Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps being taken to provide young people with more enriching activities outside of school.
Minister of Education: My Department is committed to providing enriching opportunities for children and young people beyond the school curriculum.
In relation to activities outside of the normal school day, my Department provides funding through the Extended Schools Programme (ESP). This programme supports schools with high levels of educational disadvantage to deliver a wide range of additional activities and services that help meet the learning and development needs of pupils, their families and local communities.
In 2026/27, I am providing £8.1 million through the ESP to support a broad range of enrichment activities beyond the school day. These can include health and fitness initiatives, academic support programmes, arts and crafts, dance and drama, cookery, specialist interest clubs, sporting activities and youth programmes. These provisions help to broaden the experiences and opportunities available to children and young people across participating schools.
Beyond the ESP, schools can provide other enrichment activities at their own discretion, using their existing resources and in line with their individual priorities.
In relation to outdoor learning, my Department does not currently provide specific funding or guidance, as decisions on the use of outdoor learning remain a matter for individual schools, which are best placed to determine how such approaches can enrich the learning experiences of their pupils. However, my officials and I engage with outdoor learning initiatives whenever possible to celebrate, showcase and support this valuable work.
As an arm’s length body to my Department, the Education Authority (EA) has a statutory duty under Article 37 of The 1986 Education & Libraries Order to provide adequate facilities for the provision of youth activities which it can deliver on its own or with others.
In fulfilling this statutory duty, the EA provides youth work services directly and indirectly, using community and voluntary youth providers, to meet the assessed youth service needs of young people age 4 to 25 years, providing informal learning through both indoor and outdoor activities.
The EA Youth Service also allow the use of their outdoor youth facilities for schools and other providers to further encourage enriching activities outside of school.
It is, however, important to note that the insufficiency of the education budget is a constraining factor on services and the maintenance of facilities.
ENDS
Your MLA 