SHINE Trust

SHINE Trust North of England education charity helping disadvantaged children to fulfil their true potential.

Great teaching goes far beyond delivering lessons - it shapes futures, builds resilience, and gives children the confide...
05/10/2026

Great teaching goes far beyond delivering lessons - it shapes futures, builds resilience, and gives children the confidence to dream bigger.

"Everyone has that one teacher - the teacher they always remember because they made such a lasting impact on their life. If you find a teacher you click with, it can change your whole trajectory." Alicia Brown, The David Brown Foundation

Today, on World Teacher Day, we celebrate courage, creativity and commitment of teachers.

Thank you for giving our children the fair chance they deserve.

Discover the power of great teaching in schools across the North of England at 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/

Every child deserves an accessible, empowering education. This , we’re celebrating classroom approaches that remove bar...
05/10/2026

Every child deserves an accessible, empowering education. This , we’re celebrating classroom approaches that remove barriers to learning and build student confidence.

At SHINE we champion evidence-based initiatives that raise attainment for disadvantaged pupils, including projects like:

• Chatta, developed by Chris Williams, that connects visuals with spoken language,
• Reading On Your Head, designed by Let Teachers SHINE winner Richard Cowie, promotes reading through fun, accessible quizzes, and
• Vocabulous, created by Lucy Huelin, that helps students decode complex words using Latin and Greek roots.

Do you have a teaching idea that helps students overcome reading and writing challenges?

Let Teachers SHINE awards up to £25k funding plus mentorship to scale up game-changing ideas to reach even more children in the North of England.

Get ready for the Let Teachers SHINE launch on 19th October at 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/let-teachers-shine/

Happy ! 🎉 We believe that teachers are the ultimate change-makers in education. That’s why SHINE backs classroom ideas ...
05/10/2026

Happy ! 🎉 We believe that teachers are the ultimate change-makers in education.

That’s why SHINE backs classroom ideas that accelerate progress for disadvantaged pupils and help to close the attainment gap for children in the North.

To date our flagship Let Teachers SHINE award has supported 150 teachers to launch and scale their groundbreaking projects in English, maths, and science. Winners receive up to £25k funding plus mentoring and support to develop and scale their impact.

Are you ready to take your classroom idea to the next level? The next Let Teachers SHINE competition officially launches on 19th October!

For all the details head to 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/let-teachers-shine/

Interested in applying? Fill out the Let Teachers SHINE expression of interest form here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5147468

A child’s future should never be defined by their postcode, yet disadvantaged children in the North of England face, on ...
04/10/2026

A child’s future should never be defined by their postcode, yet disadvantaged children in the North of England face, on average, a 10.3-month attainment gap by the end of primary school.

At SHINE, we support exceptional teachers who have innovative teaching ideas to close this gap and improve outcomes for disadvantaged young people in the North of England.

Since our foundation over 25 years ago we have supported well over 200 innovations, from early-stage ideas right through to programmes reaching international acclaim. This year we were fortunate to invest £1.7 million in projects that helped reach over 100,000 children and support 741 schools.

Join our community dedicated to closing the attainment gap for children in the North. Sign up for our newsletter here 👉 https://mailchi.mp/b2a8a8c5ef10/shine-newsletter

Happy ! Poems and stories build empathy and unlock creative, personal expression. Just two of the brilliant Let Teacher...
01/10/2026

Happy ! Poems and stories build empathy and unlock creative, personal expression.

Just two of the brilliant Let Teachers SHINE innovations that are sparking a love for learning in Northern classrooms are:

📚 The Story Project, developed by Olivia Richards, nurtures children’s emotional literacy through story books, and,
🧩 Vocabulous, created by Lucy Huelin, helps students decode unfamiliar words using their Greek and Latin roots.

Do you have an innovative teaching idea in English, maths or science? Then get ready for the Let Teachers SHINE launch on 19th October!

You could secure up to £25k funding and mentoring to scale up your idea and reach more students beyond your classroom.

For all the details and how to apply head to 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/let-teachers-shine/

Interested in applying? Fill out the Let Teachers SHINE expression of interest form here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5147468

October is ✨ Neurodivergent pupils often face unique classroom challenges that need more tailored support. At SHINE we...
01/10/2026

October is ✨ Neurodivergent pupils often face unique classroom challenges that need more tailored support.

At SHINE we’re proud to champion grassroots, teacher-led innovations that help overcome barriers to learning, and change the trajectory for young people. Projects such as:

🌟 AI For Access, developed by Matt Revill, which helps teachers quickly adapt lessons to learners’ needs.

🌟 The Highfield Resilience Tracker, created by Ruth Coleman, helps build pupils' emotional resilience.

🌟 Chatta, designed by teacher Chris Williams, the platform connects visuals with spoken language in order to break down barriers to learning.

Discover how teacher-led innovations are creating more inclusive classrooms across the North 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/

On National Teaching Assistants’ Day, we are celebrating the UK’s 244,000 classroom champions! 96% of headteachers belie...
25/09/2026

On National Teaching Assistants’ Day, we are celebrating the UK’s 244,000 classroom champions! 96% of headteachers believe TAs add value to their school.

At SHINE our mission is to unlock barriers to learning for disadvantaged children in the North. Programmes like Manchester teacher Rachel Arafa’s ‘Ready, Let’s Read and Write’ demonstrate the power of TAs in action - pairing skilled support staff with young learners to accelerate early reading.

Thank you to all the TAs helping children shine every day!

When we invest in our Teaching Assistants, we invest in the future of our children. Find out more about our work and help us fund more school-led initiatives at: https://shinetrust.org.uk/donate/

Education is a key factor in lifting people out of poverty, but it cannot accomplish that alone. Working with SHINE acro...
24/09/2026

Education is a key factor in lifting people out of poverty, but it cannot accomplish that alone.

Working with SHINE across classrooms in Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Rotherham, Laidlaw Scholar Ashiya Dewan has been exploring how disadvantaged students and teachers experience new technology.

As keynote speaker Louise Quinn observed at SHINE's recent network event: “Everything works somewhere, and nothing works everywhere”.

Ashiya’s findings, which we will be publishing soon, revealed that teachers are more than just educators - they often take on pastoral and guiding roles that extend far beyond the classroom. It also highlighted the need to take local context into account when working in disadvantaged areas, and the benefits of backing teacher expertise and building strong, whole community partnerships.

“That’s why SHINE’s early-years work and emphasis on getting the basics right is so foundational to its theory of sustainable change, such as new Let Teachers SHINE projects focused on sleep poverty and family literacy.” Ashiya Dewan

Read Ashiya's full article at 👉 https://shinetrust.org.uk/2026/09/03/everything-works-somewhere-nothing-works-everywhere/

Recent IPPR research shows growing up in England is increasingly marked by loneliness and uncertainty. In her latest opi...
22/09/2026

Recent IPPR research shows growing up in England is increasingly marked by loneliness and uncertainty. In her latest opinion piece, SHINE CEO Fiona Spellman highlights how schools can tackle this crisis of connection.

Schools are unique spaces where children encounter different perspectives, listen, and build meaningful relationships. To help reconnect young people, schools can restore shared experiences that foster empathy, confidence, and belonging. Real connection isn't an optional extra - it is what education is for.

Read Fiona's full article on rebuilding connection in our schools: https://shinetrust.org.uk/2026/09/02/schools-can-reconnect-the-loneliest-generation/

When children feel confident and emotionally secure, they’re able to achieve more in school. This Youth Mental Health Da...
18/09/2026

When children feel confident and emotionally secure, they’re able to achieve more in school. This Youth Mental Health Day, we are celebrating the SHINE-backed projects supporting pupils right across the North of England including:

🤝 Supporting Transition, created by Whitfield Primary School, Everton, helps children to understand and manage their emotions as they move from primary to secondary school - ensuring students feel supported as they transition into their new environment.
📚 The Story Project, created by Olivia Richards in Bradford, uses story-based learning to improve early reading skills alongside pupil wellbeing and emotional literacy.
👥 Commander Joe’s in Washington helps pupils between years 6 and 9 to build confidence, resilience and teamwork skills through shared ‘mission based’ activities.

These projects demonstrate that when we back local teachers, and support young people’s mental wellbeing alongside their learning, we can help every child to thrive.

Discover more of our projects at: https://shinetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/our-projects/beyond-the-classroom/

Find out more and support our work at: https://shinetrust.org.uk/donate/philanthropy/

Address

The Leeming Building, Ludgate Hill, Leeds
Kent
LS27HZ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441132805872

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