Pears Foundation

Children are growing up in an online world where conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation can spread rapidly, shaping how they understand themselves, other people and the world around them. Schools increasingly find themselves needing to respond to these challenges, yet teachers have received little guidance or training to help them do so with confidence.

Pears Foundation’s grant-making spans education, youth work, mental health, social cohesion and special educational needs and disabilities. We were hearing consistent concerns from partners across these different fields about the growing impact of online misinformation and conspiracy theories in schools. Rather than responding through a single grant, we brought together expertise from across our network to better understand the issue and identify practical solutions.

Co-chaired by Sir Trevor Pears and Sir Mufti Hamid Patel, and supported by a secretariat from Public First, the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools brought together leading figures from education, academia, youth work, the media, law and civil society, alongside an advisory board drawn from Pears Foundation’s partners. Through extensive polling, focus groups and research with teachers, parents and young people, it carried out one of the largest studies of its kind in England.

The Commission’s first report, published in 2025, found that teachers need greater support to respond confidently to online misinformation and conspiracy theories. It recommended clearer government guidance, better teacher training and opportunities for critical thinking and media literacy to be embedded throughout the curriculum from primary school onwards. A second report, published in 2026, highlighted growing concern among teachers, parents and young people, alongside the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapid emergence of generative AI.

The publication of the Commission’s findings and recommendations marked the beginning rather than the end of the process. Since then, the Commissioners and Public First have continued their work, carrying out further research, engaging policymakers and refining their recommendations as the evidence has developed. Guided by this ongoing work, Pears Foundation has supported the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations by funding two national teacher development programmes.

At the heart of this work is the Centre for Digital Information Literacy in Schools, a national initiative led by the National Institute of Teaching. The Centre aims to embed critical thinking, psychological insight and media literacy throughout teacher development, from trainee teachers and classroom practitioners to school leaders and governors. Its work includes national professional development, leadership qualifications, governance training, classroom resources, online learning and public engagement.

We are also funding a complementary programme at the UCL Institute of Education, where experts in citizenship education are developing professional learning and classroom resources to help primary and secondary teachers tackle conspiracy theories and online misinformation with confidence. Through piloted professional development, a national training roll out and curriculum resources, the programme will equip teachers to help pupils think critically and navigate an increasingly complex online world.

The Commission continues to advocate for the implementation of its recommendations, undertake further research and raise awareness of the challenges posed by online conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation in schools. Together, this work reflects our belief that philanthropy can play a unique role in identifying emerging challenges, convening expertise and supporting the journey from research to implementation.