MOD Education Support Fund (ESF) – Relaunch

The ESF, launched in 2011 and subsequently extended by the Secretary of State for Defence (2018-2020), provided funding to assist publicly funded schools, Academies and Free Schools throughout the UK to mitigate the effects of exceptional mobility and/or deployment of their Service communities; Regular Armed Forces, including Reserves on Full Time commitment (FTRS FC).

Funding from the 2020 ESF will benefit approx. 25,000 Service children across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In light of ongoing rebasing activity, with further unit and personnel moves and associated disruption expected, the Directorate Children and Young People has secured £3 million from the Army TLB to fund an extension of the ESF for the 2020/2021 financial year. Minister for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel clearance and support of the extension was received on 31 March 2020.

The 2021 ESF bidding round opens on Monday 1 June 2020 and closes at 1200hrs on Wednesday 7 October 2020. The application pack has been revised, and full details will be published on gov.uk shortly, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-support-fund-for-schools-with-service-children-grant-application-pack.

As in previous years, DCYP will manage and administer the ESF and all applications will be reviewed/scored by regional panels. Where there is evidence of an immediate need, in-year bids from schools/LAs are welcomed.

Contact: SO2 Policy, DCYP – DCYP-MOD-ESF@mod.gov.uk