Gender Balance in Computing Pilot Programme

Ensuring that all children have the digital and computing skills needed for the future is a key priority of this government. We want to find practical measures that schools can take to ensure girls see themselves as active creators of digital technology, not just passive consumers - and fully understand their own potential in this field. We need more girls to identify computing and computer science as areas in which they can excel, so that they have the choice to access the growing range of careers in this field.

The objective of the Programme is to identify effective approaches to improving gender balance in computing (at all stages of school, excluding post-16) and increase the number of girls who take up computer science at GCSE, and subsequently AS and A level. The Programme will deliver multiple, innovative interventions in a range of state-funded schools in England, during the academic years 2018/19 to 2021/22, and evaluate their effectiveness.

These interventions will be designed and delivered so that they can be robustly tested and are able to be taken to scale at a later date if sufficiently supported by positive evidence of impact. The Supplier will have the capacity and expertise to deliver these interventions at the scale and within the timeframe required. They should have the capacity and expertise to deliver a suitable evaluation strategy to measure the impact of these interventions, either using in-house expertise or through sub-contract with an appropriate third party.

Additional information: DfE will run the procurement for this Programme under PCR2015 Reg.14 ('Research and Design'). The procurement will be carried out as a two-stage process.

• The first stage will be carried out through submission of a completed Standard Selection Questionnaire (SSQ) and Expression of Interest (EOI) Response Form (the 'Response'). Submitted Responses will be subject to an assessment process to identify suitable potential suppliers.

• Selected organisations will be invited to participate in the second stage, through an Invitation to Tender (ITT). Responses to the ITT will be assessed and scored; the highest scoring tender will be awarded the contract to deliver this Programme.