, Cabinet Secretary for
Education: On 4 June 2024, I announced that MS had agreed to lead a rapid
review of the School Holiday Enrichment Programme to consider how
provision can be maximised during the summer holiday period and
to ensure learners most in need can access the programme.
MS has concluded her review
and submitted her final report with recommendations in December
2024. A copy can be found at School Holiday Enrichment
Programme (SHEP): interim report.
The School Holiday Enrichment Programme is
a Programme for Government commitment to deliver a school-based
scheme providing healthy meals, food and nutrition education,
physical activity, and enrichment sessions to learners in areas
of socio-economic disadvantage, for a minimum of 12 days during
the school summer holidays. Managed by the Welsh Local Government
Association (WLGA), it is promoted to learners and families under
the ‘Food and Fun' brand.
I was pleased to be able to provide over £4.85 million for ‘Food
and Fun' in this financial year which helped 205 schemes to run
over the summer offering over 13,000 places to children in
areas of socio-economic disadvantage. The review has set out
where provision may be further maximised.
I have considered and agreed with these recommendations and asked
my officials to take forward their implementation including
further detailed discussion on a second phase. I have also
made a further £1 million in funding available to the programme
in my 2025-26 budget, as part of the package of funding to
support attendance and tackle disengagement which I announced in
December.
I would like to place on record my gratitude to MS for undertaking this work.
It has provided me with further insight into the opportunities
and challenges around the programme, the benefits to participants
and their families and the considerable efforts of all those who
manage the programme and are involved in day-to-day delivery, who
have been instrumental in continuing to make the Programme such a
success.
I am issuing this Written Statement to ensure that the Senedd is
kept fully updated on this area of very important
work.
