Let Teachers SHINE evaluation report

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Through the annual Let Teachers SHINE programme, SHINE provides funding to some of the brightest minds in teaching, helping them to develop and deliver new ideas that raise educational attainment for children from low-income homes.

Over the past few years, SHINE has partnered with The Young Foundation, which has supported Let Teachers SHINE grantees by providing free access to a broad range of development workshops and coaching opportunities to help them get the best out of their ideas. This has included strategic mentoring from experts in the sector covering topics such as creating a business plan, managing finances, promoting their project, evaluating impact, and scaling up to reach more children.

The Young Foundation also conducted an evaluation of the Let Teachers SHINE programme, to identify how it supports participants in their journeys as innovators within the education sector.

In December 2020, the Foundation interviewed 10 Let Teachers SHINE grantees to explore their experiences of the programme and identify how it supported them to grow their ideas and overcome barriers. They spoke to those currently on the programme, in their first or second year, as well as legacy grantees who are no longer funded by SHINE.

The Foundation’s report evaluates the impact the programme had for three cohort years; identifying key recommendations for how to foster innovation in education settings and how programmes such as this can support teachers with scaling their ideas beyond the classroom.

It also outlines how the Let Teachers SHINE programmes help to nurture innovation and includes recommendations for:

  • Resourcing
  • Creating space for innovation in schools
  • Supporting teacher innovators to grow their projects