Part of the government’s Opportunity Mission to remove barriers to opportunity, the challenge supports the target for 75% of children to be school ready by 2028.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) today announced a new research and innovation (R&I) challenge: The Home Learning Environment R&I Challenge.
UKRI has committed £31.9 million through the R&D Missions Accelerator Programme.
Delivered in partnership with the Department for Education, and forming part of the government’s mission to Break Down Barriers to Opportunity.
Power of research and innovation
The Home Learning Environment Challenge will harness the power of research and innovation to transform the environments in which children learn, play and grow outside of school.
The challenge aims to develop, test and implement interventions, technologies, products and frameworks to create effective home learning environments for children and young people.
These innovations will help to ensure that by 2028, 75% of children secure a good level of early years development and are ready to thrive at school.
A powerful influence
A child’s home learning environment includes:
- how their parents and carers engage with their learning
- the relationship between carer and child
- the books, toys and everyday resources available to them at home and in their neighbourhood environment
Evidence shows these factors have a powerful influence on children’s cognitive and emotional development, as well as their longer-term educational outcomes and wellbeing.
Developing new approaches
The Home Learning Environment Challenge will bring together leading researchers, local authorities, education leaders, civil society and private sector organisations to develop new approaches to supporting families in preparing children for their school. This will include:
- supporting and empowering parents and carers and enhancing the wider opportunities and resources that shape children’s learning and development outside of school, identifying the approaches with the greatest potential to have impact at scale
- addressing the profound effects of homelessness on children’s development and educational outcomes by generating evidence and piloting targeted support that improves home learning environment in temporary accommodation
- helping parents and carers to support children’s play and learning at home and in their communities and finding out what works best so successful approaches can reach more families
High reach
In the coming weeks, UKRI will be launching two funding opportunities inviting organisations to:
- develop and evaluate innovations and interventions that strengthen fathers’ engagement in their children’s lives
- test and scale models of wraparound support to improve development and educational outcomes for children experiencing homelessness
In future years, the most promising projects will be matured and scaled up, with the ambition of reaching families across the country.
Evidence-led innovation
Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:
Every child deserves the best start in life, whatever their background. By bringing talented researchers together with local authorities, education leaders and beyond, we will drive evidence-led innovation that means many more children are given the solid foundation of being school-ready.
From empowering parents and communities to improving learning in temporary accommodation, this challenge, backed by more than £30m from Government, will come up with new approaches to break down barriers and help many more children to fulfil their potential.
Boosting learning environments
Opportunities Mission Challenge Director, Anne-Marie Canning MBE, said:
Boosting the home learning environment is one of the best ways we can help children get a great start in life. Stronger early support creates lifelong benefits, boosting educational attainment, opening up future opportunities, and promoting positive outcomes for both children and parents.
Danielle Kinder, Assistant Headteacher, Brigshaw High School said:
What happens outside school often shows up in the confidence, behaviour and learning of the young people I teach. Investing in research and innovation that strengthens home learning environments and community opportunities will help more children and young people feel confident, supported and set up to succeed at school.
Ellen Chadwick-Cooper, mother of two said:
As a parent, I see how everyday moments at home shape how children settle and succeed at school. When so much learning happens outside the classroom, families need clear support and fair access to the right resources and opportunities in their communities so all children can thrive.
Further information
The R&D Missions Accelerator Programme (R&D MAP) will invest at least £500 million by 2030 into the research and development of cutting-edge science, technology and service solutions. This will tackle the major problems our society and economy face and help accelerate delivery towards the UK government’s national missions.
Delivered by UKRI, it launches research and innovation challenges that develop crucial science and technology solutions for the national missions’ priority problems. It invites bold co-investment alongside industry and third sector to leverage a further £1.5 billion of private investment by 2030.
It will help to drive investment and reform to deliver growth, fix the NHS, make Britain a clean energy superpower, keep our people safe from crime and harm, and create opportunities for all.