Phonics Roadshows

The Department for Education is inviting proposals from up to two organisations to work with the Department to design and deliver at least 24 local stakeholder engagement events by 31 July 2017 to promote effective teaching of systematic synthetic phonics as the primary approach to learning to read in primary schools. The government is committed to ensuring high quality teaching of phonics in primary schools and promoting the use of systematic synthetic phonics in the teaching of early reading is a key ministerial priority.

The Department is making two phonics roadshow contracts (A and B) available in 2017, with an anticipated start date of March 2017 until 31 July 2017. Bidders can bid for either of the contracts or both.

Contract A The Department for Education is inviting proposals from organisations to work with the Department to design and deliver at least 12 local stakeholder professional development events before 31 July 2017 to promote the effective teaching of systematic synthetic phonics. Funding of up to £50,000 including VAT is available in 2017 to support this work.

For Contract A we expect events to be held across the country in areas where schools are not meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check, including the presumption that they will be held in opportunity areas and in addition take account of the focus of Contract B. The opportunity areas announced by the Secretary of State for Education are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-mobility-package-unveiled-by-education-secretary

Contract B

The Department for Education is inviting proposals from organisations to work with the Department to design and deliver 12 local stakeholder professional engagement events before 31 July 2017 to promote the effective teaching of systematic synthetic phonics. Funding of up to £50,000 including VAT is available in 2017 to support this work. This contract is for work similar to that identified for Contract A but is specifically designed to support the Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy as announced by the chancellor in the March 2016 budget: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/budget-2016-george-osbornes-speech and the opportunity areas announced in the north by the Secretary of State for Education: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-mobility-package-unveiled-by-education-secretary For contract B we expect to see events held across the North and in the announced opportunity areas, particularly focusing on areas where schools are not meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check.

Additional information: Estimated value: In total £100,000 including VAT. There are two contracts available, each contract is worth up to £50,000 including VAT.