Report

Beyond school

Think tank: Onward

Author(s): Francesca Fraser

November 11, 2022

This report from UK think tank Onward looks at the case for school enrichment.

In this report Onward sets out a plan to boost the provision of school enrichment in every school in England. This is vital to improve outcomes for children. The disadvantage gap has scarcely closed in recent decades and young people are leaving school without the cultural capital that is vital for their futures. A structured programme of school enrichment is proven to help improve academic attainment and build the soft skills that employers are after and children need. The authors propose a new enrichment premium, alongside strong accountability measures, to encourage schools to build links with businesses and charities in order to give children the education they deserve. They also set out plans to boost the number of parents who volunteer in schools to international levels and propose better guidance to enable schools to make better use of their facilities which have the potential to be a valuable financial asset.