More enriching activities for hundreds of thousands of children

5 October 2026

More than 400 schools in disadvantaged communities to benefit from £22.5 million investment and tailored support to expand access to enrichment opportunities.

Hundreds of thousands more young people in disadvantaged communities will get the chance to join sports teams, learn an instrument, or take part in debating and outdoor adventures, helping them build confidence, develop new skills and stay engaged both in and out of education.

More than 400 secondary schools will benefit from tailored support backed by £22.5 million through the government’s Enrichment Expansion programme.

The investment will help schools broaden opportunities for pupils by putting on more activities during the school day or after school ranging from music groups, engineering clubs and debating societies to football teams, volunteering projects and outdoor learning programmes. By building confidence, skills and a sense of belonging, these experiences can help keep young people engaged in education and set them up for future success.

The programme speaks to the findings of the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that young people want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. Yet too many are still missing out because of where they live or the barriers they face.

Without access to enrichment, too many young people miss out on the confidence, skills and sense of belonging that help them succeed. Those least likely to participate are also more likely to become not in education, employment or training (NEET), making these opportunities a vital part of helping young people stay engaged, raise their aspirations and prepare for future success.

In response, the government launched the Youth Matters Strategy in December last year and committed to halving the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers by 2035.

Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), delivered in partnership with the Department for Education (DfE), the Enrichment Expansion programme’s additional funding and support is part of this solution, helping those schools facing the greatest challenges to deliver a wide range of high-quality enrichment opportunities, in line with this year’s new benchmarks for every school.

Schools Minister Georgia Gould said:

A great education is about more than what happens in the classroom. It’s about the football team, the school play, the debate competition, the volunteering project and the outdoor adventure that help young people discover who they are and what they can achieve.

But for too long, too many children have missed out on those opportunities because of where they live or the barriers they face.

This investment will help hundreds of thousands more young people access the activities that build confidence, spark ambition and open up opportunities for the future, helping more children stay on track in education and fulfil their potential.

Both the Enrichment Benchmarks and the Enrichment Expansion programme form part of the government’s mission to ensure that every young person has somewhere to go, something to do and sense of community – including through the recently announced expansion of Young Futures Hubs as well as the £132.5 million Every Child Can programme, which will increase access to a wide range of high-quality activities.

The programme will be delivered by the Youth Sport Trust and a team of national partners, with dedicated Enrichment Co-ordinators managing clusters of local schools to identify gaps in their current offer, develop enrichment plans, and connect with local partners to expand opportunities for their pupils. As part of the funding, schools will receive tailored support to strengthen and grow their enrichment provision, helping more children access high-quality experiences both in and beyond the classroom who otherwise would not have been able to do so.

The investment will support schools to deliver the opportunities outlined in the government’s new Enrichment Benchmarks, announced earlier this year, which provide practical guidance to help every child access high-quality enrichment opportunities as part of their education.

Minister for Young People, Vicky Foxcroft said:

Through our landmark State of a Nation survey we heard from more than 14,000 young people who told us that they feel they are missing out on safe, supportive environments where they can connect with others and find a community to belong to.

Every young person should have somewhere to go, something to do and someone they can trust, where they can discover new interests that help them develop the confidence they need to thrive.

That’s why we’re supporting more than 400 schools to develop their enrichment offers, helping thousands more children access activities and opportunities that build skills, confidence and a stronger sense of belonging.

Supporting delivery of the programme are 5 Enrichment Ambassadorsrepresenting arts and culture, sport and physical activity, nature, outdoors and adventure, civic engagement, and wider life and future skills. Working alongside government, they will champion participation, showcase effective practice and help ensure more children can access high-quality opportunities wherever they live.

Jan Shadick, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South, said:

We welcome the government’s new enrichment framework and are proud that today’s launch recognised the excellent work happening at Hatcham College. At Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South, enrichment sits at the heart of the Haberdashers’ Advantage, our character curriculum, ensuring every pupil can develop the knowledge, confidence and character to flourish in school and beyond. We believe these opportunities should be an entitlement for all young people, not a privilege for a few, helping them to become individuals with character who are ready to make a positive contribution to the world around them.

Marcus Davey CBE, Arts and Culture Enrichment Ambassador, said:

Schools are a vital gateway to the creative and enriching experiences that help young people discover their interests, develop confidence and feel a sense of belonging. By strengthening the connections between schools, cultural institutions and local organisations, this programme will help ensure those opportunities reach the young people who stand to benefit most.

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Sports Trust, said:

We are honoured and incredibly excited to have been selected to deliver the new Enrichment Expansion Programme. The Youth Sport Trust has long championed the role enrichment can play in the education and development of young people: building belonging and a sense of wellbeing, fostering creativity and passion, and developing skills for learning, life and work. In particular, we are delighted to be collaborating with key partners – ‘Enrichment Builders’ – and together we are determined to help ensure more young people have access to a well-rounded, high-quality enrichment offer which supports the development of new interests, skills and growth through a range of activities.

We know access to enrichment can have a positive impact across school life, supporting attendance, behaviour and academic achievement. Through the Enrichment Expansion Programme, we want to support the DCMS and DfE in giving more schools the support, opportunities and connections they need to strengthen and broaden their enrichment offer, in particular, helping more disadvantaged young people access opportunities which may otherwise be out of reach.

Today’s (18 September 2026) announcement is part of the government’s drive to ensure every child can access high-quality enrichment opportunities, regardless of their background or postcode. Reflecting that commitment, today, Schools Minister Georgia Gould is attending the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Building partnerships: A 20-year story symposium, championing the role of arts and culture in helping young people thrive.

Areas were selected based on a measure covering IDACI (Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index) and CNI (Community Needs Index), weighted to enable representation across all 9 government regions and alignment with Department for Education Place Missions.

A list of areas provided as below: