Funding methods for schools

Bamboozle deliver a range of services for schools including visits from our touring shows and our education and training packages. Packages can range from a one-day INSET session to a year-long culture change project.

The measurable benefits experienced by pupils and staff from our experiences mesh strongly with the government’s engagement model assessment framework. Whether you are with us for a 40 minute performance, or for a series of education workshops, our aim is to create lasting impact for both pupils and staff.

We seek to open up possibilities using our Bamboozle Approach – a thoroughly researched, tried and tested methodology which focuses on meaningful creative engagement and interaction for learning disabled children and young people.  The techniques and mindset that we bring can be used in any classroom setting to explore myriad themes in the curriculum.

Whatever the scope of our project, we realise that school budgets are under constant pressure. We’ve spoken to schools who we work with closely to explore the methods used for financing our visits. We’ve shared these below:

• Funding touring shows: Happy Days Children’s Charity can support schools with up to £1000 towards performance fees. An application form to apply for a visit from a touring show can be downloaded from their website and submitted at any time. Happy Days have a 12 month turn around so we’d recommend submitting applications at least 14 months before our anticipated tour. If you need support with filling in a form, please let us know. www.happydayscharity.org/applications
• School fund; fundraising via the PTA, asking for charitable donations from your local community, either individuals or businesses. Some local businesses may be interested in funding specific projects or events.
• For PTAs or community groups associated with a school in England, you may be able to apply to the National Lottery Awards for All where as part of a Bamboozle visit’s outcome incudes engagement for the wider school community, including parents, siblings and other family members. Funding can range from funding from £300 to £20,000, and can support a project for up to two years.
• Pupil Premium – The pupil premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England.
• CPD budget – reduce external training costs by bringing Bamboozle to into school where are training can happen in classrooms.
• County Council – check with your local authority if grants for schools are available to help support with arts engagement.
• Local organisations – e.g. Rotary Clubs often happy to hear from local charities to fundraise for.
• Grants4Schools is a subscription service website where schools can search for available grants using keywords. Some grants are region-specific.
• Arts Award Access Fund; the Access Fund provides grants of between £100-£1500 to Arts Award centres working on Arts Award projects with young people who face barriers to access and inclusion.
• School budgets: we’ve been told that the focus on engagement we bring with our experiences, and the measurable benefits for pupils witnessed by staff as a result, in instrumental in supporting schools in all 5 areas of the engagement model assessment framework. To read examples of how our projects have supported schools, visit our case studies page here.

Find out what shows we’re booking or touring here.