Supplementary schools are community-led organisations. They usually operate at weekends, offering one or more of the following:
- Core curriculum support
- Home language studies
- Cultural activities and religious studies
Supplementary schools can make a significant contribution to the self-esteem and well-being of children from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds.
How to choose a supplementary school
When looking for a supplementary school you may want to consider:
- Receiving curriculum support, home language teaching, cultural studies or religious studies
- Visiting the school and speaking to the manager or headteacher
- Asking to be shown around
- Ensuring the premises are clean and safe
- Ensuring the children being taught are focussed and listening
- Seeing the child Protection and Safeguarding Policies – check the dates are current
- Asking about teachers’ qualifications
- Asking if staff have been DBS checked (Disclosure and Barring Service)
- If a child has special educational needs, checking the school can meet his needs
- Asking if the school has gained the Young People’s Foundation Trust (YPF Trust) Quality Mark for supplementary education; this Quality Mark is in line with the DfE guidance for Out of School Settings 2026
For more information, please see the guide to private tuition and supplementary schools.
The benefits of supplementary education
The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a report commissioned by John Lyon’s Charity. It explores the contribution made by supplementary schools. The report advocates closer partnerships with mainstream schools and gives the following examples. The report considers:
- challenges facing mainstream schools
- the contribution that supplementary schools make
- expanding the offer of mainstream schools
View the IPPR report on supplementary schools.