LONDON, 20 September 2026 — More than 400 secondary schools in disadvantaged communities in England are set to receive tailored support through a £22.5 million expansion of enrichment activities. The programme is intended to widen access to clubs and experiences including music, engineering, debating, sport, volunteering and outdoor learning.
What has the government announced?
The Department for Education and Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced the Enrichment Expansion Programme on 18 September. The funding is aimed at helping schools strengthen activities offered during the school day and after lessons. Ministers say hundreds of thousands of young people could benefit, although participation will depend on the programmes schools develop and pupils take up.
Which schools and pupils are the focus?
The scheme targets more than 400 secondary schools in communities facing the greatest challenges. It is designed to reduce the gap in access between disadvantaged young people and their peers, rather than replace the wider enrichment work schools already provide. The government’s longer-term stated goal is to halve that participation gap by 2035.
Families should not assume every English secondary school is included. Details of local offers, eligibility and timetables will need to come from participating schools.
What activities could be added?
The announcement names music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football teams, volunteering projects and outdoor learning as examples. The underlying idea is broader than recreation: schools may use enrichment to build confidence, practical skills, relationships and a sense of belonging that can support engagement with education.
The programme follows a government survey of more than 14,000 young people that identified demand for safe spaces, trusted adults, mental-health support and more enriching activities.
How will the programme be delivered?
The Youth Sport Trust and a group of national partners will deliver the programme. Dedicated enrichment co-ordinators are expected to manage clusters of local schools, map gaps in existing provision, help create plans and connect schools with community partners. Earlier competition guidance described a £16.8 million delivery-partner grant running across the 2026–27 to 2028–29 financial years; the later announcement places the wider programme support within a £22.5 million package.
How will success be judged?
The important test is not simply the number of clubs advertised. The government’s competition guidance calls for monitoring and evaluation, including data from schools and input from young people. Useful measures would include who participates, whether disadvantaged pupils stay involved, the quality and consistency of provision, and whether barriers such as cost, timing or transport are reduced. Schools are also expected to work toward new national Enrichment Benchmarks.
Primary sources: DfE and DCMS announcement; Enrichment Expansion Programme competition guidance.
Illustrative image: Photo by Quilia on Unsplash. Reporting basis: official material available on 20 September 2026.