College 16-18 curriculum, CEIAG and enrichment surveys

AoC has conducted a number of surveys on broader college 16-18 curriculum issues, careers and enrichment.

Enrichment survey 2026

Headline findings:

• Colleges place enrichment at the heart of 16–19 study programmes, with near-universal agreement that it is an essential and high-priority element of provision.
• Colleges are delivering inclusive enrichment at scale, aiming to engage all students and offering broad offers across many areas.
• Colleges draw on extensive partnerships to provide a diverse enrichment offer, working with national and local organizations, charities, employers, health services, universities and others.
• Colleges actively involve students in shaping their enrichment programmes, ensuring that activity reflects their interests, aspirations and the local context.
• Colleges explicitly connect enrichment to essential skills and personal development, recognising its role in building confidence, resilience, citizenship, employability and progression.
• Colleges are embedding systems to track and evaluate enrichment participation and impact, while identifying the need for greater investment, guidance and shared practice to strengthen this work further.

AoC Enrichment survey report 2026