Scholarship Programme at the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools receives further funding from the Leathersellers’ Foundation

A groundbreaking research-based scholarship programme at the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools, aimed at improving social mobility, has been awarded additional funding from the Leathersellers’ Foundation.

Initial findings from the first two cohorts indicate the holistic approach is successfully enriching and transforming the lives of young people.

Created to address the identified needs of students in year 7 who are underachieving and at risk of disengaging further from education, an initial grant of £426,696 began the four-year programme in 2022/2023.

Scholarships provided a rounded offering with intensive support from a learning mentor, provision of equipment and resources, additional tuition and the opportunity to undertake extra-curricular activities for 12 students per cohort, with each cohort running for two years.

Having seen the promising results from the early stages of the programme, the Leathersellers’ Foundation has committed to funding a further three cohorts, with their size growing to 18 students per group for the fifth and sixth groups. The £480,650 grant will ensure the programme runs until the 2028-29 academic year.

In addition to improving attitude to learning and student well-being, the goals for students of the programme were:

• Consistent attendance
• Improved school behaviours, interactions and communication with teachers and others
• Improved academic achievements and engagement with extracurricular activities

As well as providing project funding, the Leathersellers’ Foundation also offered support via their learning and evaluation partners, Better Purpose. Building on this work in upskilling the school team in monitoring and analysis, an Emerging Impact Report has shown positive impact across key metrics of attendance, behaviour, academic achievement, and well-being.

Of the original Cohort 1, 83.33% of students remained, while 16.67% were removed and replaced, resulting in a revised Cohort 1 where 100% of students experienced positive outcomes. Additionally, 100% of Cohort 2 students showed increased school engagement and confidence, both academically and personally.

Within a year, both cohorts moved from all scholars showing disengagement, to a small proportion showing disengagement and the majority showing positive engagement. Attendance across both cohorts rose to almost meet the school target; maths grades for Cohort 1 increased by 9%; and 100% of scholars were enrolled and attending weekly extra-curricular activities.

The programme’s holistic approach, integrating mentoring, extracurricular activities, and academic support, helped students overcome educational and emotional barriers, fostering long-term improvement and engagement in school.

The next four-year phase of the programme from 2025-2029, will see the cohort size increase, widening inclusivity, and recognising the growing number of students who will benefit from intervention.

Read more about the introduction of the programme and the experience of its first learning mentor