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Funding Announced: 娇色导航 Small Grants Fund 2026/2027: Professional development for a flourishing early years sector
Announcing the Recipients of the 娇色导航 Small Grants Fund 2026
The British Educational Research Association (娇色导航) is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2026/2027 Small Grants Fund, which aims to support research focusing on Professional development for a flourishing early years sector.
The 2026 funding aims to support research focusing on the professional development of early years workforce, for a flourishing early years sector both in the UK and worldwide. This theme reflects 娇色导航’s commitment to the improvement of practice and to policy impact through evidence-based research. Each funded project will receive upto £5000.
After careful review of an exceptionally strong field of applications, four projects have been selected for funding:
Project: Through Each Other’s Eyes: Video Analysis and Arts-Based Inquiry in Professional Learning Communities and team work to Reconfigure Inclusive Practice in the Early Years
Principal Investigator: Lucy Barker, Northumbria University
Project: Thinking Locally: An Asset Based Approach to Understanding the Role of Micro Learning Opportunities in the Professional Development and Retention of Early Years Practitioners
Principal Investigator: Tim Clark, University of the West of England
Project: Sustaining Reception Practice: Evaluating Peer-Led Professional Learning Communities and Their Impact
Principal Investigator: Eleanor Milligan, University of East Anglia
Project: Reimagining Early Years Transitions: A Qualitative Study of Collaborative Professional Development Supporting Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Principal Investigator: Katharine Clifford, Kingston University
We would like to thank everyone who submitted an application. The 2026 funding call aims to support research focused on the professional development of the early years workforce, contributing to a flourishing early years sector in both the UK and internationally. This theme reflects 娇色导航’s commitment to improving practice and informing policy through evidence-based research.
Each funded project will receive up to £5,000 to support its delivery. The projects selected for funding represent valuable contributions to this important area of research, and we look forward to sharing their findings in due course.