Eligibility

We support high-achieving state-funded secondary schools and sixth form colleges to improve the teaching of science, computer science, design & technology, art, languages, music and performing arts at GCSE and A-Level. We generally award grants towards new builds, refurbishment and technical equipment.

This information does not apply to special schools, which should apply under our funding for special needs schools and colleges.

Your school or college should:

  • be state funded
  • have at least two years of exam results available
  • have been inspected by Ofsted / Estyn / HMIE / ETI and have an overall outcome of ‘Good’ or above
  • be able to demonstrate an achieved level of excellence OR significant progress towards excellence through, for example, inspection reports and progress made by students
  • if a predominantly denominational or faith-based school, it should have a non-discriminatory entry policy in respect of religious allegiance or at least 10% of pupils must be of other denominations, faiths or none.

In assessing the excellence of a school or college we also consider the local context, including deprivation measures and previous Wolfson support in the same region within the last five years.

Your project must cost at least £25,000 and have one or more of the following aims:

  • Improved quality of teaching and learning spaces for subjects which require specialist laboratories and technical equipment
  • Increased numbers of students taking these subjects
  • Improved learning outcomes for students taking these subjects.

Need to know

Who can apply:
State-funded secondary schools and sixth form colleges

Location of applicant and project:
UK only

Funding covers:
New build, refurbishment and technical equipment

Minimum grant amount:
£15,000

Usual grant range:
£15,000 – £50,000 (equipment projects)
£15,000 – £100,000 (new build and refurbishment projects)

Match funding required:
If total project cost is >£1 million, 25% match funding is required

If total project cost is between £50,000 and £1 million, we ask that some matched are in place. We do not require a specific amount of matched funds for projects on this scale, but we want to see that enough funding is in place to make the project viable and deliverable.

If total project cost is <£50,000, no match funding is required

Decision dates:
June and December annually. Projects must not be completed before a funding decision is made

Wolfson funding programme:
Secondary Education