Foundation of Light are proud to have been part of the North East United initiative, an innovative programme designed to improve student engagement and support attendance in schools through the power of sport.
The programme is led and funded by education specialists The Edwin Group and set up in partnership with Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust, Bishop Chadwick Education Trust and Spark Education Trust, and with representatives from charitable foundations, including Sunderland AFC's official charity alongside the Newcastle United and Middlesbrough Foundations.
The programme was developed in response to the Department for Education’s call for local, collaborative and attendance interventions in 2024, seeking to improve the attendance of students across the North East through sport.
North East United combines the power of sport, high-performing coaching, the experiences of schools and academy trusts, business and community partners to tackle school absence among Year 10 students and prevent them from falling into the bracket of persistent absence.
Delivered across six schools as a 12-week programme, participants took part in sessions twice a week on the importance of teamwork and problem solving, life skills and aspirations, emotional wellbeing and mental health, community and contribution, and more.
As the programme concludes, the North East United Awards have recognised the achievements of the students in the programme, rewarding resilience, impact and engagement, to name a few. The special event brought together young people, school leaders and Football Foundation partners to mark the positive outcomes of the programme.
Edwin has also now published its report on the impact of the pilot, revealing an explicitly positive relationship between participation in the programme and improved engagement with education.
Data shows that, while national attendance declined from Autumn 2024 to Spring 2025, students on this programme increased their attendance from 86.22 to 87.24% - a reversal of the national trend. The data also shows that some individuals experienced significant increases in their levels of engagement with education, with their attendance increasing by as much as 41.88%, over the course of the programme.
The data also found that:
By highlighting the power of sport, community partnership and education, the programme team hopes that more schools across the country will implement similar programmes to ensure all young people have access to opportunities to improve their attendance and engagement with education.
Liam Roberts, Chief Executive at The Edwin Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the success of the North East United pilot and our local partnerships to improve attendance and the engagement of students in education.
“At Edwin, we recognise the importance of ensuring that every young person has access to the best possible educational experience and it is fantastic to see the positive impact the programme has had on encouraging students to re-engage with their education.”
Schools Standards Minister, Catherine McKinnell, said: "I'm thrilled to see the North East United programme bringing such energy and enthusiasm into our schools, showing how creative approaches can boost attendance and engagement.
“It’s truly inspiring how these young people have embraced the opportunity to get involved a range of exciting activities, showing real passion for learning.
“Tackling school attendance is so important in ensuring every child can achieve and thrive, and this government is delivering through our Plan for Change – with children spending 3 million more days in school this year.”
Jamie Wright, Managing Director at the Foundation of Light, said: “It was great to attend the North East United Awards and celebrate the achievements of these young people, who have demonstrated their ability to overcome significant challenges. The report highlights the power sport can have on education, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with partners to ensure young people can realise their potential through sport."
Louise Spellman, Chief Executive at Spark Education Trust, said: “Seeing the positive impact the North East United programme has had on our students really does highlight the importance of local partnerships in education. The teams from the football foundations have made a significant difference, giving students a sense that they are valued and that they belong. As a result, students from across our schools have experienced increases in aspiration, motivation and resilience.”
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