Thousands more young people will get the chance to take part in activities beyond the classroom, thanks to a £22.5 million government investment in more than 400 schools in disadvantaged communities.
The funding builds on the government’s recently published Enrichment Framework, which sets out how schools and colleges can help children develop new interests, skills and experiences.
Here’s what parents need to know.
What is enrichment?
Enrichment gives young people opportunities beyond their normal lessons to try new activities, discover what they enjoy and build skills for life.
Schools and colleges must provide opportunities across five areas:
- Arts and culture
- Sport and physical activity
- Civic engagement
- Nature, outdoors and adventure
- Wider life and future skills
Why is enrichment important?
Enrichment can help young people build confidence, develop important life skills and feel more connected to their school community.
Research suggests that taking part in enrichment activities can also support higher attainment, better wellbeing and improved mental health.
However, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are often less likely to have access to these opportunities.
That is why the government is investing £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme, helping more than 400 mainstream, special and alternative provision secondary schools expand and improve their enrichment offer.
Is my area included?
The secondary schools taking part are located across all nine regions of England. Areas were selected based on levels of deprivation and local need.
They include Birmingham, Blackpool, County Durham, Croydon, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Sunderland, as well as many other communities across the country.
Schools on the programme will start receiving support from January 2027.
What is the government doing to improve enrichment opportunities?
The government has introduced new Enrichment Benchmarks to support schools and colleges to offer a broad range of high-quality activities.
The new funding will help participating schools put these benchmarks into practice, making sure more children can benefit from enrichment opportunities, regardless of their background or where they live.