About 14-19 | Glossary | Publications | Links | What's new? | Site map

Many teachers and curriculum managers see enrichment as an important part of provision because it contributes to students' wider skills development and personal growth. It also provides relief from a diet of qualifications. Enrichment is a key feature of Curriculum 2000, its importance underlined by funding support. This importance is unlikely to diminish, given developments such as post-16 citizenship studies and the proposals for a diploma at age 18/19 that includes recognition of wider activities.

However, there has been tension between the demands of the expanded qualifications-based curriculum and the desire to maintain or extend the enrichment offer; between students' desire to concentrate on attaining good A level grades and the school or college's desire to provide a rounded education.

Encouraging students to take part in enrichment activities

Schools and colleges are developing a range of strategies to encourage students to take part in enrichment activities, including:

• making clear to students the benefits of participation, eg publicising HE and former students' statements about the value of wider experience
• creating the expectation that students will participate
• discussing with individuals which activities interest them and are relevant to their future plans
• giving the enrichment programme a high profile throughout the academic year
• involving students in planning the enrichment programme
• seeking feedback from students on the activities and adapting the programme as a result
• offering guidance on appropriate amounts and types of enrichment for individuals
• including tasters of activities in an induction programme
• publishing a prospectus of enrichment activities
• offering award-bearing enrichment courses, for example the ASDAN Universities Award, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Sports Leaders' Awards.

To link enrichment with other aspects of provision, schools and colleges can:

• allocate funding to subject areas with the requirement that they build enrichment activities into their courses
• deliver aspects of key skills through enrichment activities or programmes, eg the Liverpool Curriculum Enrichment Project
• include work shadowing or work experience in the enrichment programme
• use the VCE vocational context to provide enrichment opportunities
• use the work of their school or college councils or committees to contribute to members' enrichment programmes.

To raise the status of enrichment activities, schools and colleges can:

• issue their own certificates recognising participation
• produce records of participation that are used for references and UCAS applications
• negotiate with local HEIs to have entry points allocated for participation in enrichment programmes
• link enrichment with career aspirations, eg the Education Engineering Scheme or mentoring of younger students.

Many schools and colleges create an expectation that a specified number of hours' participation is an integral part of a 16-19 programme. Some enrichment schemes are so successful that they are an attraction or selling point for an institution.

The extent to which an institution can make participation part of the compulsory curriculum depends on its type, circumstances and place in the local market. Some programmes are entirely voluntary; others require a minimum number of weeks' participation. In an effort to widen choice of AS/VCE subjects, more schools and colleges are offering classroom-based enrichment in each option block, and other aspects in a designated enrichment option block. Tutors are often responsible for encouraging students to take up the opportunities presented and for discussing which can make a useful contribution to an individual's programme of study. Tutorial and enrichment programmes can be linked, eg in a citizenship awareness module within the tutorial programme, which culminates in elections for officers of the students' association.

Attractive enrichment programmes can be combined with a focus on active citizenship. Many schools and colleges now involve the students in the provision and organisation of enrichment activities. Awarding bodies are developing courses, such as the Accreditation Syndicate for Education and Training (ASET) course in citizenship, which includes a group community project. Each project must be based on one of four themes: health and safety, charity, culture and the environment. For example, a suitable project might be to generate an environmental awareness campaign in college, culminating in a major activity such as a 'green week'.

In some areas, local schools and/or colleges are collaborating. This enables them to:

• offer students a wider choice of activities
• form cost-effective groups
• provide opportunities for social mixing.

curriculum: 11-16 schools | 6th form schools | colleges
qualifications | the exams process | developments | higher education | home
help | contact us | search

Page updated: 12 June 2008
Terms and conditions
Access Key enabled