This spring, we’re seeking programmes that are developed and ready to be evaluated. We’ll appoint an independent evaluator from our panel for every project we fund.
Why post-16?
The socio-economic attainment gap only widens as learners progress through the education system. By the end of secondary school, disadvantaged pupils are, on average, 18.8 months behind their peers. This gap is even wider for persistently disadvantaged pupils – defined as those who have been eligible for free school meals for at least 80% of their school time – who are almost two years (22.7 months) behind their peers by the end of secondary school (EPI, 2023). This stage of education is therefore a ‘last chance’ to try to minimise the attainment gap before most young people leave the education system.
What types of projects do we want to fund?
The post-16 funding round sub-themes have been selected in consultation with the sector. Programmes can be general or subject specific, across academic and technical qualifications, with the exception of apprenticeships, which sit outside of the EEF’s remit.
Post-16 priority areas:
- Attendance
- EdTech and AI
- GCSE resits
- Transition from school to college
Please read our theme guidance notes for further details about each sub-theme within these priority areas and how your programme may fit with these.
Please note that this round has two separate application forms depending on the funding stream best suited for the programme –one for pilot projects, and one for efficacy and effectiveness trials.
Pilot: Pilot includes evaluations of programmes that are fully developed and ready to be piloted in a small number of settings. In some circumstances, we may offer pre-pilot developmental support to programmes that we think show promise in an area of high priority for EEF but are not quite ready for an independent pilot evaluation. For example, a programme that has been delivered internationally with promise but needs support with translation to the English context before evaluation, or a programme that is being adapted for a type of setting or age group of pupil in which it hasn’t been implemented before. Please see the full theme guidance for more information.
Efficacy and effectiveness trials: Efficacy includes evaluations of programmes that are ready to be trialled through an impact evaluation under best possible conditions. Effectiveness is the stage after an efficacy trial and includes programmes that are already well evidenced and scaled, and ready to be trialled at a larger scale under everyday conditions.
Please consult the guidance notes for the post-16 funding theme priority areas and sub-themes. You are also welcome to use the decision tree (below) to identify which funding stream you should apply to.
If you’ve answered mostly As, use the Pilot Application Form – it might be that your programme still requires some additional pre-Pilot development support, however, we will assess this as part of scoring your application.
If you’ve answered mostly Bs, use the Pilot Application Form – it might be that your programme is more suitable for a Pilot.If you’ve answered mostly Cs, use the Efficacy and Effectiveness Application Form.
Please find the guidance notes for post-16 funding applications here.
If you are interested in applying as a pilot project, please consult the guidance notes and fill in the application form here.
If you are interested in applying as an efficacy or effectiveness trial, please consult the guidance notes and fill in the application form here.
Please find below the recording of the Post-16 Applicant Webinar, which took place on Wednesday 5th February.
If you have any questions related to this funding round, please contact the EEF at applications@eefoundation.org.uk.
Post-16
Guidance notes to support you in completing the initial application form for our Spring 2025 funding round.Uploaded: • 537.0 KB - pdfProjects