Wearables and observables: Understanding home learning environment

Upcoming UKRI funding opportunity · Grant. Opens 2026-11-17; closes 2027-01-19. Total fund £3.57 million. Opportunity page: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/wearables-and-observables-understanding-home-learning-environment/

Apply for funding to develop, test and validate innovative approaches for measuring and understanding children’s home learning environments and their influence on learning, development, school readiness and educational outcomes.

To lead an application, you must be based at a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-eligible research organisation.

This funding opportunity is open to research communities across all UKRI research councils.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £900,000. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects must start on 1 May 2027 and end by 31 October 2029.

What we're looking for R&D Mission Accelerator Programme

The R&D Mission Accelerator Programme, Opportunities Mission is focused on breaking down barriers to give children the best start in life through high-quality early education, childcare and accessible family support services. A critical component of this ambition is strengthening the home learning environment.

Aim

The aim of this funding opportunity is to generate new understanding of children’s home learning environments by supporting innovative research that develops, tests and validates novel approaches to measurement and observation. The research should improve understanding of how children’s experiences outside formal education and care settings influence learning, development, school readiness and educational outcomes.

Scope

The home learning environment (HLE) encompasses the experiences, relationships, resources, physical environments and conditions beyond the classroom including social networks and community influences, that shape children’s opportunities to learn and thrive.

We know that a child’s HLE plays a critical role in shaping their educational attainment, cognitive development,…