SHINE launch

Twenty five lucky girls from 6 local state primary schools were invited to the launch of Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School SHINE (Support and Help in Education) programme, which is now reaching its final year of a 3 year funded programme supported by the SHINE Trust. The girls, who are from All Saints & St Oswald’s in Bootle; Forefield Primary & Great Crosby; Longmoor in Aintree and St Luke’s in Formby, have been selected by their Head Teachers to participate in the exciting 15 week programme called ‘Serious Fun On Saturdays’. The launch event was the first chance for the girls to meet each other and they were joined by famous author Kate Maryon, whose first book was called ‘SHINE’. Kate, who has supported the initiative at Merchants since it started in 2010, met all the girls and gave them a signed copy of her book.
The SHINE Trust was founded in March 1999. Its mission is to support additional educational initiatives across the UK which encourage children and young people to raise their achievement levels. Merchant Taylors’ received a 3 year grant to run the ‘Serious Fun on Saturdays’ programme. The programme has been so successful that the Governing body of the School have decided to support the programme from next year onwards following the end of the funding period.

Sarah Ladbrook, the SHINE coordinator for Merchant Taylors’, said “we look forward to working with both the girls and staff from our local primary schools. This is the third year of the SHINE programme and we continue to be the only school in Merseyside to run the ‘Serious Fun on Saturdays’ scheme which aims to raise the aspirations of girls from local schools. We are delighted that the Governors have given their financial support for us to continue to run the programme for the next three years.

Location:Merchant Taylor's' Girls' School