Elevating Chemistry fund

The Elevating Chemistry fund is available to support learners in areas of high socio-economic deprivation and enable them to feel that they can achieve in chemistry.

The focus and aims of the fund have been developed in response to the main challenges that were highlighted by teachers in our recent Science Teaching Survey:

Low literacy of learners (reported by 75% of respondents in areas of high socio-economic deprivation)
Low numeracy of learners (reported by 69% of respondents in areas of high socio-economic deprivation)
Insufficient time to run practical work (reported by 66% of respondents in area of high socio-economic deprivation)
Difficulty making the curriculum relevant and linked to careers

The fund aims to support projects to meet these challenges: boosting literacy and numeracy, improving practical skills, and getting learners to see the value of chemistry through context, careers and alternative pathways into the chemical sciences.

The Elevating Chemistry fund is available to support learners in areas of high socio-economic deprivation and enable them to feel that they can achieve in chemistry.

Low literacy of learners (reported by 75% of respondents in areas of high socio-economic deprivation)
Low numeracy of learners (reported by 69% of respondents in areas of high socio-economic deprivation)
Insufficient time to run practical work (reported by 66% of respondents in area of high socio-economic deprivation)
Difficulty making the curriculum relevant and linked to careers

Upcoming deadlines

Applications for Elevating Chemistry are currently closed.

Who can apply?

The Elevating Chemistry fund is open to state secondary schools and colleges in the UK and Ireland*, with priority given to schools that meet the following criteria:

England: above 35% pupil premium eligibility
Ireland: DEIS school
Northern Ireland: above 45% free school meals eligibility
Scotland: above 25% free school meals eligibility
Wales: above 30% free school meals eligibility

*FE/sixth form colleges should be in IMD decile 1–3 or have a high number of feeder schools who meet the above criteria. Please include this information on your application or contact us for more information or to check whether your college is eligible.

If you have previously received funding through the Addressing Lost Learning project or the Elevating Chemistry fund, you are eligible to apply again, however this must be with a new project idea.

Any member of a science department can apply, but please make sure you have the consent of your head of department and include their contact details so that we can include them in any correspondence. If your application is successful, we will also need approval from a member of your school’s senior leadership team before your project can begin.

You don’t have to be a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry to apply, but you should be a member of Teach Chemistry, our free support service for secondary schools.

How can I use the money?

We are inviting schools and colleges to put forward proposals for projects that fulfil one or more of the following aims:

To support learners to improve their literacy and numeracy in chemistry
To support learners to improve their practical skills in chemistry
To enable learners to see the value of chemistry through exposure to context, careers and diverse role models

Projects should be an idea that you wouldn’t be able to implement without RSC support, lasting one to two years, and that you can embed over a longer period into your school plan.

Read on to find out about the funding criteria and how to apply.

Project inspiration and restrictions

Applicants must be registered with Teach Chemistry to apply.

Inspiration for your project

Previous successful applications have included:

extra tutoring for a target group of learners
extracurricular practical support sessions
using popular science books to improve literacy and investigation skills
enrichment and raising science capital with support from a local university

Explore the case studies to find out more about some previous projects. Please note that these case studies showcase projects that were assessed against a different set of aims, so would not necessarily receive funding if assessed against the current criteria.

The fund will not support…

purchase of equipment, chemicals or photocopying that are funded through regular school budgets. However, we can fund extra equipment, chemicals or photocopying that may be required for a specific event or activity related to your project (e.g. extracurricular activities that are not part of the regular school timetable).
projects that aim to engage with the wider community . These may eligible for funding through the Outreach Fund.
activities which are entirely teacher-focussed, such as network meetings. These may be eligible for funding through the Chemistry Teaching Empowerment Fund. You can find out about our subject knowledge courses by going to our Professional development for teachers web pages.
participation in existing programmes that aren’t organised by the applicant, such as CREST awards. You may be eligible for funding of up to £600 through CREST awards engage grants.

How much funding can I apply for?

You can apply for up to £2000 (€2300) for a one-year project or up to £3000 (€3400) for a two-year project. If you opt to apply for a two-year project, funding will be allocated to you across the two years.

If your application is successful, we will support you in carrying out your project. You’ll also join a community of other participating teachers who are implementing similar initiatives in their own schools, with termly network meetings to share best practice, learn and collaborate.

How to apply

The application process is in the form of a survey. It takes about 30–45 minutes to complete, and you can save your progress and continue later.

The survey will ask you to provide:

Your name, role and school email address
Name and postcode of your school
Project details and budget
Implementation and support for the project
Outcomes and evaluation

Applications are closed

Applications for Elevating Chemistry are currently closed.

Questions?

If you would like to check anything with us before you apply, or for any questions along the way, either send us an email or contact your local education coordinator.