The Royal Society’s Schools Engagement team explain how to secure up to £3,000 for your school…
30 Second BriefingReceive up to £3,000 through the Royal Society’s Partnership Grants scheme to run an investigative science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) project – an excellent way for educators to develop practical STEM experiences as part of the curriculum, or via extracurricular activities.
What are the Royal Society Partnership Grants?
Partnership Grants is a funding scheme for UK schools and colleges where you can receive up to £3,000 to purchase equipment to help you run an investigative STEM project. Projects are run in partnership with someone working in a STEM role in academia or industry.
The grant provides an opportunity for students to develop key skills for their futures and do hands-on practical work in the classroom.
Why should my school apply?
The scheme provides an opportunity to ignite students’ curiosity and support the embedding of working scientifically. The projects can aid the delivery of the curriculum, and cross-curricular projects are also encouraged.
The partnerships developed are sustained and the equipment can be re-used, leading to a long-term impact for the school. Evaluation of the scheme also shows that the grants can help increase teacher confidence in running practical activities.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects funded must be practical, investigative projects. The project title should be a question that the students are trying to answer by carrying out their research.
Each year a range of topics are explored. Recent projects have ranged from investigating how the biodiversity of a school’s grounds can be improved to exploring plant growth and aquaponics.
To see more projects that have been funded, visit the case studies page of our website.
Is there support to help apply for a grant?
The Royal Society’s Schools Engagement team are here to support teachers throughout the application process. If you are interested but not sure where to start, we recommend attending one of our free online intro sessions, which can be booked via our website.
There is also guidance on the website, including project plans which can be used to form an application. The team are always available via email or phone to answer any questions and provide feedback on ideas.
“The Royal Society’s Schools Engagement team are here to support teachers throughout the application process.”
How do I apply?
Applications are open and a link to the form can be found on our website. The application process is in two stages, and you must have your STEM partner in place before you apply.
Whilst the application has to be submitted by the school, the STEM partner can support with completing the application. The next deadline for applications is the end of November, and remember, the team are always available to provide support.
For more information, call 0207 451 2531, email education@royalsociety.org or visit royalsociety.org/partnership.
- Receive up to £3,000 to purchase STEM equipment for your school.
- Develop a long-term sustainable relationship between your school and a STEM professional.
- Projects support the curriculum and can help with the embedding of working scientifically.
