{"id":246475,"date":"2026-05-14T23:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=246475"},"modified":"2026-05-14T23:07:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:07:31","slug":"32-million-big-bet-home-learning-challenge-launched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/32-million-big-bet-home-learning-challenge-launched\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a332 million \u2018big bet\u2019 home learning challenge launched"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new project aimed at improving children\u2019s ability to learn outside of the classroom is the \u201cbig bet\u201d to improve their life chances, a key adviser on government\u2019s opportunity mission has said.<\/p>\n

The \u00a332\u00a0million \u201chome learning challenge\u201d\u00a0will\u00a0tests interventions and technology in a bid to reach Labour\u2019s 75 per cent school readiness target<\/a> by 2028.<\/p>\n

The project\u00a0was launched by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an\u00a0independent government-funded body\u00a0that invests in science and innovation in\u202fpartnership with the DfE.<\/p>\n

It will pilot \u201cinnovative\u201d solutions, with the most successful being rolled out nationwide.<\/p>\n

The project will also help Labour deliver its pledge \u201cto break down the barriers to opportunity\u201d, one of its five central missions in government.<\/p>\n

Anne-Marie Canning,\u00a0opportunities mission director at UKRI, told Schools Week<\/em>:\u00a0\u201cThis is our big bet in terms of improving children’s life chances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Canning,\u00a0a former chair<\/a> of the Bradford \u201copportunity area\u201d under the Conservatives, added: \u201cWe have really strong ‘what works’ methodology in education, which is brilliant.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we also need to make sure that we’re fostering innovation, because we know that there are some areas where doing things the way they’ve always been done will\u00a0just not wash over the next decade or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support for dads and homeless children<\/strong><\/h2>\n

UKRI\u2019s challenge defines children\u2019s home learning environment as having several parts, including how parents engage with their child\u2019s learning as well as their relationship.<\/p>\n

It also explores the availability of books, toys and \u201ceveryday resources\u201d to youngsters.<\/p>\n

Canning said exploring how children learn out of the classroom \u201ctouches\u00a0so many different areas, from parent relationships to materials and toys, to neighbourhood safety, to playgrounds and play infrastructure.<\/p>\n

“We knew it would be a big beast, but we’re very excited about what it might be able to do.”<\/p>\n

\"\"
Anne-Marie Canning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the next three years, UKRI will offer grants with specific focus on learning outside the classroom. Organisations will then be able to bid to take part and develop their innovations.<\/p>\n

Two funding opportunities have been announced so far. One is a \u00a32 million project focused on supporting\u00a0dads\u2019 engagement with home learning, which Canning said would be a good opportunity to \u201cbring dads into the mix\u201d.<\/p>\n

In a second project, organisations will propose wraparound support ideas for the nearly 200,000 children living in temporary accommodation.<\/p>\n

Canning said she has spoken to one headteacher where 75 per cent of the children in their school were in temporary accommodation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s\u00a0just a huge barrier to kids getting on in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Boots on the grounds\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n

UKRI was \u201copen to all sorts of innovations\u201d,\u00a0including mobile phone applications or an online platform.\u00a0But there would also be \u201cboots on the ground\u201d interventions.<\/p>\n

Some of the other ideas UKRI is developing include creating a \u201csearchable repository\u201d of local opportunities.<\/p>\n

This could include parents being able to look up the nearest playground to local scholarship offers. There could also be \u201cmicro-grants\u201d to provide practical help for families.<\/p>\n

The most promising projects would be scaled up and implemented nationally, with the aim of continuing after the scheme ended.<\/p>\n

The challenge is the second of three that form part of the \u201cmissions accelerator programme\u201d, with the Treasury investing more than \u00a3500 million into UKRI for work that will help\u00a0benefit\u00a0each of the government\u2019s mission areas.<\/p>\n

The first challenge \u2013 launched last November \u2013 was about identifying special educational needs sooner and supporting earlier intervention, while the third and final challenge, which is yet to be launched, will be about skills and supporting youngsters not in education, employment or training.<\/p>\n

Canning said she was keen for teachers, school leaders and educational professionals to take part in the home learning challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u00a0we’re\u00a0really clear\u00a0about is that we want to create things that help schools, teachers\u00a0and educators, rather than additional\u00a0burdens to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project is also open to researchers, local\u00a0authorities\u00a0and private sector organisations.<\/p>\n

In the past academic year, 68.3 per cent of pupils achieved the school readiness target.<\/a><\/p>\n

But this figure only marked a 0.6 per cent increase compared with the previous year, which suggests that the pace of improvement needs to increase for the government to meet its 75 per cent target.<\/p>\n

Canning said if the innovations worked and were rolled out widely, not only would children be more school-ready, but schools \u201cmight experience really engaged parents who know and understand they’re part of the learning journey\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that they have a massive effect, and that if we get mums and dads and carers on board, the job of schools becomes much enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Project that ‘bring dads into the mix’ aims to help Labour deliver its opportunity mission<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316072,"featured_media":246358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[406,842],"post-theme":[2398],"class_list":["post-246475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-early-years","tag-school-readiness","post-theme-schools"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t