Leathersellers and Merchant Taylors commit £1m of funding to support social mobility through early years development and education in Lewisham

£1m of funding has been committed to the Lewisham area over a six-year period, from 2024-2030, as part of the joint Early Years Grants Programme.

Funding focuses on continuing successful community-based early years interventions alongside school-based projects to support children from low-income families as they move into reception.

A total of eight primary schools have been awarded funding over the next four years, following a successful two-year school readiness pilot at Prendergast Vale.

Launched in 2024, the joint Early Years Education Grants Programme has now confirmed funding up to 2030, with The Leathersellers’ Foundation and Merchant Taylors’ Foundation jointly committing £1m to early years interventions in Lewisham.

The first phase of funding, from 2024-2026, was focused on community-based early years charities who provide developmental opportunities to children from low-income households in Lewisham, in areas which are often under-served by other services.

The second phase of funding, 2026-2030, will continue to support the community-based work through partner charities, while also improving school readiness through targeted family support projects.

Reflecting on two years of impact all but one of the original cohort of charity grantees (Home-Start Southwark, MammaKind, National Literacy Trust, and the Parent Village) will receive funding for a further two years, providing continuity and flexibility to adapt delivery based on evidence.

The Early Years Alliance was not invited to reapply for funding as their SEND-focused programme saw exceptional results, with Lewisham Council fully adopting and funding the programme, with plans to expand the activities further.

The School Readiness Grants will see six primary schools joint-funded over the four-year period, with an additional two, Prendergast Vale and Prendergast Primary funded directly by The Leathersellers’ Foundation. Sharing an evaluation framework and measures of success, it is hoped this will build a stronger understanding of what works to support families and young children across the key learning areas of speech and language as well as personal, social and emotional development.

This is informed by the initial success of a two-year pilot delivered at Prendergast Vale Primary, which engaged parents and children before and during Reception and Year 1 with a programme based on Peep Learning Together, an evidence-based model that supports the home learning environment.

Matthew Lawrence, Chief Executive of the Leathersellers said: “At its heart, this programme is about unlocking opportunity and investing in the children and young people of Lewisham for years to come. Backed by evidence and through a combination of supporting early years via the community, homelife, and school, it’s our hope that we can reduce the effects of cumulative economic disadvantage, raise aspirations, and eventually help more young people to realise their full potential, whatever pathways they choose to pursue. Working together with the Merchant Taylors, we aim to continue to build on a centuries-old commitment to the Lewisham area, creating a community of partners and practitioners that can enable social mobility to flourish.”

Chief Executive of the Merchant Taylors’ Company Christopher Coles CBE said: “Merchant Taylors’ Foundation is very excited to extend the partnership with the Leathersellers. Our joint investment of around £1 million into local charities and schools working in the community of Lewisham aims to make a positive impact on facilitating social mobility. Merchant Taylors’ is committed to addressing how economic disadvantage limits children from the moment they are born, widening at every transitional moment from early years to adulthood. This innovative and research-backed early years programme targets the critical stages of child development to strengthen support that will help all children to achieve their fullest potential. We are delighted to be able to contribute to longer-term change in this way.”

Notes

The Leathersellers and Lewisham

The Leathersellers has been involved with fostering opportunity for the people of Lewisham since the 17th century. Today, the Company plays a significant role in the governance of both its associated schools in Lewisham, as the sole corporate member of Colfe’s School and as a joint corporate member of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools multi-academy trust, and also via several appointed board members. Around £1m is awarded to educational programmes each year.

Colfe’s is one of the oldest schools in London. Governance was bequeathed to the Leathersellers’ Company in 1658 by Abraham Colfe, a local vicar and landowner. The Leathersellers’ Sixth Form scholarship programme at the school provides academically talented young people in challenging financial circumstances with the opportunity to attend Colfe’s school for their final years.

The Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools develops the vision of Joseph Prendergast who founded Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school in 1890, on a site provided by the Leathersellers’ Company. Spread across three sites in Lewisham, the Federation comprises five state schools providing education to over 5,000 students from 3 – 18 years old. Funding is provided for enrichment activities including mental and physical health initiatives; additional resources for those struggling or excelling; providing extracurricular opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible; and a universal breakfast club.

The Merchant Taylors and Lewisham

The Merchant Taylors’ Company has a long-standing relationship with the borough of Lewisham, having provided housing for those in need since 1826. Today, it provides almshouse social housing in the borough for adults and is developing plans to offer similar accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness.

The Merchant Taylors’ Foundation (the charitable arm of the Merchant Taylors’ Company) tailors brighter futures by providing funding for people to learn and thrive, disbursing grants around £1 million each year to schools, charities and community organisations dedicated to helping people realise their full potential. In Lewisham, the Foundation also has significant funding relationships with Citizens Advice Lewisham, Lewisham Music, Lewisham to the World, Construction Youth Trust and Depaul UK on a series of research-backed programmes designed to benefit local people. These programmes are supported by the Foundation’s Community Investment Manager, based in Bellingham.

Peep Learning Together

Peep Learning Together is an evidence-based programme, evaluated by the Education Endowment Foundation, that supports the home learning environment. It helps parents and carers make the most of the learning and play opportunities in everyday life, so that children become confident communicators and learners, and are ready for school when the time comes.

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Photography by Jayne Lloyd