Sheffield Girls’ celebrates another year of SHINE community partnership programme
On Saturday 8th March, we were delighted to celebrate the conclusion of another successful year of SHINE, our annual community partnership programme.
Launched in 2011, the project has seen hundreds of primary school children invited to Sheffield Girls’ for sessions designed to grow their confidence, develop new skills, and most importantly, provide a space for fun and friendship on Saturday mornings. As well as benefiting from our expert teaching staff and specialist facilities, SHINE participants also learn from our Year 12 SHINE mentors who act as role models and help our participants gain invaluable skills. Participants also enjoyed a session supported by Henry Boot Development, helping them understand their learning in a real-world industry context.
All smiles at SHINE!
This year’s project has been another roaring success with nearly 40 Year 5 pupils taking part in weekly sessions designed to enhance their curriculum learning and build their confidence. We were delighted to mark the project’s conclusion on Saturday with a joyful event celebrating our participants’ growth throughout the process. We would like to say a huge thank you to the staff and parents at our partner schools, without whom we would not be able to deliver the programme:
- Arbourthorne Primary School
- Emmaus Primary School
- Netherthorpe Primary School
- Hillsborough Primary School
- Lowfield Primary School
- Prince Edward’s Primary School
- St Joseph’s RC Primary School
- Gleadless Primary School
- Springfield Primary School
A Headteacher from one of this year’s participating schools commented: “Today the children arrived at school just that little bit taller! They were so animated and proud of their achievements, and the parents equally so. I know I say this every year, but the experiences and opportunities you provide our children are life changing and truly transformational. They grow in confidence, competence and aspiration. They make new friends and engage with the most outstanding student role models. They know that people care about them and that they matter in this world.”
Jumping for SHINE joy!
Experiments in the labs
The conclusion of another successful year of SHINE comes at a particularly pertinent time following a study published by the Department for Education. Carried out by UCL, the study has uncovered a growing attainment gap between girls and boys in both Maths and Science, as well as a drop in confidence for girls between Year 5 and 9 and a marked drop in girls’ sense of belonging, all of which were noted as factors in drops in attainment levels.
At Sheffield Girls’ we are aiming to redress this balance through our programme of meaningful partnerships. Our ongoing commitment to championing excellence in all-girls education extends beyond our own classrooms and we actively work to inspire and support young learners across our local community.
By participating in engaging sessions and forging meaningful connections, our SHINE participants develop their confidence, resilience and problem-solving skills whilst simultaneously developing passion for subjects such as Maths and Science. The project is designed to enhance their experience of learning and widen aspirations amongst young people from a variety of backgrounds.
Through initiatives like SHINE and our wider partnerships—including our extensive primary robotics school programme—we aim to tackle challenges in our community and inspire a lifelong love of learning in more young people. Pupils not only explore new subjects in a creative, dynamic environment, but also engage with real-world applications of their learning and benefit from our unique approach to character education.
We would like to say an enormous thank you to all involved in making this year’s SHINE programme a success, and above all, thank you to our participants for bringing such bravery, commitment, energy and enthusiasm to every session.
SHINE Celebration