The article discusses the system of additional education for children in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the study, additional education is considered as part of the lifelong education system aimed at developing the creative abilities of children, meeting their individual and academic needs, as well as organizing their free time.

Purpose: theoretical substantiation of additional education for children and development of recommendations on the mechanisms for its improvement in school conditions.

Results. 15 schools of the Almalinsky district of the city of Almaty took part in the survey. The sample consisted of n = 54 teachers. The form of the questionnaire is anonymous, open, and includes 8 basic questions. Analysis of the data obtained confirms the formal nature of the implementation of additional education in school conditions.

Theoretical significance: The scientific and theoretical foundations of additional education for children are disclosed. The genesis of the development of additional education in Kazakhstan is considered. The best practices for the development of additional education abroad have been identified, using the example of Singapore, Spain, Great Britain, USA and Sweden. Presentation of relevant statistical data of the Republican educational and methodological center of additional education.

Practical significance: the author's questionnaire "Assessment of the quality of additional education" has been developed and recommendations on the mechanisms for its improvement in the school environment are presented.