Learn about our key education themes
As the new Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson settles into her role, it is interesting to see the Editor of the Times Educational Supplement describing her as interested in getting ‘into the weeds of the details and the tangles of research’.
This is good news for an organisation like the Nuffield Foundation and our grant-holders, who make high quality evidence our business. There is a substantial body of Nuffield-funded work which the Education Secretary and those around her can draw upon as she seeks to, in her own words, ‘transform our system so that young people get the skills, care and opportunities they deserve.’
The education projects we fund tackle these issues and more, with a strong emphasis on policy and practice impact that can lead to improvements in people’s lives.
Education research
In our ever-evolving world, education is about much more than simply learning information and acquiring specific skills. It is about equipping students with knowledge, skills and critical thinking abilities, fostering young people’s personal development, and supporting them to be ready for life and work.
In recognition of this broad definition of education, we fund research across all education and life stages, from early years – including babies and even pre-natal – through school to further and higher education and technical and vocational learning. The disadvantages and vulnerabilities that many children and families face and their impact on social mobility and life chances are also important areas of consideration for the Foundation.
We are also interested in how the quality of teaching and learning can be improved, and how best to support the teacher workforce.
These are all substantial areas of research, and we set them into four thematic funding priorities, each addressing critical aspects of education. They are:
- Skills and capabilities
- Young people’s pathways
- Educational disadvantage
- Teaching quality
Revised and refreshed areas of interest
We have updated the Guide for Applicants to give a stronger steer on our revised and refreshed areas of interest. These include:
- The capabilities essential for young people’s personal development, to enable them to navigate the complex challenges of work and adulthood
- The role of career advice and employer engagement in shaping educational and career trajectories
- The growing and sometimes interrelated challenges for the education system of special educational needs and disabilities, mental health issues, and neurodiversity.
- The many aspects of the lives of children and young people outside of their educational experiences that nevertheless influence their educational outcomes
We are also interested in the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the cost-of-living squeeze on education, and the education sector’s resilience to future crises. And we welcome applications that cut across our other research interests of welfare and justice.
Apply for funding
Visit the Research, Development and Analysis Fund page for more details on funding criteria, the size of grants available and how to apply.
You can also download the updated Guide for Applicants where you can find in-depth information on our education priorities.
The next application deadline is 14 October.
Find out more
If you want to learn more about our research interests and how to get Nuffield Foundation funding, we have produced a series of informative videos to help applicants.
