The Sunderland schools set to benefit from first instalment of £11m windfall

The initial £900,000 of extra cash for schools will be spent on a range of initiatives including improving literacy, mental wellbeing and children transitioning from primary to secondary schools.

The 10 year initiative will see £11m of funding utilised to drive up GCSE attainment for the city’s children and schools. Whilst this year’s Progress 8 score saw a significant improvement compared to the previous year, Sunderland’s children are still lagging behind their national counterparts.

The grants follow a major study commissioned by SHINE and conducted by the University of Sunderland, which highlights the need for greater support to help secondary school students reach their full potential.

Published in December, the study found that attainment at the end of primary school is a key predictor of GCSE performance. It also found a range of areas where additional support for students could make a positive difference to their opportunities at school and beyond.

Schools were asked to put forward develop projects that would help improve attainment across the city.

SHINE’s CEO Fiona Spellman said: “Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, no matter their background.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, through SHINE Sunderland, we are investing in projects that will break down barriers, raise aspirations, and give students the support they need to succeed.

“Schools across Sunderland have created some amazing, impactful projects, which we are proud to fund.

“This is just the beginning of an exciting journey to transform lives across the city. We can’t wait to see what can be achieved.”

A second round of Sunderland projects will receive funding later this year. Check out the city schools set to benefit and what the money is going to be spent on.