STEM
These are the subject areas of: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As well as learning and skills in the specific subjects, we also value other over-arching skill sets such as:
- Integration of content into other subjects
- Engagement in systematic enquiry
- Engagement in logical reasoning
- Interpretation and communication of information
- Collaboration as a team
Physical Education
We will consider any bid which is designed to enhance the delivery of a curriculum which seeks to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. Any bid could include any of the following aspects
- Instruction in any skills that are designed to enhance child and adolescent development in one or more sports or activities.
- Fitness education and assessment that allows for understanding and improvement of physical well-being.
- Development of cognitive concepts related to motor skills and fitness.
- Opportunities to improve social and cooperative skills.
- Opportunities to increase the value placed on physical activity for health, enjoyment, self expression, challenge and confidence.
- Opportunities to increase an understanding of differing roles within physical education - coach, official etc.
Please ensure that your bid (If appropriate)
- Ensures that motor skills, physical activity, and fitness assessments are age and developmentally appropriate.
- Uses methods of teaching motor and movement skills that ensure that basic skills lead to more advanced skills.
- Plans to appropriately monitor, reinforce, and prepare for student learning.
Learning to Learn
Essentially, we are looking to fund the teaching of techniques that help your pupils learn more quickly, thoroughly, easily, enjoyably and/or permanently across a wide range of subjects.
Ideally, the techniques taught would be useful across the whole curriculum but a very well-argued subject-specific learning to learn project will be considered.
Resources that facilitate more effective learning should be applied for under a curriculum subject bid. The bid will be stronger if the resources can be used in more than one subject e.g. VR systems to teach science, history and geography, monitors/sensors for science and technology and PE, visualisers to model and critique work in all subjects etc).
What do we fund under the Learning to Learn category?
We consider projects that involve the delivery of learning-to-learn techniques to pupils by an outside speaker/company or a resource (e.g. online program or books/workbooks that teach learning skills). We also consider teacher training in these techniques so they can pass them on to other staff and pupils. (Please note: We don’t pay teacher cover costs e.g. for INSET or for a trained, internal specialist to deliver the techniques to a year group etc).
What are learning-to-learn techniques?
There are many learning to learn techniques that might be taught, for example:
- Revision/Exam Techniques: e.g. memory and revision techniques, dual coding information, mind-maps
- Thinking skills: e.g. critical thinking, ideas generation and evaluation, assimilating information, problem solving, applying Bloom’s Taxonomy skills.
- Learning styles: e.g. how the brain learns, VAK, 8 intelligences, groupwork, thinking maps.
Click for a pdf of Learning to Learn techniques examples
This is by no means an exhaustive list of learning techniques and we are always happy to consider arguments for other ideas that will help your particular pupils learn more effectively.
What kind of L2L projects can I bid for?
It is entirely up to you how to best achieve your Learning to Learn objective(s) with your pupils. Examples of ways to teach learning techniques could include:
(Links given are not specifically endorsed by EdufundUK but give an example of what we mean)
- Whole-school or year-group learning days or longer programs (e.g. Glia Learning, Thinking Matters, Inner Drive)
- Learning and teaching materials (e.g. CHAMPS, CoRT Thinking: Ready-made lesson plans, videos and resources to teach different aspects of thinking – now largely FREE)
- INSET training to teach staff learning to learn techniques and how to deliver them (e.g. Thinking Matters)
Projects we are unlikely to fund under our Learning to Learn category
Whilst the examples below are extremely valuable to enhancing learning in one or more subjects, they do not fit into this focus area of teaching transferable learning skills to pupils. Schools can certainly bid for these under our other focus areas, using their learning benefits as arguments for funding.
- Subject specific equipment that helps teach or learn in a different, more effective way e.g. manipulatives in maths, practical experiment equipment in science.
- Environments that may enhance learning e.g. small-group rooms, well-being/sensory rooms, outdoor learning areas.
- I.T. software and equipment which helps pupils to learn in more effective ways such as VR/AR headsets, quiz programs etc.