Colleges will be included in new government enrichment benchmarks to be published this week, but ministers have not said they will be eligible for funding from a new £132.5 million activities scheme. The Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have said a new enrichment framework will give schools and colleges “practical tools and guidance” across five areas: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills, including STEM; and sport and physical activities. It follows last year’s curriculum and assessment review, led by Becky Francis, which said there were inconsistencies in access and quality of non-qualification activity in 16 to 19 study programmes, sparking calls from student services leaders at the time for a dedicated FE enrichment framework. The government responded to the review saying it was developing guidance for schools to deliver a “high-quality enrichment offer” and would extend the framework to cover colleges. Then the post-16 pathways implementation plan, published last month, said the forthcoming enrichment framework would be non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges supported by “case studies and additional resources”. It also said DfE would update 16 to 19 study programme guidance ahead of September 2027 to set expectations for the knowledge, skills and behaviours students should develop through employability, enrichment and pastoral support. In its trail for the enrichment framework, DfE suggested activities in keeping with the framework could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs, “and much more.” It also said that complying with the framework will not initially be essential to achieve an ‘expected standard’ Ofsted rating because it is new. Information on a school’s enrichment offer will also be available to parents through new “school profiles”, but this element of the announcement did not mention colleges. Capacity and funding questions Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said they welcome the intent but “as with many other government announcements, there are several question marks over the capacity” to deliver these aspirations. “Schools and colleges already strive to provide excellent enrichment opportunities to their students, but they have to operate within extremely challenging financial and staffing constraints. “Those pressures will not disappear simply because the government announces new policies. It has to focus more on how to turn aspirations into realities, particularly in areas of high disadvantage where these opportunities are most needed. “We’ll now work with our members to fully understand the implications of the new framework and the resources that will be required to deliver these expectations.” DfE will soon announce “leading figures” within each enrichment category as ambassadors to “inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people”. The department also announced a £132.5 million “Every Child Can” scheme. Funding comes from the dormant assets scheme, a government-backed initiative that unlocks cash from financial products like bank accounts and pensions that have been left untouched for years. It will be delivered “through” schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision. There was no mention of colleges having access to this funding, but more information was promised “in due course”.