Expression of Interest: EdTech schools and colleges

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Closes 8 Aug 2025

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Introduction

The Department for Education (DfE) is pleased to announce the launch of a new EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot. This initiative aims to identify and evaluate innovative educational technologies that can enhance teaching and learning and reduce workload in schools and colleges across England. We invite schools and colleges to register their interest to participate in this pilot.

The UK government is committed to leveraging technology to modernise the education system, back teachers and deliver better life chances for children. Recent initiatives have demonstrated the positive impact of EdTech on teaching and learning. We want to build the evidence base on the impact and scalability of promising technologies. DfE has committed more than £1 million in funding for a pilot scheme which will improve evidence quality for edtech by providing a structured environment for testing and evaluating new technologies.

The EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot will be approximately a 9-month pilot with a testing period of 6-12 weeks, and light-touch evaluation and monitoring activities.

Purpose

A testbed is a controlled environment used for testing and evaluating technologies or software applications. The EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot is designed to:

  • Identify EdTech tools. The scheme will be used to identify promising technologies that have the potential to enhance teaching and learning.
  • Generate evidence. The scheme will be used to support EdTech organisations in collecting evidence on the impact of their tools. This will also be used to help schools/colleges make informed decisions on the appropriate tools to meet their needs.
  • Test the Testbed. The scheme will be used to explore how best a testbed can be designed to deliver on each of these aims.

The EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot will test tools that aim to positively impact the three following education objectives:

  • Reducing teacher and administrative workload.
  • Improving pupil learning outcomes.
  • Increasing levels of inclusion in learning of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Eligibility

We invite applications from:

  • All primary and secondary schools. 
  • Special educational needs (SEN) schools
  • All further education providers. 

Benefits

Participants in the EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot will receive:

  • Access to cutting-edge EdTech tools: Institutions will have the opportunity to trial the latest educational technologies at no cost.
  • Professional development: Teachers and staff will receive training and support to effectively implement and use the new tools.
  • Networking opportunities: Connect with other institutions who are eager to maximise the benefits of technology, share experiences, and collaborate on best practices.
  • Benefits and support: For this pilot, participants will be able to access a set of benefits.

Please note that if you are not selected to participate in the initial testbed, you may be selected for future pilots. We may reach out to you to see if you would be willing to participate in other activities to support our work.

Application Process

Interested institutions are invited to submit an expression of interest by 8th August.

This questionnaire covers:

  • A brief overview of the institution and its current use of technology.
  • A statement of interest outlining the reasons for wanting to participate in the pilot.

For more information, please contact: edtech.testbed@education.gov.uk.

1. What is your name?
2. What is your email address?
3. Would you like us to keep your responses confidential?

Confidentiality
Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal data, may be subject to publication or disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 2018, or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. If you want all, or any part, of a response to be treated as confidential please explain why you consider it to be confidential. If a request for disclosure of the information you have provided is received, your explanation about why you consider it confidential will be taken into account, but no assurance can be given that confidentiality can be maintained. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the Department.

Privacy
The personal data (name and address and any other identifying material) that you provide in response to this consultation is processed by the Department for Education as a data controller in accordance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and your personal information will only be used for the purposes of this consultation. The Department for Education relies upon the lawful basis of article 6 (1) (e) of the UK GDPR which allows us to process personal data when this is necessary for conducting consultations as part of our function.  Your information will not be shared with third parties unless the law allows or requires it. The personal information will be retained for a period of 3 years following the closure of the consultation period, after which it will be securely destroyed.  You can read more about what the Department for Education does when we ask for and hold your personal information in our personal information charter, which can be found here: Personal information charter - Department for Education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)