In the North of England, only 34% of disadvantaged children get five good GCSEs at school, compared to 48% in London. More children in the North are left without the basics they need to continue studying or get a well-paid job. At SHINE, we believe that all children in the North deserve the same educational chances as anyone else.

We work with teachers and schools in the North, developing innovative programmes that support the most disadvantaged young people. We also work in partnership with other organisations and funders in those parts of the North with the greatest need to drive systemic change that is locally led.

To achieve the greatest impact, we focus on the following key priorities:

Our priorities

Ready for school

Giving children the best possible start to education in the early years.

Bridging the Gap

Helping children who need extra support at school to thrive when they move from primary to secondary school.

Flying High

Enabling children who attain well at primary school to stay on the path to success in their journey to secondary school.

Let Teachers SHINE

Backing passionate teachers to test new innovations in the classroom.

What we are funding

Take a look at the education programmes that we’re supporting across the country.

What we hope to achieve

SHINE has set some ambitious goals to meet by 2025 as we work to build a brighter future for the North's most disadvantaged children

Every child should be given a fair chance to succeed at school and go on to realise their full potential in later life. Sadly, for a lot of children, this is not currently the case. I am proud to support SHINE in its bold new vision for the North, and I would urge others to fully support them in any way they can.

Sir Alan Langlands Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds

Giving kids from poor communities some decent opportunities to succeed at school has always been an incredibly worthwhile cause. To get them a good job, it’s essential that these children leave school with the best possible grades, and that makes SHINE’s work even more important than ever.

Nick Robinson Journalist and Broadcaster