The Educator Magazine U.K. Sept-Dec 2026 issue - Magazine - Page 32
Building a more strategic
and inclusive approach
to enrichment
By Andrew Hammond, Group Director of Inclusive
Learning, Outcomes First Group
The Government recently announced
funding for extracurricular activities and
after-school clubs to expand access to
enrichment and reduce screen time.
Experiences beyond the classroom are
essential, with the Education Policy Institute
finding that students are more likely to
progress to higher education and be
employed in early adulthood when they
have engaged in co-curricular activities.
However, to be effective for all students,
enrichment mustn't be an add-on but
strategically embedded into school life.
With the new academic year underway,
schools are looking at how to make
enrichment an intentional part of student
development to support academic progress
and build students’ confidence and life
skills.
This is a challenge that we at Outcomes
First Group addressed head-on, recently
launching our EXPLORE framework. This
structure is designed to help our schools
broaden access to enrichment and make it
equitable and measurable to best support
our students.
Approach
Our approach centres around the
knowledge that every student is unique
and has individual talents, and therefore
nrichment should be responsive to different
interests and needs. In practice, this means
ensuring opportunities are varied, not just
traditional sports clubs, and inclusive of all
abilities.
To formally set out our vision, we created
the EXPLORE framework to give our schools
structure, guidance and agency to bring
inclusive and strategic enrichment to life.
Framework
Setting aims and objectives
Our framework has four clear aims: to
provide every student with opportunities
to explore their unique potential; promote
personal development beyond academics;
empower students to develop a positive
sense of self and ambition; and ensure
high-quality enrichment.
We ensured these ambitions were then
translated into tangible objectives so
schools could implement them. This
included setting goals for schools to offer a
broad range of lunchtime and after-school
clubs, establish a reward system, capture
achievements and track impact.
Rather than prescribing exactly how
schools should deliver these, the framework
provides a common direction while
recognising that schools serve different
communities. A rural specialist setting,
for example, may develop a different
programme from an urban independent
senior school, but both are still working
towards the same vision for students.
Delivery
Our priority was making enrichment
practical. We agreed every teacher would
run one club a term, which would be
planned and resourced in advance. To
make this sustainable, our schools reviewed
staffing structures and timetables to create
the time teachers needed to deliver these
high-quality opportunities. We also
encouraged collaboration with external
providers to facilitate specialist offerings,
without increasing workload.
Our Achievement Hubs also play a key role
in bringing the framework to life. Acting
as both a physical space and whole-school
approach, schools identify students’
interests and aspirations, connecting them
with relevant opportunities. By tracking
engagement and capturing successes
through each student’s ACTIVE Portrait,
Achievement Hubs provide a structure to
ensure enrichment is inclusive, visible and
personalised.
Our schools now offer everything from
swimming the English Channel and
competitive ice-skating, to showcasing
art in exhibitions and female-focused
wellbeing groups. Schools publish termly
enrichment brochures, so families know
what’s available, and participation becomes
the expectation rather than the exception.
Recognition and reward
To reflect our inclusive ethos and build
momentum, schools celebrate participation
as well as achievement. Initiatives such
as certificates for completing a term of
clubs, award assemblies and house points
reinforce that creativity and commitment
matter as much as exams.
We also celebrate exceptional
achievements through Group newsletters,
helping students see their accomplishments
are recognised beyond school. As part of
this, we run inclusive Group opportunities,
including our creative writing competition,
with a 100-word limit providing an
achievable framework for all.
Capturing achievements and
tracking impact
One of the biggest challenges in
enrichment is demonstrating impact.
We track the number of clubs offered,
attendance, participation, whether
opportunities are genuinely accessible and
how they benefit students. We also conduct
annual student surveys, carry out internal
quality assurance and appoint co-curricular
leads in each school.
Alongside these metrics, our schools
capture photographs, example work and
student reflections through our ACTIVE
Portrait system, building a richer picture of
each young person's interests and
development over time. This not only
helps teachers understand students more
holistically but enables meaningful
conversations with parents about the wider
skills their young people are developing.
The success of our approach is evident, with
Beech Hall School winning the TES Award
for Excellence in Student Enrichment 2026,
and Mount House School winning the
Private School Awards’ Excellent in Holistic
Student Development 2026.
Ultimately, enrichment is most effective
and inclusive when strategically embedded.
By creating clear expectations, conducting
quality assurance and recognising
achievements beyond the classroom,
schools can ensure every student has the
opportunity to discover who they are, what
they enjoy and who they might become.
