Over £44m is being awarded to projects to support key priorities in education in Wales, focusing on areas including literacy, numeracy and science over the next three years.

Grants have been awarded to a range of organisations from the third and public sector, universities, and private companies to give schools and settings the expertise, training and materials they need.

Support is prioritised around a range of key areas, including:

  • Helping children make better progress in maths and numeracy
  • Boosting science teaching
  • Empowering schools to design an engaging and challenging curriculum for their learners
  • Continuing the National Music Service, providing music opportunities for children
  • Nursery education to give children the best start
  • Further nationally consistent support and expertise for Relationships and Sexuality Education for the whole of Wales.
  • Helping children develop their creativity

As part of the £44m the Cabinet Secretary launched a new call for further grant proposals today, inviting applications of up to £11.9 million from suitable organisations to fund projects in:

  • Building children’s computing and digital skills
  • Developing maths in primary schools
  • Literacy to improve attainment in speech, language and reading

Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle said: “This is a huge investment in high-quality, nationally consistent support for all our schools. We are helping schools to ramp up investment in literacy and numeracy standards, challenge and engage with their learners across the curriculum and maintain our record investment in music education – so every child, whatever their background, can experience the joy of music.

“I’m also pleased to be announcing a new call for proposals for national support on literacy, primary maths, computing and digital skills.”