Form

MOD Education Support Fund (ESF) for schools with service children: grant application pack

Grant for UK maintained schools with service children of frequently moved or absent parents.

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Documents

MOD ESF: scoring criteria sheet

MOD ESF: application form

ESF poster

Details

Please note: the launch of the Armed Forces Families Fund AF3 is imminent. The ESF in its current form will cease and be absorbed by the new scheme. Further details will be added here in due course.

In January 2022, the MOD published its 10-year strategy for improving support to armed forces families. As part of the MOD’s efforts to support the implementation of this strategy, existing grant funding schemes designed to support service children are being reviewed.

Please be aware that the ESF is currently under review and that your application may have to be submitted again through a new scheme.

The ESF in its current form will be open for applications between 9 May and 30 September 2022.

Background

The MOD Education Support Fund (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).

In light of ongoing rebasing activity, with further unit and personnel moves and associated disruption expected, Armed Forces Families & Safeguarding (AFFS) has secured £3-million per annum from the Head Office Top Level Budget to fund an extension of the ESF. Min DPV clearance and support of the extension was received on 31 March 2020.

Schools are a critical part of supporting our service families. Children may have to change school when a service parent is posted, or school may support a pupil when a parent is absent for long periods of time. This fund is available to support schools in embedding practices that can benefit the service children and their school.

The ESF in its current form is different from the Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant Scheme, which is open to a wider variety of organisations and seeks to forge closer ties between military and local communities.

It is also different to the Service Pupil Premium, which is provided to schools in England by the Department for Education in respect of children of serving members of the armed forces.

Read the instructions and guidance for more details of eligibility and criteria.

Successful application samples

If you are new to writing bids, please take a look at these sample applications:

Separation sample (army)
Mobility sample (army)
Navy sample
RAF sample

If you still need assistance, you can email People-AFFS-ESF-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk and your query will be redirected to the Service Children in State Schools National Executive Advisory Committee (SCISS NEAC).

Since the inception of the ESF, SCISS NEAC members have helped evaluate applications and some members have previously secured funding; they may be able to offer additional advice.

ESF 2023

The 2023 bidding round is open from 9 May until 30 September 2022.

Applications are accepted from publicly funded schools, academies and free schools throughout the UK who meet the eligibility criteria. Local authorities are also able to apply in support of these schools.

The grant application pack consists of 4 documents:

  • instructions and guidance
  • regional panel scoring criteria sheet
  • application form
  • in-year bid guidance

Also available is an ESF Poster and you can read Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance case studies.

Applications from England, Scotland and Wales should be forwarded to People-AFFS-ESF-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk.

Applications from Northern Ireland should be forwarded to RC-AWS-N-38X-0mailbox@mod.gov.uk.

Applicants in Wales should contact SSCE Cymru at SSCECymru@wlga.gov.uk in the first instance. You can also read Wales specific ESF guidance.

Handwritten, incomplete and postal applications cannot be accepted.

Late applications cannot be considered.

Directorate Children and Young People

Published 3 August 2018
Last updated 9 August 2022 + show all updates
  1. Updated MOD ESF application form.

  2. Added a note to the page regarding a change in the application process from 1 September 2022.

  3. Updated the page with the 2023 criteria.

  4. Updated call to action box under details and under 'ESF 2022' heading.

  5. Added additional email addresses and links for further guidance on applying for ESF.

  6. Added new dates for the 2022 ESF, also added new instructions and guidance, scoring sheet, application form, in-year guidance and ESF poster.

  7. Updated the information about the Education Support Fund bidding for 2021 now being closed.

  8. Added a section on sample applications.

  9. Added new deadline details for 2021, 4 new documents have also been added: instructions and guidance, scoring criteria sheet, application form and poster.

  10. Removed out of date deadline information.

  11. Updated with new forms and information for 2019 applicants.

  12. Updated the information guidance and Northern Ireland application form attachments to reflect an update to the Northern Ireland contact email address.

  13. Updated the MOD application form for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  14. Updated the application forms for England and Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland.

  15. Updated the England and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland application form to correct field error.

  16. First published.