The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) is proud to announce that we are a System Delivery Partner for the government’s new Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP), a major national investment designed to increase opportunities for young people to benefit from high-quality enrichment experiences.
Led by the Youth Sport Trust on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education (DfE), the programme will support more than 400 schools in some of England’s most disadvantaged communities over the next three years. Its aim is to increase participation in enrichment activities, strengthen partnerships between schools and providers, improve outcomes for young people, and support schools to meet the government’s new Enrichment Framework benchmarks.
As the national charity that champions learning beyond the classroom, CLOtC brings specialist expertise, proven resources, tried and tested tools, and a deep understanding of how schools can create high-quality, sustainable enrichment opportunities for all young people.
Launch event showcases the breadth and impact of enrichment
The programme was formally launched on Friday 18 September 2026 at Haberdashers’ Hatcham College in New Cross, where government ministers, delivery partners and sector organisations came together to mark the start of this significant national investment.
Representing CLOtC at the event, Education Programme Manager Clare Carlin saw first-hand how enrichment is already transforming opportunities for young people. Students and staff showcased an impressive range of activities, including Mandarin, roller skating, zine-making and catering, alongside sports clubs, educational visits, residentials and a wide variety of lunchtime and after-school opportunities.
Reflecting on the day, Clare said:
“It was great to see what high-quality enrichment can look like in practice. Haberdashers’ Hatcham College is a brilliant example of a school where enrichment feels genuinely embedded in school life. What struck me most was how naturally students and staff talked about it all. Enrichment didn’t feel like an ‘add-on’ or a separate programme. It was simply part of how the school works.
As the Enrichment Expansion Programme gets underway, I hope we make the most of the expertise that already exists within schools, learning from teachers and practitioners who know what high-quality enrichment looks like in practice. Ultimately, the ambition is a simple one: that every young person gets the chance to experience that same breadth, opportunity and joy in their school life.”
Learning beyond the classroom is enrichment in action
The publication of the government’s Enrichment Framework has prompted many schools to ask what enrichment really means in practice.
At CLOtC, our message is simple: learning outside the classroom is enrichment in action.
Whether it takes place on school grounds or in the wider community, indoors or outdoors, during the school day or beyond, learning outside the classroom already encompasses the types of experiences the Enrichment Framework is designed to promote. Educational visits, residentials, lessons outside on school grounds, cultural experiences, employer encounters, volunteering, environmental projects, clubs, community engagement activities and much more all contribute to a rich and varied enrichment offer.
For many schools, the challenge is not creating enrichment opportunities from scratch. It is bringing together the experiences already taking place into a coherent, accessible and strategically planned whole school programme that can be sustained over time and benefit every young person.
Supporting schools with proven tools and expertise
For almost two decades, CLOtC has helped schools embed learning beyond the classroom into everyday practice. Through our Learning Beyond programme, free resources, practical tools, professional development and the LOtC Mark, we support schools to plan, deliver and continuously improve their curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular programmes, embedding opportunities within a strategic whole-school approach that is sustainable, inclusive and accessible to all.
As a System Delivery Partner within the Enrichment Expansion Programme, we will work alongside national and local partners to help schools make the most of the opportunities presented by this significant government investment, ensuring that more children and young people can benefit from high-quality enrichment experiences.
A national opportunity to transform outcomes
Research consistently shows that high-quality learning beyond the classroom delivers multiple cognitive, developmental, and health outcomes. The Enrichment Expansion Programme represents an important opportunity to extend those benefits to even more young people, particularly those who face barriers to participation.
By bringing together schools, enrichment providers, communities and national organisations, the programme aims to create sustainable change that will continue long after the initial investment ends.
A word from our CEO, Dr Anne Hunt
“We are delighted to be part of the Enrichment Expansion Programme and to contribute our expertise as a System Delivery Partner. This investment represents a significant step forward in ensuring all young people, regardless of their background, can access high-quality enrichment opportunities.
Learning outside the classroom sits at the heart of meaningful enrichment. Every day, schools are creating opportunities through educational visits, cultural experiences, community engagement and employer encounters that help young people develop confidence, skills and a sense of belonging.
We look forward to working with partners across the programme to ensure more young people can benefit from these life-changing experiences.”
