Debating in Schools Grants 2016-17

The Department for Education wishes to continue to encourage pupils to become competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making presentations and participating in debate. Learning how to debate in a confident and effective manner can help increase young people’s life chances and engender a sense of personal empowerment and aspiration.

Debating is widely taught in the curriculum of private schools but is little used in state education despite being part of the national curriculum. Developing debating skills can be an effective approach in preparing and motivating young people for higher education and employment. Innovative programmes can enable young people (especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those trapped in poverty) to achieve greater personal well-being, social well-being and life skills and realise their true potential.

There are two grants (A and B) available in relation to Debating in Schools in 2016-17. Bidders are invited to bid for one or both of the grants. If bidding for both grants, one proposal can be submitted but please make this clear in your documentation and make sure that the elements of both grants can be identified and assessed.

Grant A

The Department for Education is inviting proposals from an organisation or consortium to deliver a national debating programme in state funded secondary schools in England in the financial year 2016-17. The aim is to develop young people’s debating skills and enable them to take part in formal and informal debates and structured discussions. The successful bidder will put forward a proposal setting out how they will expand the number of secondary schools in England taking part in debating programmes.

Grant B

In addition the Department for Education is inviting proposals from an organisation or consortium to identify and work with lead schools with a proven track record in running debating clubs to encourage and enable pupils in neighbouring schools in areas of disadvantage to become involved in debating. The bid should set out how you intend to identify and work with lead schools, including the number of lead schools and an indication of the number of local schools they will engage. Your proposal should ensure that the debating activities are sustainable in those local partnerships once the dedicated funding finishes by 31 March 2017 and that they are replicable models that other schools and local partnerships are able to adopt.

The Department has allocated up to £120,000 inclusive of VAT for grant A, and up to £55,000 inclusive of VAT for grant B.

Additional information: Email: standards.mailbox@education.gsi.gov.uk. Please include Debating in Schools grants within the subject line.