We know how much young people benefit from good enrichment opportunities. Schools and colleges already offer these through clubs, trips, and residentials. However, the new enrichment benchmarks challenge us to fundamentally shift our approach. Instead of treating enrichment as a series of standalone events, we need to make them an integrated, strategic priority that achieves the highest possible impact for learners.
In the fourth of our Accelerator webinar series, we discussed how we can support schools and colleges to enhance their enrichment model so learners can get the most out of these invaluable experiences . Here are the main points from that session to help your setting connect its enrichment programme with long-term student growth.
6 ways to improve your enrichment activities
- Meeting new enrichment standards: National guidelines encourage schools and colleges to plan enrichment activities with purpose and intention to ensure they are an integrated part of the day. Partnering with Skills Builder helps you turn events into a consistent, meaningful part of your strategic plan.
- The Enrichment Toolkit: Guest speakers Fran Wilby and Sam Ellis from Enrichment for All shared a look at the new Enrichment Toolkit. This resource helps settings review their current provision and get inspiration from other settings to develop a clear plan for their enrichment model.
- Connecting to essential skills: When you link all your enrichment experiences, from clubs to residentials, to the eight essential skills, you take the guesswork out for students. They will know exactly what skills they are practising and why they matter.
- Tracking progress: Our online tools, Hub and Benchmark, help track how students are developing their skills over time. Reflection tools like skills passports help learners record and think about their own progress.
- Using the same language everywhere: For this to work well, the way we talk about skills needs to happen in all areas of a learner ’sexperience. Using the same words during breaks, sports, and clubs gives students a consistent environment that helps them grow.
- Partnering with outside organisations: Our team can sign post your school or college with leading youth, creative, and sports organisations - like the Harlequins Foundation and Barclays LifeSkills - that already use our skills Framework in their programmes.
Watch the full session
If you want to hear the full conversation and get more practical advice from our guest speakers, you can watch the recording below.
The Accelerator programme: How we support your setting
Our Accelerator programme is a fully-funded partnership (for eligible schools and colleges) designed to help you build a strong, lasting approach to teaching essential skills.
- Dedicated expertise: You’ll work with a dedicated Education Associate (a former teacher) to design an enrichment plan that fits your specific community.
- Strategic support: You will get ready-to-use lessons, special challenge days, termly planning meetings, and staff training sessions.
- Collaborative growth: Join a community of education leaders from across the country to share what works, compare ideas, and learn from each other.
- A mark of excellence: We guide you through the process of showing your impact so you can earn the Skills Builder Award, a recognised mark of excellent skills education.
Check eligibility and apply for the Accelerator. Applications close on Friday 10th July.
Join the conversation: Upcoming webinars
We invite you to join us for the final session in our series, designed to offer practical guidance on how to lead the way in essential skills education. Reserve your spot for our upcoming session:
- Navigating education challenges: Driving progress with the Skills Builder Accelerator 01/07/2026 | 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm
