Is there too much enrichment in schools? The timing couldn’t be more perfect to ask, given the DfE recently published its Enrichment Framework, and we’ve just completed the busiest period of the year for school enrichment. End of year plays, external speakers, school trips and sports day, to name but a few. A recent article in the media suggested that, with all these activities going on, ‘schools have forgotten parents have jobs.’
At the World Cup, an England match was scheduled to kick-off in the early hours of the morning. Suddenly there was the dilemma between letting children stay up that late (or early?!) to watch and ensuring they were alert and awake for school the next morning. ‘They’re just doing painting and watching films at this time of year; does it matter if they miss a day of school?’ was pondered on a well-known midday TV programme.
It surely can’t be both – schools can’t be over-doing the trips, the assemblies, and egg and spoon races while they’re also ‘just’ showing films and colouring-in. As we approached the last half term of the academic year, scheduling meetings with teachers and leaders in schools started to become tricky. This wasn’t because they didn’t want to miss the film they were showing that day. It was because they were involved in residential and day trips, putting the final efforts into the end of year concert and, yes, organising sports day! These activities aren’t just during the school/working day. They’re in the evenings and at the weekends. Residential trips run over several days, often overlapping into the weekends. For the teachers and teaching assistants running these events, they are doing so instead of spending time with their partners, children (who will be participating in their own end of year activities) and wider family. On top of this, it’s also a time to mark assessments, input data and prepare end of year reports.
Why the sudden uptick in activities at this time of year? It makes sense when you think about it. The last half term means the end of assessments and most of the core curriculum has (hopefully!) been taught. As we approach the end of the academic year, it’s the perfect time to show off achievements through concerts, exhibitions and other performances.
Around the same time as the Enrichment Framework was published, the Government also announced plans to restrict access to social media for the under 16s. This wasn’t a coincidence. It was intended for both policies to work together. Getting out and about, taking part in clubs and other activities is the answer to seemingly endless screen time.
So, Is There Too Much Enrichment?
Going back to the original question posed at the start of this post – is there too much enrichment? I don’t believe this considers the all-encompassing nature of extra- and co-curricular activity. Before the Enrichment Framework, schools were already providing an extensive range of clubs, activities and events for their students. No difference there; we started our journey at Avalon working with schools on enrichment nearly four years ago, and there were clubs, sports days and end of year concerts when I was at school over twenty years ago. The Enrichment Framework helps formalise what many educators have known (and discussed) for some time; that enrichment is a critical part of a young person’s development. It takes many of the principles learned in the classroom and gives them practical, tangible meaning. It provides young people with the opportunity to discover and hone their interests. It enables them to find other likeminded people and to encourage a sense of belonging.
I’m continually amazed by the breadth of opportunity afforded to the students in the schools we work with. It is a testament to the hard work of the teachers and support staff who devise and deliver these activities to their young people. Well done to you all and I hope you enjoy the summer break.
