DfE enrichment framework 2026: what schools need to know
Written by The MagicBooking Team | Jun 18, 2026
8 min readThe DfE enrichment framework is a new national guidance document published on 15 June 2026. It sets out 8 benchmarks that schools and colleges in England should use to build, communicate, and improve a broad enrichment programme and offer for pupils. The framework is non-statutory – meaning it is not a legal requirement.
However, Ofsted will use it to assess personal development during inspections, and schools must display their enrichment offer publicly through new school profiles.
For any school or activity provider that wants a strong inspection outcome and wants to attract more pupils to its provision, this framework matters.
Want to get ahead of the framework? Book a free MagicBooking demo and see how schools and clubs evidence their enrichment offer without the extra admin.
Fancy skipping the read? Get in touch for tailored advice on how we can help you.
What is the DfE enrichment framework?
The DfE enrichment framework for schools and colleges was published on 15 June 2026 as part of a wider government push to give every child access to enriching activities – regardless of their background or where they live.
It sits alongside a major funding announcement: the £132.5 million “Every Child Can” programme, jointly announced by the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 June 2026. The programme aims to halve the participation gap between disadvantaged children and their better-off peers.
The framework applies to:
- All primary and secondary schools
- Non-maintained special schools
- Alternative provision
- 16–19 academies
- Further education and sixth-form colleges
- Special post-16 institutions
It includes a self-assessment tool and an action planning template for schools to download and use, so that leaders can measure where they are and plan how to improve their offer.
Book a free demo to see how MagicBooking helps you communicate with parents, track enrichment activity, and generate the reports Ofsted will want to see – without the extra admin.
What are the 8 enrichment benchmarks?
The framework sets out 8 benchmarks. Schools and colleges are expected to self-assess against each one and use the results to build a stronger enrichment offer over time.
| Benchmark | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| 1. Strategically aligned offer | Enrichment links to the school’s wider ethos, curriculum, and improvement priorities. Leaders champion it. |
| 2. Broad and well-rounded offer | The offer covers all 5 enrichment categories (see below). It gives pupils genuine choice and variety. |
| 3. Well-communicated offer | Parents and pupils know what is available, how to access it, and what taking part achieves. The school celebrates participation. |
| 4. Shaped by the school community | Pupils, staff, parents, and local partners have a say in what the offer looks like. The school uses feedback to improve its enrichment offer. |
| 5. Accessible and engaging offer | Barriers to participation are actively removed – including cost, transport, and SEND. The most disadvantaged pupils are given priority. |
| 6. Works in partnership | The school collaborates with external providers: sports clubs, arts organisations, charities, community groups, and local businesses. |
| 7. Outcomes-focused | The school tracks the impact of its enrichment offer – on pupil wellbeing, attendance, confidence, and skill development. |
| 8. Continually improving | Provision is reviewed regularly. Leaders use data and feedback to identify gaps and raise quality. |
- Benchmarks 3, 6, 7, and 8 are especially important for external providers.
- Benchmark 3 requires schools to communicate their offer clearly and celebrate participation – that means records, registers, and parent communications need to be in place.
- Benchmark 6 explicitly invites partnership with external clubs and activity providers.
- Benchmarks 7 and 8 mean schools need evidence of impact, which means data from every session.
What enrichment categories does the framework cover?
The framework groups enrichment activities into 5 categories. A strong offer covers all of them.
- Sport and physical activities – PE, competitive sport, fitness, outdoor activities, dance
- Arts and culture – music, drama, visual arts, creative writing, heritage, and cultural visits
- Nature, outdoor and adventure – gardening, forest school, camping, conservation, wildlife projects
- Life and future skills – STEM, financial literacy, volunteering, enterprise, digital skills, careers education
- Civic engagement – student voice, community projects, school councils, debate, and local democracy
Schools running a wraparound offer – breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and holiday provision – can map this entire provision onto these categories as part of their self-assessment.
Where does the funding come from?
The government has invested significantly in enrichment alongside the framework itself. Here is the full picture:
Every Child Can – £132.5 million. Funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme and managed via The National Lottery Community Fund. It funds activities within school, community programmes, weekend activities, and holiday provision. Further details on how to apply will be published in due course.
Enrichment Expansion Programme – £22.5 million. This programme invites 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part and build a strong enrichment offer. A separate £16.8 million delivery partner grant is available for organisations delivering enrichment across secondary schools in all 9 English regions. The grant runs across financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29.
Free breakfast clubs – national rollout from April 2026. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act makes free breakfast clubs an expectation for all primary schools. By June 2026, 10 million free breakfasts had been served across 1,250 clubs. This is directly relevant to providers running or expanding breakfast provision. See our 2026 free breakfast clubs funding guide for a full breakdown.
PE and School Sport Partnerships Network – £1 billion over 3 years. The government announced £1 billion for PE and school sport in May 2026, including £580 million for the new partnerships network (launching spring 2027), £200 million for sports facility upgrades, and a £100 million one-off transition payment. For a full breakdown of what this means for sport providers, see our PE and sport premium scrapped: schools guide 2027.
School-Age Childcare Guidance – published April 2026. The DfE published new non-statutory guidance on school-age childcare in April 2026, setting out how schools and trusts should plan and deliver wraparound and holiday childcare. The government’s stated aim is for every family to access 8am–6pm term-time childcare. See our guide on how to start or expand wraparound care for practical steps.
Enrichment benchmarks Ofsted: How does Ofsted use the enrichment framework?
The enrichment framework is non-statutory – but Ofsted will use it. Under the renewed inspection framework (in force from November 2025), personal development is one of the five evaluation areas. Inspectors assess whether pupils have access to a broad range of experiences that build character, confidence, and resilience beyond the academic curriculum.
The enrichment benchmarks give inspectors a clear structure for this assessment. Schools that have carried out a self-assessment and can show evidence of their offer – participation data, pupil voice, provider partnerships, parent communications – will be in a much stronger position than those that cannot.
Inspectors may ask:
- What does your enrichment offer look like across the 5 categories?
- How do you know pupils are taking part, including disadvantaged pupils?
- How do you work with external providers to extend your offer?
- How do you measure the impact of enrichment on pupils?
New school profiles will also display enrichment offers publicly – meaning parents will be able to compare schools on the breadth and quality of their provision.
For a full inspection preparation checklist, see our Ofsted inspection checklist 2026: evidence to have ready.
What does the enrichment framework mean for activity providers and after-school clubs?
This is the section most enrichment-focused articles overlook. The framework is not just a school enrichment policy document – it is a direct opportunity for every activity provider, after-school club, sports organisation, arts group, and holiday camp that works with schools.
Benchmark 6 puts providers at the centre of the framework. It explicitly requires schools to build an offer that works in partnership with external organisations. Schools that want to meet this benchmark need reliable, high-quality providers – and providers that can demonstrate their value within the framework’s language will be better placed to win and keep those partnerships.
Here is what the framework means for your organisation:
- Your offer can now be mapped to DfE categories. Whether you run a football club, a drama group, or a coding class, your provision falls under one or more of the 5 categories. Being able to show schools exactly where you fit in their self-assessment makes your partnership proposal much stronger.
- Schools will expect evidence from you. Benchmarks 7 and 8 require schools to track outcomes and review impact. If you can supply attendance records, participation data, and pupil feedback from your sessions, you become a much more attractive partner than providers who cannot.
- Accessibility matters more than ever. Benchmark 5 requires schools to remove barriers to participation. Providers with online booking, flexible payment options (including Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers), and clear communication tools help schools meet this benchmark – not just themselves.
- The £132.5 million “Every Child Can” programme will create new buyers. Community clubs, weekend activities, and holiday provision are all in scope. New funded places mean new demand for managed, bookable activity provision.
“MagicBooking is by far the best out-of-school software we have used – both from a parent’s perspective and that of a club.” – Gary Peirce, Owner, The Buzz
How to evidence your enrichment offer - and reduce the admin burden
The enrichment framework requires schools and providers to move from aspiration to evidence. That means registers, records, parent communications, participation data, and impact reports – all produced consistently, without adding hours of admin.
This is exactly where the right school management system makes a practical difference.
A good school booking system or club management platform should:
- Keep accurate attendance registers for every session – digital, time-stamped, and exportable. See how MagicBooking’s registers feature keeps all session records in one place.
- Track participation across activities so you can show the breadth of your offer and identify pupils who are not engaging.
- Communicate your offer to parents through automated emails and messages – meeting Benchmark 3 without manual effort. See MagicBooking’s communication tools.
- Support accessible booking with online self-service, flexible payment plans, Tax-Free Childcare, and childcare vouchers – removing financial barriers in line with Benchmark 5.
- Generate reports quickly, so leaders can review impact without spending hours pulling data together.
Schools and clubs already using MagicBooking report saving an average of 1,224 hours per year on admin – the equivalent of more than 30 working weeks. Over 80% say it makes future planning easier, and 93% say it makes it easier for parents to access services.
“MagicBooking has been the best investment our extended school club has made – saving us hours every week and letting us focus on the children.” – Sue Trinder, Business Manager, St John’s Infant School
Emmer Green Primary School in Reading used MagicBooking to streamline admin, communicate with parents, and demonstrate their after-school provision clearly to Ofsted – read the full case study here.
For a broader look at reducing admin across your school or club, see our guide: the ultimate guide to reducing admin time in school and club management.
Ready to evidence your enrichment offer without the admin?
The enrichment framework is a real opportunity – for schools to build a stronger personal development offer, and for activity providers to become a valued part of it. But the framework only works if you can evidence what you do.
MagicBooking is used by over 2,000 schools and clubs across the UK to manage bookings, track attendance, process payments, and communicate with parents – all in one place. Our clients save an average of £14,000 per year in administrative costs and reclaim over 1,200 hours annually. Three in four say MagicBooking is a game-changer for their organisation.
Whether you run a school breakfast club, an after-school sports programme, a wraparound care service, or a multi-site holiday camp – MagicBooking gives you the records, reporting, and parent communication tools you need to meet every enrichment benchmark with confidence.
Book a free demo to see how MagicBooking’s school booking system can help you build and evidence your enrichment offer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DfE enrichment framework for schools?
The DfE enrichment framework is a set of 8 benchmarks published on 15 June 2026. It gives schools and colleges in England a shared language and structure for building, communicating, and improving their enrichment offer – covering activities in sport, arts, nature, life skills, and civic engagement.
The framework is non-statutory but Ofsted will assess schools against it as part of the personal development judgement.
Is the DfE enrichment framework a legal requirement?
No. The enrichment framework is non-statutory guidance, which means schools are not legally required to follow it.
However, Ofsted will use it to inform how they assess personal development during inspections, and schools must display their enrichment offer publicly through new school profiles. Schools that cannot evidence their offer against the benchmarks are likely to find this reflected in their inspection outcomes.
What does Ofsted look for in school enrichment activities?
Under the renewed inspection framework, Ofsted assesses personal development as one of its five evaluation areas. Inspectors look for a broad and varied enrichment offer that gives all pupils – including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND – access to activities beyond the academic curriculum.
They will expect schools to show participation data, evidence of pupil voice, partnerships with external providers, and examples of impact on pupil wellbeing and development.
How can activity providers and after-school clubs get involved in school enrichment?
The enrichment framework’s Benchmark 6 explicitly requires schools to work in partnership with external organisations. Activity providers should make sure they can map their offer to the DfE’s 5 enrichment categories (sport, arts, nature, life skills, and civic engagement), and be ready to supply attendance records and participation data so schools can meet their reporting obligations.
Providers that offer online booking, flexible payments, and clear parent communications are particularly well-placed to support schools in meeting the accessibility benchmark.
What is the “Every Child Can” programme?
“Every Child Can” is a £132.5 million government programme announced on 13 June 2026, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme and managed via The National Lottery Community Fund.
It funds enrichment activities schools, community programmes, weekend activities, and holiday provision – with a specific aim to halve the participation gap between disadvantaged children and young people and their peers. Further details on how providers can apply are expected to be published at gov.uk in due course.
