The Department for Education has published its new Enrichment Framework and Enrichment Benchmarks, giving schools and colleges in England a structure for planning and delivering enrichment.
The eight benchmarks cover areas such as accessibility, partnerships, communication, outcomes and continuous improvement. It’s designed to help schools take a more structured approach to enrichment and focus on evidencing their work to ensure that every young person, including the most disadvantaged, can access a broad range of experiences that support their personal development, wellbeing and future success.
Learning beyond the classroom is enrichment in action
The diagram below shows that learning beyond the classroom spans every one of the framework’s five areas of enrichment:
- Civic engagement
- Arts and culture
- Nature, outdoors and adventure
- Sport and physical activity
- Wider life and future skills
Whether learning beyond the classroom experiences happen during the school day or beyond, are teacher or third party led, and are planned to support extra-curricular or co-curricular activities, they are currently – and will remain – assessed as enrichment.
As the national body for all types of learning beyond the classroom, the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) is uniquely placed to support schools as they get to grips with the new framework and benchmarks.
Schools don’t need to start from scratch
Whether through day visits, residentials, cultural experiences, environmental projects, employer engagement, volunteering or community-based learning, or clubs and societies, schools can feel reassured that they are already using learning beyond the classroom to deliver exactly the kind of beneficial enrichment this framework is asking for. For most schools, the real challenge is bringing these opportunities together into a high-quality whole-school programme: strategically planned, well-evidenced, and embedded in school culture and policy so it is sustained, and genuinely inclusive and accessible to every child.
This is exactly where CLOtC’s purpose and support come in. Our practical frameworks, resources and guidance are proven to help schools audit, plan, deliver, evidence and sustain high-quality learning beyond the classroom in ways that benefit pupils, staff, and the wider school community.
Our Learning Beyond programme offers different levels of support to meet school needs. There are free resources to help schools get going, including self-assessment audit tools and ‘how to’ guides. As part of the LOtC Mark, an award that recognises and celebrates progress, schools can access online CPD and case studies, a bespoke online progress tracker, and advice and templates to help evidence enrichment activity, there’s even support from a mentor from another school. Whether schools are just starting out or looking to develop further, there’s a set of tried-and-tested tools, resources and guidance already in place that align tightly to the new Enrichment Framework and Benchmarks.
For almost twenty years, CLOtC has supported schools across the country to develop their learning beyond the classroom and improve outcomes for children and young people. That track record is exactly why our approach works: tested and refined with the schools we support and proven by their continued success.
Our work with the Meridian Trust is an outstanding example of what can be achieved with the right support and a consistent, trust-wide approach. Twenty-five schools within the multi-academy trust were awarded the LOtC Mark last year and all thirty-six schools are on track to achieve the award by next year.
“The LOtC Mark has provided Meridian Trust with far more than an award — it has given us a clear framework to help organise, evaluate and strengthen the enrichment opportunities already taking place across our schools.
As conversations around enrichment entitlement continue to develop nationally, schools should feel reassured that they are already delivering many of these experiences. The LOtC Mark helps schools bring this together in a structured and strategic way, providing practical guidance, quality assurance and professional support to help develop provision further.”
Martin Campbell, Executive Principal, Meridian Trust
How the frameworks line up
Our initial assessment of the new Enrichment Framework is that there is close alignment between the existing criteria we use to help schools develop their practice, particularly around strategic planning, inclusion, partnership working, communication, evaluation and continuous improvement.
Many schools might be worried about the risk management implications of delivering enrichment activities. Our Learning Beyond resources support schools to ensure quality provision in all senses, including safety, due diligence and safeguarding for their learning beyond the classroom.
Supporting schools on their enrichment journey
The Enrichment Framework marks a once in a generation recognition of the value of learning beyond the classroom. For many schools, the real challenge now is translating this into meaningful, everyday action without adding to their already significant workload.
Through the support we offer in our Learning Beyond programme we’re ready to help schools understand the Benchmarks, identify the next steps, strengthen and evidence their existing enrichment offer, and deliver lasting benefits for children and young people.
“We wholeheartedly welcome this bold, once-in-a-generation commitment. Learning beyond the classroom is well-evidenced to transform outcomes and is one of the most powerful tools we have for breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling inequality, which is exactly why this Enrichment Framework matters. As the national voice for all learning beyond the classroom, we’re ready with tried and tested ways to help every school turn this ambition into reality, supporting them to build on what they already do and minimise additional workload.”
Dr Anne Hunt, CEO, Council for Learning Outside the Classroom
For more information on our support for schools and advice on how to get started, click here.
