BBC - Commissioning - Learning

Aims

Learning is at the heart of the BBC’s overall aim to inform, educate and entertain and it’s our vision to inspire a life full of learning for all our audiences. We create, connect and magnify powerful opportunities for learning across the BBC.

We work across all platforms to enable audiences to acquire new knowledge, develop new skills, and become more confident learners. The department is home to a comprehensive specialist learning offering that includes key brands such as Bitesize and WebWise. We also co-commission programmes across different genres and work with programme-makers to deepen the learning impact in different ways, including additional content on air and online, learning resources for schools and general audiences, and public events.

You can find out more about what we do and our current areas of focus on the Learning website.
 

Knowledge commissioning:

We fund a portfolio of programmes commissioned through Knowledge, recent examples include ‘Bang Goes The Theory', 'Great British Story', and 'Rome's Lost Cities'.

BBC Three:

We have dedicated funding for programmes that reach BBC 3 audiences and create a learning experience. One area we are particularly interested in is drama that inspires learning.

Daytime:

We are committed to funding programmes that inspire learning in the Daytime audience. We’re interested in exploring how great contemporary storytelling might encourage and inspire adults to seek help with basic skills such as literacy and numeracy.

Learning Fund

Through the new Learning Fund we have £5 million available to enhance the learning impact of key commissioned content, live and in development, in any genre or area of the BBC.  We are looking for ambitious proposals with the potential to become standout moments for our audiences. You can find the Learning Fund application form on the top-right of this page under 'Downloads'.

Learning priorities

• Attaching learning to key commissioned content
• Ideas that bring together different partners and platforms within the BBC and/or external partners
• Actively using broadcast talent in the learning experience
• Connecting to returning programmes
• Ideas that cross generations

Learning outcomes

BBC Learning has developed audience outcomes to help guide objectives for development. There are three types of learning outcomes, but we do not necessarily expect all projects to deliver against all three.

• Learning to Know: acquiring knowledge and understanding; becoming inspired, discovering and exploring.
• Learning to Do: gaining skills, confidence, competence and practical abilities. Trying something new or different.
• Learning to Develop: developing as individuals and as members of a community; becoming more interested, curious, open-minded, critical or discerning.

Example of Learning commissioned content

We are interested in content that provides an immersive learning experience across different platforms that can extend audience reach and/or impact significantly.

Stargazing LIVE 2011

• BBC Two audience of more than 3 million
• Three hundred events around the country with various partner
• Stargazing guide downloaded almost 2 million times
• 90,000 users on the stargazing homepage on the night of the event

Learning to Develop

Learn to be more confident in understanding the night sky and using this as a springboard to discover more about our solar system and the universe. 

Learning to Do

Learn to use a Star Guide and other resources to read the night sky. Learn practical astronomy skills via partner organisations including how to use a telescope/binoculars and how to photograph astronomical objects.

Learning to Know

Learn to know more about objects in the night sky including the sun, moon, planets and stars and how they interact with each other. Find out about the range of different activities offered by astronomy organisations and start on a lifelong journey of discovery.

2011 Process for bids

• Bids will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the year
• You are welcome to consult Learning ahead of application 
• The fund is open to Independents as well as in-house producers
• Bids must be supported by the relevant commissioner
• Funding will only be awarded for significant learning enhancements and not to subsidise regular activity
• Projects involving significant online spend will need service licence headroom
• Bids must be submitted using the Learning fund application form found inthe downloads section of this page. If the proposal is short-listed BBC Learning will work with you to develop the editorial specification

If you have something that meets these criteria; please fill in the learning fund application form that you can find in the downloads section of this page.  

Learning Zone, BBC Two, 4.00am–6.00am

We commission Learning Zone content that directly links to the curriculum in schools. We currently have an annual commissioning round and more information is available in the programming and content opportunities section of this page. 

Commissioning process

All ideas, unless stated otherwise, are pitched to the Learning team via e-commissioning; please highlight the potential the learning impact of your idea and direct the offer to Katy Jones on the e-commissioning proposal form.

Key contact

Abigail Appleton, Head of Commissioning for BBC Learning 

Katy Jones, Executive Producer

Cerys Griffiths, Executive Producer.