Sarah Ginns is Research, Policy and Compliance Lead at Forum Strategy
“Change is the only constant in life” said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus; and yet again with the appointment of Andy Burnham as the new Prime Minister this week, the educational landscape is more than likely to enter another summer of uncertainty. We do at least now know that Lucy Powell is the new Education Secretary; and whilst no stranger to an education brief (Powell was Shadow Education Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership from 2015 to 2016) there is a huge amount of new policy to get up to speed with over the summer, not least as things ramp up on SEND reform from September onwards.
However, as we at Forum Strategy often reference; we can and should remain focused on what lies within our purview – our ‘circle of control’ as it were – when uncertainty threatens to unbalance our vision and mission as educationalists.
With that in mind, we are all acutely aware, amongst the ‘noise’ of our fractured world, that many issues remain stubbornly ‘constant’ despite repeated political (with both a small and large ‘P’) efforts to address them. One of these is the intractable rise in feelings of loneliness amongst children and young people over recent years. Indeed, the NSPCC’s Childline service saw a rise in children struggling with loneliness during 2025/26, with many seeking a sense of belonging and connection; and The Good Childhood Report 2025 from The Children’ Society showed that children and young people are increasingly turning to digital interactions to give them the sense of community, connection and belonging they crave, which as we know carries its own risks. The introduction of the DfE’s statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools (which comes into effect from 1 September) is just one attempt to limit the negative effects of access to social media and other resources during the school day, as well as aiming to improve behaviour and support safeguarding.
Other independent guidance notes that it is concerning that young people are currently more likely than other age groups to report the kind of frequent and persistent loneliness that is associated with a range of negative outcomes. Indeed, even before Covid-19, 11% of 10 to 15-year-olds reported feeling lonely often or always – put into perspective that is three children in a class of 30 feeling deeply isolated even whilst amongst so many of their peers.
put into perspective that is three children in a class of 30 feeling deeply isolated even whilst amongst so many of their peers.
So, the big question here is how on earth do we as educationalists support the children and young people in our care to feel more connected through physical presence, and not just through their increasingly online worlds?
Of course, this dilemma goes far beyond the school gates and isn’t helped by a gradual erosion of public places and spaces where children (and their parents) feel they are safe. As a society, we have also become much less tolerant of children and young people spending time outside together; especially in regard to older age groups. We know that spending time outside, being active and spending time in nature is good for all of us; with 93% of children and young people agreeing with the statement “being in nature makes me very happy” in the most recent Children’s People and Nature Survey for England.
The government’s new enrichment framework places a renewed focus for schools and trusts on increasing pupils’ access to nature, the outdoors and adventure, and to sport and physical activities; as well as access to the arts and culture, civic engagement and developing wider life skills. Whilst it remains to be seen whether the political changes of this week will impact government education policy moving forward, the commitments made in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, in particular around enrichment and belonging, look set to remain. Indeed, much like the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda of the early 2000s, few in education would argue against the principles around widening opportunities for pupils to engage in the kinds of activities set out the enrichment framework; and there are already myriad examples of trusts using their scale and engagement with the wider community to provide such opportunities.
One such example was featured in a recent Forum Strategy case study, where Rachael Gacs spoke with Matthew Crawford, CEO of Embark Federation, and Rosie McLaughlin, Embark’s Fundraising and Events Lead, to discuss the trust’s approach to partnership working, enrichment and income generation. Matt and Rosie explained how investing in a dedicated fundraising and events role has helped support enrichment activities for children across the trust’s 28 schools. Through its enrichment programme, the trust aims to create exceptional opportunities that broaden horizons, raise aspirations and give children and young people access to experiences they might not otherwise encounter. These have included a workshop delivered by West End stars, and an annual Dance Festival, which has helped foster a strong sense of belonging for pupils across the trust.
REAch2 Academy Trust also has a strong history of providing a wide range of enrichment opportunities and activities for pupils across its primary-only trust. Its 11B411 initiative makes a pledge to every child that they will be able to engage in eleven activities before they complete their primary education; and these are embedded into the curriculum and planning of each school.
Another key way in which we can support the children and young people in our trusts to feel more connected is, as our Founder Michael Pain has often said, by supporting them to be masters rather than servants of technology. With the exponential growth of AI adding to the complexity of their online worlds and everyday lives, it is vital that their educational journey provides the tools and guidance needed both to navigate safely and, most importantly, to not lose the uniquely human skills they will continue to need to succeed in both their personal and professional lives.
We have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to need the physical presence of other humans to give us a sense of belonging and psychological safety.
We have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to need the physical presence of other humans to give us a sense of belonging and psychological safety. We must continue to play our part through education in ensuring that the children and young people in our trusts now do not become the first generation turning initially to technology for that most vital of connections. One things for sure, in a world of competing priorities and demands, the belonging and overall wellbeing of pupils is one that should remain at the top of every board and CEO’s list.
Additional resources:
Funding to expand enrichment activities – The government has announced a £132.5 million funding package to expand after-school clubs and enrichment activities for children and young people. The Every Child Can programme will fund activities within school and in communities at weekends and in the holidays, ensuring enrichment is a common entitlement for all: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/every-child-to-get-access-to-enriching-activities-to-build-skills-and-confidence-for-life
The National Lottery Reaching Communities England Programme – Community based organisations (including schools) are invited to apply for funding through this programme, which supports projects that strengthen communities and improve lives across England: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/reaching-communities-england
The Hugo Burge Foundation – The aim of the Hugo Burge Foundation is to nurture and support creativity in individuals and communities across the UK. It does this through arts funding, residencies, and education, with a particular focus on creating opportunities for people, including young people, to engage in creative activity. The programme is designed to widen access to creative opportunities and back both artistic development and community participation: https://www.hugoburgefoundation.org/grants
Further funding opportunities for enrichment activities can be found: https://forumstrategy.org/funding/
