Finding the Funding: BBC Children’s and Education Commissioning

Posted on: Thursday 09 July 2026 1:10pm by Lorna Partington Walsh

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Takeaways

• There are lots of commissioning happening at BBC Children’s and Education, including for brand new YouTube channels.
• Aim for positive screen time: creativity/play, new hobbies, visiting new places, building connection, and learning.
• Discoverability and audience-building is vital.
• Contribute to the corporation’s mission to create a global village.

Dhanny Joshi (Big Time Films) welcomed the audience and panellists, and began with an icebreaker, asking the panel to choose which iconic character they’d like to be. Scooby Doo characters were well represented! Dhanny then invited each speaker to present what is being commissioned.

Sarah Burkett, Head of Audience Research, began by providing a context for commissioning. A key focus of research has been around what ‘positive screen time’ is. Around 2000 parents of children aged 3 months to 16 years were interviewed, and 8/10 reported BBC content having a positive impact, meaning that viewing encourages creativity and play, trying new hobbies, and visiting new places. 78% of parents believe BBC content supports their child’s well-being.

There is a marked trend is towards nostalgia, with parents connecting with their children through content they remembered from their own childhood. This is exemplified by the recent relaunch of Balamory after a 20-year absence. The first episode was watched by 1.5 million.

Older children are more independent viewers, but there is a strong trend for family viewing and bonding through big-moment TV, such as Gladiators and Strictly. To that end, there are kid-focused spin-offs.

iPlayer is becoming increasingly important as linear audiences are migrating. The research team look at a year’s worth of data when looking for gaps in programming and commissioning opportunities.

Lydia Mossahebi talked about digital-first commissioning and the new BBC channels on YouTube (arising from a partnership established at the end of 2025). These new channels include ‘Chaos’, which showcases the silly and playful; ‘Epic Facts’; Animation and Drama channels; ‘Bitesize’ for curriculum related content, and ‘CBeebies Parenting’ aimed at adults. All of these are actively commissioning.

Kate Morton talked about commissioning for CBeebies and CBeebies Parenting. The commissioning approach is ‘audience first’ and quality. They look for ‘fun and giggles’, as humour is a unifying factor cross-culturally. They like international partnerships and global potential. The commissions also look for community-building and intergenerational connection. She talked about the importance of getting facts right, be it for kids’ or parents’ content, and of representing the full diversity of children and childhood.

Sarah Muller talked about the commissioning of drama, which is aimed at 7+ and commands ‘quality’ to compete with Disney+ and Netflix. We were shown the example of Crook Haven, a drama starring Dougray Scott, which has been a big hit with kids. In particular, commissioning criteria includes:

• UK storytelling with an international twist and international recognition for British content.
• Suited to 7+ and all the family.
• Reflective of children’s lives.
• Builds community, connection, and fandom.
• Positive male role models.
• Learning and laughter.

Alex Harris talked about the Education commissions. In this case, ‘required learning’ is key and ideas must relate to the curriculum or preparing young people for the wider world of work. The content should work in a classroom setting as well as at home (communal and individual). He gave one example of Solve the Story, a weekly interactive series that can be used in the classroom to teach media literacy.

Alex pointed to the various briefs on the commissioning website for Education output. These briefs include self-study for older kids, citizenship content, and media literacy. There is a breadth of opportunity for producers! Projects outside the current briefs will be considered but might not take priority.

To end, Dhanny asked each panellist what a ‘strong’ pitch would be:

• Digital first: Discoverability and audience opportunity. Where does it fit within the portfolio of YouTube channels?
• Drama: Good characters, straightforward storytelling. Know exactly who it’s for and what excites that specific age group.
• CBeebies: Don’t duplicate what’s already on offer. Come with ideas for building an audience. Get partnership funding, since the BBC is unlikely to fully fund anything. Ideas at an early stage are also welcome.
• Bitesize: Address required learning outcomes and present a highly creative treatment. Don’t aim to replace teaching but support it. Offer up inspirational presenters/speakers. Tricky topics (e.g., sex ed).

Delegates were encouraged to email childrenssubmissions@bbc.co.uk with their ideas. All pitches are considered. However, demand is high, so be patient!