The Teacher Development Fund is provided and administered by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation (PHF).

Objectives of Fund

The purpose of the Teacher Development Fund is to support teachers to develop arts-based approaches which create equitable classrooms where all children learn and thrive. It aims to do this through supporting teachers and school leaders to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, confidence and experience.

The Fund is focused on:

• Pupils who experience systemic inequity and enabling them to access and make progress in their learning.
• Supporting arts organisations and schools working in equal partnerships to exchange and enrich their expertise.
• Recognising teachers are critical to pupils’ outcomes.
• Creating high-quality inspiring professional learning for teachers.
• Enabling teachers and artist practitioners to learn and work together in the classroom.
• Building a body of evidence and practice and understanding how the work improves equity for pupils.
• Generating sustainable changes in teaching and learning in schools for the long-term.

Value Notes

Grants of up to £165,000 are available per application.

Projects should last for two academic years.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, lead applicants must be one of the following:

• Primary schools operating in the state sector. They can be mainstream, SEND or Alternative Provision settings, working with primary-age children.
• Arts organisations can be charities, community organisations, social enterprises and not-for-profit companies active in the arts and culture sector

The following criteria apply:

• All applications must have solid partnerships in place
• Each partnership must include one or more arts/​cultural organisations
• A minimum of six and a maximum of ten schools should be involved in each project, regardless of whether the lead applicant is either an arts/​cultural organisation or a school
• Each participating school should commit at least two teachers and one senior leader to the project, though flexibility can be offered to small, rural schools
• Projects may include teachers of Nursery and Reception classes in primary schools
• All schools must be operating in the state sector.

The following may apply:  

• PRU/alternative provision settings as long as they are a maintained setting, free school or academy serving pupils aged 11 and under.
• Multi Academy Trusts and Teaching School Hubs.
• SEND schools as long as they are a maintained setting, free school or academy serving pupils aged 11 and under. 

Location

UK

Restrictions

PHF cannot accept applications for this fund directly from:

• Individuals, or organisations applying on behalf of individuals.
• Independent schools.
• Secondary schools, even those with links to primary schools.
• Early years settings. However, projects may focus on developing practice in the Early Years and Foundation Stage of primary schools, ie, in Nursery and Reception classes within primary and infant schools.
• Universities.

Eligible Expenditure

Grants will support both activity costs and core organisational costs which relate directly to the project.

PHF will welcome a range of applications and those working on:

• Equity – all projects should focus on how arts-based approaches can build equity in schools so that pupils who experience systemic inequity can access and make progress in their learning.
• Arts-based approaches – learning experiences which use arts-based content and/​or approaches to teach the curriculum. These can involve the following art forms: crafts; creative writing, including poetry and spoken word; dance; design; film; music; opera; photography; digital arts and media; theatre and drama; the visual arts; and cross-arts practices.
• Curriculum – supporting arts-based approaches in all subjects, from literacy, to humanities, to STEM. Some funded work has a broader focus, for example critical thinking; speech language and communication skills; or mental health and wellbeing. PHF does not prioritise, or have a preference for, any curriculum area or artform over another.
• Spreading practice – where teachers, senior leaders and arts partners collaborate to disseminate practice more widely in the schools, beyond participating teachers, to embed the approaches in colleagues’ practice and the curriculum.

How To Apply

There is one application/funding round each year. Applications are accepted annually from late August to November.

Applications are open with a deadline of 12 November 2025 (12 noon). 

The fund guidelines and FAQs can be found on the Paul Hamlyn Foundation website.

There is a two-stage application process:

• The first step is to submit a brief, online First Stage Application form outlining the proposed project by 12 November 2025 (12 noon). All applicants will hear the outcome of their application within three weeks of the deadline.
• Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full online application by the deadline of 14 January 2026 (12 noon) with a final decision by the end of March 2026.

Contact the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for further information Funding | Paul Hamlyn Foundation