Research School Network: Call for Applications for Grants for Innovation Evaluation

We are now accepting applications for grants for innovation evaluation projects from schools that are involved with the Research Schools Network.

Goals of the Innovation Evaluation Project

Teachers often try out innovations of teaching and learning practices with their pupils. Sometimes these are approaches that the teachers have developed themselves, either alone or in collaboration with colleagues in their school. Sometimes they are adaptations of approaches that have been proven to work elsewhere, which the teachers have altered to work with their particular pupils.

The overall goal of the Research Schools Network is to improve the attainment of pupils by increasing the use of evidence-based teaching and learning practices. The specific goals of this fund are to increase the evidence base by supporting evaluations of innovations of teaching and learning approaches, communicating the findings among the Research Schools Network, and encouraging applications for larger systematic evaluations of promising approaches. The evaluations will be pilot studies of innovations, not large-scale randomised controlled trials. Nonetheless, there should be a comparison of pupil achievement that will indicate whether or not the intervention has potential.

Amount of funding

There will be two rounds of awards in the first year – one awarded in February 2017 and one in June 2017. In subsequent years there will be three rounds per year, one in each school term.

The amount of funding per project will vary depending on the length of the evaluation, the cost and intensity of the intervention, the number of schools involved, the number of year groups participating and the data that will be collected. Funds may be spent on supply cover, purchasing the intervention, materials, evaluation resources (e.g. tests), and UK travel. The maximum amount that can be requested per school participating in each project is £5,000. Schools are encouraged to collaborate on projects.

Please note that this funding is only available to schools that are involved with the Research Schools Network. Schools submitting proposals will already be working closely with their local Research School. All proposals must be signed by the Research Lead at your local Research School.

For an informal conversation about any aspects of your proposal, please contact either the Research Lead at your local Research School, or Alicia Shaw, the Research Schools Facilitator, at the Institute for Effective Education (01904328108, alicia.​shaw@​york.​ac.​uk).

More information on how to apply can be found in the call document.

Deadline for applications

The deadline is 17:00 on 31 January 2017 for Round 1 or 1 May 2017 for Round 2.