Throughout the ten years of the fund, we will:

• Build relationships by understanding the context of each school and their unique challenges and opportunities.
• Encourage learning by involving schools in evaluation and helping them understand what works best and why.
• Adapt and amend our approach in response to new information, challenges or opportunities.
• Celebrate the impact of teachers and champion their ideas and perspectives.
• Strengthen capacity for the long-term by investing in the professional development of teachers and school leaders.

• Significance of prior academic achievement: Students with lower prior attainment at primary school often struggled to achieve higher grades at secondary school. Literacy emerged as a specific area where early and consistent support is needed.
• Effect of low-income backgrounds: Students who receive free school meals generally have lower grades and show less academic progress compared to their peers. The effect is even more noticeable among students who previously performed best in primary school.
• Impact of attendance and exclusions: Lower attendance rates and higher suspension rates were found to have a direct correlation with lower GCSE attainment. Students who have received at least one suspension or who were regularly absent from school often showed declines in grades. This impact was also especially strong for students who previously had high prior achievement levels.
• Social and emotional barriers: Strong mental health, and positive relationships between schools and families, were also associated with higher attainment. The report recommends support could be further strengthened in these areas. It also calls for more connections between secondary and primary schools, to better prepare children for the challenges of moving school.
• Aspirations and careers:  Children would also benefit from access to additional personalised support in school and understanding more about the opportunities available to them when they leave.

Initially, SHINE will seek to support projects that:

• Improve literacy skills by implementing evidence-informed approaches that improve standards across the cohort.
• Provide the foundations for successful transition between primary and secondary school to improve secondary school outcomes.
• Address underlying barriers that prevent children from reaching their full potential, including, but not limited to, mental health challenges, attendance, parental engagement or SEND.
• Improve aspirations and engagement, and offer enriching educational experiences, especially for disadvantaged students with high prior attainment.