you’re in class.
NOV20 connects classrooms across the world. Because the Earth is always turning, school days don't happen at the same time everywhere. This page is for teachers and pupils.
What is a time zone?
A time zone is an area of the world that uses the same local time. The world is divided into different time zones because the Sun rises and sets at different times in different places.
When we match schools, we compare each school's local school day and convert it into a shared global time. This helps us find times when both schools are available — and tell you when they aren't.
Why time zones matter for NOV20
If you choose to connect with a school far away, a live call may not fit neatly inside both school days. One school may need to join early, late, or after normal school hours. We tell you up front, every time.
Easy live match
≥45 minutes of overlap during both schools' normal school days.
Possible live match
20–45 minutes of overlap, or minor flexibility from one school.
Needs flexibility
Little overlap — one school would need to connect before or after normal hours.
Asynchronous recommended
No practical overlap. Video postcards, letters, or shared slides may be the best route.
Sample feasibility
What's realistic for different country pairs.
These are typical patterns for November. NOV20 calculates the real overlap from each school's school-day data, so your match pack always shows the actual times for your two classrooms.
United Kingdom ↔ South Africa
Easy live match: similar time zone
United Kingdom ↔ India
Possible, with morning / afternoon planning
United Kingdom ↔ Japan
Harder live match — one school may need flexibility
United Kingdom ↔ Australia
Often difficult live — async exchange may work better
United Kingdom ↔ East Coast USA
Usually possible: UK afternoon / US morning
United Kingdom ↔ West Coast USA
Harder: UK late afternoon / US early morning
Live or asynchronous?
Both are real exchanges. Choose what fits.
An asynchronous exchange is not second best. For some time zones it is the safest and most practical way for two classes to connect meaningfully.
Live exchange — best when school-day times overlap
- UK and France
- Kenya and Germany
- India and UAE
- Brazil and Portugal
- UK and East Coast USA
Asynchronous — best when time zones are far apart
- UK and New Zealand
- Japan and California
- Australia and Canada
- South Africa and Hawai‘i
Asynchronous formats we support
- Video postcard from your class
- Class letter
- Digital poster or shared slideshow
- “A day in our school” photo essay (subject to permissions)
- Questions and answers exchange
- Recorded greeting from the teacher and class
Your class can still learn about another country, ask questions, share stories, and receive a reply from children somewhere else in the world — without ever needing to be online at the same time.
Classroom activities
Use time zones as a lesson in their own right.
Four ready-to-run activities. Each can stand alone or warm pupils up before the exchange itself.
Activity 1 — What time is it there?
- What time is it in our classroom?
- What time is it in their classroom?
- Are they starting school, having lunch, finishing, or already home?
- Is it the same day there as it is here?
Activity 2 — Follow the Sun
- Which countries start their school day before ours?
- Which countries start after ours?
- Where in the world is it already tomorrow?
Activity 3 — Plan the perfect call
- Take two school timetables (e.g. London 09:00–15:15 and New York 08:30–15:00) and find a 30-minute window for both.
- What did you have to compromise on?
- Whose school day moved the most?
Activity 4 — Time-zone detectives
- Why do countries have different times?
- Why do some countries have more than one time zone?
- Why do some places change their clocks during the year?
- What would happen if the whole world used one time?
Ready to find a partner classroom?
When you register, we'll calculate real time-zone feasibility for your chosen countries.