Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on adult education (a) participation and (b) outcomes by ethnic group since 2021.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The ethnicity of adult (19+) further education and skills learners (self-declared) is recorded on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and published by the Department in the further education and skills statistics publication at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-and-skills. Learner income is not recorded on the ILR. Participation by ethnicity group for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years is shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a35b0db5-e926-43b0-1a51-08dbb99e3fd8. The full year figures for the 2022/23 academic year will be published in November 2023.
Further education outcomes are published annually, including employment and further learning destinations and earnings outcomes available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/further-education-outcome-based-success-measures. Users can break down measures to view those of learners with specific ethnicities. The publication contains information on earnings post-learning but does not include breakdowns by learner income prior to or during learning.
The most recent published data relates to adult learners who achieved their qualification in the 2019/20 and their destinations in the following academic year. Outcomes by ethnic group for adults achieving in 2019/20 are shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/57c83f1d-2fbd-4999-5a54-08dbb9ac4483. Data for 2020/21 achievers will be available in November 2023.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will help provide free adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
This government recognises the importance of English and mathematics skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy increases individual productivity, improves earnings and employment opportunities, supports economic growth and breaks cycles of intergenerational economic and social disadvantage.
Consequently, the department is continuing to support participation in English and mathematics provision through ‘essential skills entitlements’ which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including Level 2.
This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher to undertake a range of courses fully-funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to Level 2.
The department also supports training for adults in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, community learning can provide a 'stepping stone' for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning, or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.
In addition, all apprentices, including adults, are funded to achieve up to a Level 2 in English and mathematics by the end of their apprenticeship. The department has increased the apprenticeship funding rate for English and mathematics by 54% from January to support apprentices to gain these vital skills, from £471 to £724.
The department has also launched the Multiply programme to improve adult numeracy. This is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy. Delivery is now well underway. Multiply provision is available across the country, with over 67,000 course starts in England since the programme began to the end of August 2023.
Oct. 03 2023
Source Page: Privacy information: key stage 4 and 5 and adult educationFound: Privacy information: key stage 4 and 5 and adult education
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many adult learners there were in the Wellingborough constituency in each academic year since 2010-11.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Adult (19+) further education and skills learner participation in the Wellingborough parliamentary constituency can be found via the following links:
2017/18 onwards:
2014/15 to 2016/17:
2010/11 to 2013/14:
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support adults to reach GCSE level English and Maths.
Answered by Robert Halfon
This government recognises the importance of English and mathematics skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy increases individual productivity, improves earnings and employment opportunities, supports economic growth and breaks cycles of intergenerational economic and social disadvantage.
Consequently, the department is continuing to support participation in English and mathematics provision through ‘essential skills entitlements’ which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including Level 2.
This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher to undertake a range of courses fully-funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to Level 2.
The department also supports training for adults in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, community learning can provide a 'stepping stone' for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning, or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.
In addition, all apprentices, including adults, are funded to achieve up to a Level 2 in English and mathematics by the end of their apprenticeship. The department has increased the apprenticeship funding rate for English and mathematics by 54% from January to support apprentices to gain these vital skills, from £471 to £724.
The department has also launched the Multiply programme to improve adult numeracy. This is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy. Delivery is now well underway. Multiply provision is available across the country, with over 67,000 course starts in England since the programme began to the end of August 2023.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Birmingham Council issuing a Section 114 notice on the provision of (a) adult and (b) further education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Birmingham Adult Education Service, part of Birmingham City Council, is responsible for adult education across the city. Following the devolution of adult funding in August 2019, the responsibility for funding the Adult Education Service transferred to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The Combined Authority confirms that it has held initial conversations with the Birmingham Adult Education Service senior team and expects no impact on devolved AEB delivery following the issuing of the Section 114 notice, as the grant is ring fenced and adult education is a strategic priority. The Department’s Territorial Team meets regularly with WMCA and will assess the situation on an ongoing basis. The Adult Education Service also receives small scale non-devolved AEB and further education loans funding of approximately £290,000 from the Education and Skills Funding Agency and this will be managed through the usual performance management process.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what was the cost to the public purse of delivering adult education in the (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23 academic year.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department has separated adult education funding in financial years and is reflected in the table below.
£m | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | Source |
Adult Education Budget | 1,447 | 1,433 | Published accounts |
Bootcamps[1] | 92 | 34 | YE management accounts |
Multiply | 62 | - | YE management accounts |
ALL Loan | 123 | 153 | SLC data recorded on students' accounts |
ALL Bursary[2] | 22 | 18 | Dashboards |
Apprenticeships (19+)[3] | 1,633 | 1,666 | YE management accounts |
Total | 3,379 | 3,302 |
To note:
*Data reflected in Financial Years
*Funding in England only
*Data excludes HE loans funding
*Some data derived from internal management accounts.
[1] Of which includes year-end provisions of £2m in 21-22 and £9m in 22-23. Provisions in relation to learners that had completed their courses in FY 21-22/22-23, but pending confirmation of MS2/MS3 outcomes.
[2] 2021-22 bursary figure reduced due to a £12.6m reconciliation amount from the prior year
[3] Does not include covid recovery.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to amend the adult education budget funding procurement process in the next six months.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department has recently concluded a procurement exercise to award around £65 million of adult education budget (AEB) and £12 million of free courses for jobs (FCFJ) funding to 56 providers in non-devolved regions. These contracts are for a minimum of one year, with the option to extend for up to an additional three years. The department has no plans to amend the AEB procurement process in non-devolved regions for AEB or FCFJ in the next six months.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the (a) allocation for and (b) outturn expenditure on the adult education budget in (i) 2017-18, (ii) 2018-19, (iii) 2019-20, (iv) 2020-21, (v) 2021-22 and (vi) 2022-23.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Funding allocations for training providers are published on GOV.UK twice a year, and a final funded position is published following year end closure and reconciliation.
The links provided below show all allocations for the adult education budget (AEB) for the requested years, as well as other adult funding streams.
The final funded values for the AEB are published for 2017/18 to 2020/21. The values for 2021/22 are currently being compiled and will be published this autumn. The 2022/23 values are planned for publication in 2024 following the closure of the years data, and when a full reconciliation is completed.
Devolution of the AEB came into effect from 1 August 2019. These publications exclude values where delivery is in a devolved Mayoral Combined Authority or the Greater London Authority area.
Mentions:
1: Margaret Greenwood (LAB - Wirral West) on adult education, post-16 education, further education and colleges, in response to an application - Speech Link
2: Edward Timpson (CON - Eddisbury) , post-16 skills and apprenticeships, and adult education. - Speech Link
3: Lia Nici (CON - Great Grimsby) Adult education, community education, 16 to 19, apprenticeships and higher education are all provided - Speech Link
4: Toby Perkins (LAB - Chesterfield) From 2010 to 2019, the further education budget was cut by a third in real terms and adult education - Speech Link