Let Teachers SHINE 2024
Let Teachers SHINE (LTS) is a grant award of up to £25,000 over 2 years. LTS champions teachers as innovators. In the initial stages, SHINE aims to support teachers who are ready to pilot, test and refine their projects from the classroom. LTS grants focus on supporting children from economically less advantaged backgrounds in the Northi of England to fulfil their potential and flourish, particularly in core subjects.
LTS grants offer free access to a range of training opportunities, equipping project leaders with additional skills to maximise the chances of projects being successful. Furthermore, after the initial grant term, additional funding is available to support the very best ideas to be scaled up, with the intention of improving the outcomes of learners from less advantaged backgrounds across the North.
We anticipate awarding approximately 10 grants, depending on grant sizeii.
Apply using the short online form. Tell us what your project idea is, what problem it intends to solve, and explain how the solution is innovative.
Essential criteria
SHINE is looking for projects that best meet the following essential criteria:
Led by a qualified teacher working in a school (including nurseries and colleges) in the North of England or a teacher with a firm commitment to rolling out their project in the North of England.
- Demonstrate innovation: we want to see exciting and inspiring projects. Show us how your idea is different, or an improvement on what is currently practised.
- Target learners from economically less advantaged backgrounds, aged 0-18 (we use Pupil Premium eligibility as a general indicator of economic disadvantage).
- Focus on raising academic achievement levels with direct links to raising attainment in core subjects (English, maths & science).
- Projects that can be rigorously tested to assess their impact at class, year, or school/institution level, for measurable results.
- Sustained (rather than a ‘one off’ intervention) and can show improvements in educational outcomes over time.
- Have the backing of your school and leadership team.iii
We will look favourably on applications that:
- Can be readily shared and embedded easily and have a plan for how they would grow beyond the initial grant if successful initially (for example working with higher student numbers, or in other schools or in other areas) especially across the North.
- Are informed by the available educational research.
- Present a well-thought-out and realistic budget.
We will not fund:
Projects that are based out of the North of England without plans to scale or develop in the North of England in future.
- Projects that do not target or benefit children from less advantaged backgrounds.
- Projects that do not work with schools with above-average levels of children receiving Pupil Premium.
- Capital build projects, including refurbishments, gardens, libraries and transport.
- Projects where more than 50% of the budget is to be spent on equipment, including books and technology.
- Afterschool clubs/ holiday clubs that don’t link to our curriculum priorities.
- One-off projects that can’t show a long-term link to attainment (summer schools, drop-in clubs etc.).
i This is broadly inclusive of Yorkshire, North East, North West and North Lincolnshire.
ii If successful, grants will be awarded in Summer 2023 for projects to start in September 2023.
iii Having school support is important for many reasons: grants get paid into the school bank account, SHINE provides workshops which may require you to be away from class, etc.