Adult Learning Services

In the past years Cumbria County Council Adult Learning was responsible for the delivery of the Adult Education programme in Cumbria. From 1st April 2023 Adult Learning has transitioned to a hosted service within Westmorland & Furness Council. The service remit is to continue to deliver the programme across the Westmorland & Furness Council and Cumberland Council areas. The focus of provision is based on the vision laid out in both Council Plans for 2023:

• Westmorland & Furness will be a great place to live, work and thrive - now and in the future
• We will unlock the potential of Cumberland, our people and our place.

The Adult Education curriculum offer will support the following priorities which link directly to both Council Plans:

• Supporting people who find themselves in vulnerable situations and reducing inequality.
• Enabling confident, empowered communities in our towns, villages and countryside.
• Promoting sustainable inclusive economic growth across boundaries.
• Seeking a balanced population and healthy happy lives for young and old.

Provision also links directly to the priorities of the Cumbria Local Education Partnership (LEP). The LEP’s priorities for revenue investments in the skills system are structured into four themes. These themes, and the actions contained within each, have been informed by labour market information and by direct input from employers and skills providers:

• Future Skills, Careers and Enterprise
• Developing the Skills of the Existing Workforce
• Addressing Unemployment and Underemployment
• Advanced and Higher-level Skills for the Local Economy

Adult Learning delivers community learning and skills provision to around 6000 adults each year in venues across Westmorland & Furness and Cumberland including a network of community learning centres, libraries, schools, children’s centres, employer premises, a wide range of community outreach locations and a number of independent externally sub-contracted organisations. The service is focussed on provision which transforms the lives of the most disadvantaged communities, enhances employment opportunities for low skilled residents and meets the needs of local employers.

The curriculum consists of a wide range of community learning and skills programmes funded through the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Adult Education Budget (AEB) to a value of £2.4m. The mix of provision includes English & Maths (at all levels from entry level through to GCSE), Learning Difficulties & Disabilities provision, employability, family learning, digital (ICT), civic engagement, health & well-being, and culture.