In the competitive landscape of international education, extracurricular activities (ECAs) are evolving from simple hobby groups into strategic opportunities for neurocognitive development. Recent impact reports from partner schools demonstrate how schools are successfully utilising ENHANCE before and after school to deliver measurable improvements in student mindset and performance.
Transformative Cognitive Gains
Data from one school who offered a daily before-school training model is compelling, particularly for students who completed at least five hours of training over 12 weeks. These students achieved a 12 percentage point improvement in combined cognition across six domains. Specific foundational skills saw even more dramatic growth, with attention scores rising by 15 percentage points and processing speed increasing by 28 percentage points.
Individual profiles from another school deploying ENHANCE in this way report further underscore this impact, showing significant personal gains in areas such as executive function and social cognition.
Sustained Results and Parent Appetite
One of the most significant findings is the sustained nature of these cognitive improvements; A leading international school in the UAE measured these gains five months after the programme ended, confirming that targeted neuroplasticity training provides long-term benefits. This evidence-based approach has met with high parental appetite, as families increasingly seek innovative ways to build their children’s mental resilience and academic readiness through the school’s extracurricular offer. The success of these pilots proves that neurocognitive development is a powerful USP (unique selling proposition) that resonates with parents focused on future-ready skills and what they really want for their children’s education and development.
Key Learning for the Future
The reports also provide vital insights into program delivery, noting that programme adherence was greatest in younger years (specifically Years 5 to 7). While the first phase of training reliably improves attention for most students, higher-order skills like working memory and executive function require more consistent training volume to see significant gains. To maximise results, a hybrid delivery model that supplements weekly ECA sessions with optional access to a dedicated ENHANCE Studio before or after school drives higher engagement, training volume and brain health benefits.
