Action Research Grants

Fresh off the press! Action Research for Schools 2025-26: Global stories of school improvement

Learn how school leaders and educators developed practical solutions to issues faced by schools across the globe in our collection of short evidence-based articles. We welcome you to download our new report.

Download publication

What is action research in education?

Action research is a process where teachers systematically study their own classroom practice to improve it. It involves identifying a specific area to develop, trying out new strategies, collecting evidence on their impact, and reflecting on the results. This cycle of planning, acting, observing, and refining helps teachers make informed decisions and continuously strengthen their teaching and student outcomes.

What is the Action Research programme for Partner Schools?

The Partner Schools Action Research programme supports teachers and school leaders drive meaningful improvements in leadership, teacher development, technology and student outcomes, fostering a culture of continuous professional development and innovation within the educational community.

The Partner Schools Action Research programme supports schools looking to enhance learners’ educational outcomes.

Expert guidance and mentorship

Access expert guidance on conducting, reporting, and disseminating research findings, ensuring the project achieves its objectives

Institutional visibility and prestige

Enhance your school's academic stature and unlock the global benefits. This opportunity allows your institution to publish its findings on national and international platforms, increasing your visibility and influence within the academic community while driving forward educational excellence.

Collaborative research platform

Gain access to a dedicated platform for collaborating and discussing your research with a global community of peers. This environment allows you to challenge assumptions and build shared knowledge through training, events, and conferences.

Assistance with scholarly publication

We offer support in sharing and publishing your action research findings in education. This includes assistance in getting your work featured in published papers and presenting at international conferences, helping you contribute to global best practices.

Enriched student and teacher journeys

Tackle educational challenges by embracing new developments. Practitioner-led research creates more engaging and effective learning experiences, directly improving student outcomes while fostering a culture of continuous professional development for teachers.

Using Artificial Intelligence in developing high quality teaching, learning and assessment

Developing leadership at all levels in schools

Developing effective Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes

expert guidance on conducting, reporting, and disseminating your research findings

An assigned academic lead provides expert guidance on conducting, reporting, and disseminating research findings, ensuring the project achieves its objectives.

Access to specialised support through online tutoring and interactive training sessions, designed to improve research skills and knowledge

Peer-to-peer discussions and collaborations, offering a platform to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and broaden the research perspective

2025-2026 Grant application window is currently closed

If you are an existing Partner School : Register your interest for next year's grants to be notified when the window opens.

If you are not currently a Partner School: join the Partner Schools programme and access upcoming Action Research grants, start your application journey below.

Become a Partner School

What financial support will you get?

We’ll support successful applicants in their action research through funding and with an assigned expert academic lead to guide them on how to conduct, report and share their research findings.

Grants available

The total amount of funding available per applicant for the programme is up to £2,500.

What are the areas of research?

The research areas cut across various relevant themes to drive school improvement such as,

Using Artificial Intelligence in developing high quality teaching, learning and assessment.

Developing leadership at all levels in an educational setting to promote school improvement.

Developing effective Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes.
Cross cutting themes of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

What academic support will you get?

Expert support, guidance and mentoring in producing innovative research through online tutoring and workshops
Guidance in undertaking peer to peer conversations with colleagues in shared exploration and research
Assistance in the final preparation of the research paper and publication
Support to share findings through conferences and training.

What are the benefits for researchers and schools?

Researchers will have the opportunity to have their research published and shared on national and international platforms.

Researchers will have the opportunity to deliver research papers at national and international conferences.

Participating schools' profiles will be raised within the international education community.

Researchers will have the skills to support training within school.

Schools and students will benefit from improved teaching and learning.

What are the benefits for the wider school community?

Action Research will create opportunities for British Council Partner Schools to draw on both theory and practice to find global solutions.

A bank of themed practitioner led research papers addressing key educational issues will be made available.

Develop a culture of action research within the local, national and international school community.

What are the current application windows?

The call for proposals for the 2025/2026 round of Partner Schools Action Research Grants is now closed. The next round will open soon.

Read our first Action Research publication: Global stories of school improvement 2024-25

Learn how school leaders and educators developed practical solutions to issues
faced by schools across the globe.

Download 2024-25 report

Learn more about the Partner Schools programme

Teacher training

Discover how the British Council supports teacher development in Partner Schools through in-person and online training, tailored pathways and certification.

Explore Teacher Training

Online Support for Schools (OSS)

Exclusive professional development hub for educators and school leaders from British Council Partner Schools.

Online Support for schools

Your World video
competition

Participate in our global video competition where students showcase their creativity and perspectives.

Join the competition

Schools Now!
conference

Network with peers from around the world at our annual international conference devoted to sharing educational innovation and insights.

Get conference updates

Partner Schools
Connect

Collaborate on joint classroom-based projects with teachers and students from our global Partner Schools community.

Collaborate with educators

Student safeguarding

Prioritise student safety with resources and training on safeguarding that promote safe and inclusive learning environments.

Access safeguarding support

Have a research idea?

Educators globally have leveraged this opportunity to produce practitioner-led research on pivotal educational issues and so can you!

Become a British Council Partner School today and gain access to grants, resources, forums, webinars, and so much more.