Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Enrichment Expansion programme announced on 18 September 2026, what additional financial support will be available to secondary schools in Walsall borough that are outside the selected programme areas to meet the Government’s Enrichment Benchmarks in (a) 2026–27 and (b) 2027–28.

​​The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring all children and young people can access high-quality enrichment.

​The recently published Enrichment Framework supports schools and colleges to develop a strategic, inclusive enrichment offer through guidance, case studies, benchmarks and improvement tools to evaluate provision. Ambassadors have been appointed as experts within their areas to identify and highlight effective enrichment practice across schools and wider settings, and to use their expertise to help develop and expand opportunities for young people.

​This sits alongside wider government programmes, including PE and School Sport Partnerships, the National Centre for Arts Education, National Education Nature Parks, the Cadet Expansion Programme, Erasmus+ and Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools. In addition, the Every Child Can programme will invest £132.5 million of dormant assets funding in new enrichment activities through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.