Every school wants to offer enrichment. The question is always: where does the money come from? STEM workshops, equipment, trips, and clubs all cost something. But there are more funding routes available than most schools realise. Some are obvious. Others are surprisingly underused.
This guide covers the funding sources that primary and secondary schools in England are currently using to pay for STEM enrichment. No jargon, no vague suggestions. Just practical information you can act on this term.
Pupil Premium
Pupil Premium may support a STEM workshop where the school’s evidence-based strategy identifies the activity as an appropriate way to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The school must follow the current DfE guidance and menu of approaches; enrichment does not automatically qualify simply because it raises aspiration or broadens experience.
The key is being able to demonstrate impact. If you book a STEM workshop, record which Pupil Premium children attended, gather their feedback, and note any observable effect on engagement, aspiration, or subject confidence. Your Pupil Premium strategy statement should reference the enrichment and its rationale.
School Budget (General Funding)
Many schools allocate a small enrichment budget within their general school fund. This might sit under “curriculum enrichment”, “educational visits”, or “professional development” depending on how your budget is structured. If your school does not have a specific enrichment line, speak to your school business manager about creating one. Having a named budget makes it easier to plan and harder to lose the money to other pressures.
DfE and Government Funding
There is no ringfenced DfE enrichment or STEM grant. The department's own June 2026 enrichment resources point schools at pupil premium, the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and the Holiday Activities and Food programme, and nothing else. In practice, enrichment comes from the core school budget or from pupil premium where the school's strategy supports it.
For 2026-27 the schools national funding formula sets basic entitlement at £4,064 per primary pupil, £5,686 per key stage 3 pupil and £6,410 per key stage 4 pupil, with minimum per-pupil funding levels of £5,115 for primary and £6,640 for secondary. The Schools Budget Support Grant and the National Insurance contributions grant have both been rolled into the formula, so they no longer exist as separate funding lines.
Pupil premium rates for 2026-27 are £1,550 per eligible pupil in reception to year 6, £1,100 in years 7 to 11, £2,690 for looked-after and previously looked-after children, and £360 for the service pupil premium. Any activity funded from pupil premium must fall under one of the approaches in the department's menu, so eligibility attaches to the approach your school is taking, not to the product it buys. Strategy statements are due by 31 December 2026.
Condition Improvement Fund
The Condition Improvement Fund is a capital fund for building condition and expansion projects. It is not open to every school. Eligibility covers stand-alone academies, schools in a multi-academy trust with fewer than five schools or fewer than 3,000 pupils, voluntary aided schools in a body under the same threshold, sixth-form colleges, and schools with a signed academy order. Larger trusts and local-authority maintained schools receive School Condition Allocations instead and cannot bid. A school gets one or the other, never both.
The fund cannot pay for a STEM workshop. Every project must improve a capital asset, and loose furniture, equipment and ICT software are explicitly ineligible. The 2026-27 round closed in December 2025, with outcomes announced on 22 May 2026.
PTFA and Parent Fundraising
Parent-Teacher and Friends Associations raise significant amounts for many schools. STEM workshops are popular items because parents can see the direct benefit to their children. A single fundraising event (disco, cake sale, sponsored walk) can cover the cost of a workshop day.
Tips for making the ask:
- Be specific. “We want £450 for a robotics workshop for Year 4” is more compelling than “we need money for STEM.”
- Show what children will get. Share a short video or description of the workshop.
- Report back afterwards. Photos, quotes from children, and a thank-you in the newsletter go a long way.
Charitable Trusts and Foundations
There are hundreds of charitable trusts in England that fund educational enrichment. Many are small, local, and undersubscribed because schools do not know they exist. Here are some starting points:
- The Ogden Trust: Funds physics and science enrichment in state schools. They offer partnership programmes and small grants.
- The Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT): Offers grants and resources for primary science, including funding for enrichment activities.
- The Wellcome Trust: Funds science engagement projects in schools through various programmes.
- Local community foundations: Almost every county has one. They distribute grants from local donors and often have funds specifically for youth education.
- Rotary Clubs and Lions Clubs: Local branches frequently sponsor school activities, particularly STEM and technology projects.
When applying, keep it simple. Most small trusts want a one-page application explaining what you want to do, who benefits, and how much it costs. They do not want a 20-page proposal.
Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) Central Funds
If your school is part of a MAT, there may be a central enrichment budget or a mechanism for pooling resources across schools. Some MATs negotiate bulk deals with providers, booking workshops across multiple schools at a reduced per-school rate. If your trust does not do this yet, suggest it. Providers, including us, often offer discounts for multi-school bookings.
Local Authority Funding
Some local authorities still run STEM enrichment programmes or have small grants available for schools. These vary enormously by area and change year to year. Check your LA’s education team website or ask your school improvement advisor what is currently available.
Business and Corporate Sponsorship
Local businesses, particularly in technology, engineering, and manufacturing, sometimes sponsor school enrichment. They get good publicity, community engagement, and potential future recruitment links. You get funded activities.
Approach this professionally:
- Write a short proposal explaining what the sponsorship covers and what the business gets in return (mention in newsletters, a logo on event materials, an invitation to the event)
- Target businesses with an obvious STEM connection
- Start with businesses that have a local presence. A factory down the road is more likely to say yes than a distant head office.
Combining Sources
The most effective approach is usually a combination. Pupil Premium covers the core enrichment for disadvantaged pupils. The PTFA tops up the budget so every child can participate. A local trust grant funds the equipment for ongoing STEM clubs. A business sponsors one high-profile event per year.
This spreads the cost, reduces dependence on any single source, and makes the whole programme more sustainable than relying on one pot of money.
What We Offer
Our STEM workshops are priced transparently and designed to fit school budgets. Schools may consider Pupil Premium where their evidence-based strategy supports the spend, PTFA funding, live trust grants and direct school budgets. If you want to see what a workshop would cost for your school, our instant quote tool gives you the current workshop- and postcode-specific figure. We can provide current workshop details, learning objectives and curriculum links for a grant application; the school remains responsible for checking the fund’s criteria and evidencing its own intended impact. Ask whether an externally funded workshop route is open at the time of enquiry; eligibility, availability and award are not guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pupil Premium be used for STEM workshops?
It may be appropriate where the school’s Pupil Premium strategy and evidence support that use. Identify the intended outcome, confirm actual participation and evaluate impact; booking an in-school workshop does not by itself demonstrate a narrowed gap or universal participation.
What external funding is available for STEM enrichment?
Options can include Pupil Premium where the school’s strategy supports the spend, PTFA fundraising, live charitable-trust grants, MAT central funds, local-authority grants and corporate sponsorship. Ask whether an externally funded workshop round is open at the time of enquiry; eligibility, availability and award are not guaranteed.
How do you write a funding bid for STEM enrichment?
Focus on impact: how many students will benefit, how it links to curriculum objectives, how it develops cultural capital, and how you will measure outcomes. Include quotes from external providers, evidence from any previous enrichment, and a clear explanation of why the activity requires external funding.
