ADULT EDUCATION IN THE UK

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ADULT EDUCATION IN THE UK

• A College Perspective
• Peter Milford, NewNet plc
• for St Vincent College

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Introduction to St Vincent College
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• A sixth-form College on the South Coast of
  England
• Age 16 19 plus

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• on the site of a 19th Century Naval Training
  Establishment

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Gosport
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Gosport

• A town with a naval heritage
• A town surrounded by large neighbours
• Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham
• A town with a combination of affluent and
  significantly deprived neighbourhoods
• A town with limited infrastructure
• A town with a relatively low-skilled adult
  population

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What is our mission?

• We are a dynamic, successful and responsive
  college providing excellence in education and
  training to our community and students of all
  ages and abilities.
• Our mission is to inspire all our students to
  achieve their full potential.

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Adult Education and Lifelong Learning

• What is it for?
• Who is it for?
• When and where should it happen?

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TraditionalAdult Education in the UK
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21st Century Imperatives

• Training a workforce to be flexible
• and adaptable
• Upskilling improving and upgrading existing
  skills
• Re-training - learning new skills
• Value for money

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• Every Child Matters Change for Children is a new
  approach to the well-being of children and young
  people from birth to age 19.
• The Government's aim is for every child, whatever
  their background or their circumstances, to have
  the support they need to

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

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A Hampshire View of Education

• Education is about developing the capacity for
• Happiness
• Making and sustaining successful relationships
• Being safe and healthy throughout life
• Achieving economic independence
• Creating effective citizens
• John Clarke Deputy Director Education and
  Inclusion, Hampshire Childrens Services

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Identifying Priorities at Government Level

• We must rebalance taxpayers money towards the
  subjects where there is greatest need so more
  plumbing, less pilates subsidised precision
  engineering, not over-subsidised flower
  arranging, except of course where flower
  arranging is necessary for a vocational purpose.
• Tai chi is of little value to the economy.
  There must be a fairer apportionment between
  those who gain from education and those who pay
  for it state, employer or individual.
• Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education in
  2006

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Funding Adult Education

• Who pays?
• 1. Government support in two categories
• Learner Responsive
• Employer Responsive
• 2. Individual students
• 3. Employers

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Our AE Curriculum

• 1. Gaining academic qualifications
• Single qualifications e.g. a GCSE or A level
• Access to Higher Education
• Students join mainstream
• college courses

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Our AE Curriculum

• 2. Skills for Life
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• English for Speakers of Other Languages

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Our AE Curriculum

• 3. Learning in the Workplace
• National Vocational Qualifications
• Train to Gain
• Short specialist courses

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Our AE Curriculum

• 4. E-Learning
• Learn Direct (IT, NVQs)
• e-Business (short courses for employees)

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Our AE Curriculum

• 5. Professional Qualifications
• Teacher Training
• Foundation Degree

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Our AE Curriculum

• 6. Gaining Vocational Qualifications
• Administration
• Childcare
• Health Social Care

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Our AE Curriculum

• 7. Leisure Learning
• Foreign Languages
• General Interest
• Fitness

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Challenges

• Engaging the hard to reach
• Creating and sustaining interest
• Meeting government targets
• Meeting the needs of employers

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Aciu