SHINE on Saturday was first created back in 2001 and since then it has benefited over 7,000 children. Currently we have 29 projects that are focused on over a hundred schools in London and Greater Manchester. From 2016 we will be taking the programme to new areas, helping to expand our reach and impact in the future.

We are also about to embark on a new partnership which will further enhance this programme and enable us to support more children from lower income homes.

SHINE and School-Home Support (SHS) are two leading education charities with a shared mission to help all children achieve their potential regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. Thanks to the support of the Richard Reeve’s Foundation, for the first time we will be partnering with SHS to bring added support to vulnerable families in our SHINE on Saturday projects. This unique partnership will span more than three years and work with 10 schools in Islington and Camden.

SHS has specialist expertise in engaging with vulnerable families, which will add significant value to both SHINE on Saturday and the participating schools more widely. In return, SHINE will offer expertise in supporting schools to ensure vulnerable children boost their educational chances.

Through this partnership, SHS practitioners will support the attendance, engagement in learning, and attainment of children from vulnerable families on Saturdays. SHINE on Saturday will then be offered to parents who are not currently connected with their children’s learning as a way to build better relationships with school. In addition, SHS will run workshops for parents on how to support home learning and also coffee mornings where they can come in and discuss their child’s progress on a less formal basis.

By joining up our activities we will utilise the specialisms of both organisations and create a unique partnership, with the children’s needs at the centre.

We are very grateful for the support of the Richard Reeve’s Foundation, who initiated this partnership and have very generously funded this programme.