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Adult further education and skills

North East achievements and participation in adult (19+) FE and skills, including formal education and training as well as community learning

Education and skills Newcastle North Tyneside South Tyneside Durham Gateshead Sunderland Northumberland
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Adult FE and skills

About the data

  • Adult (19+) further education and skills include apprenticeships, community learning, and education and training for people in this age group:
    • The evidence hub includes a dedicated page with analysis of apprenticeship starts and achievements
    • Adult education and training includes classroom, distance and e-learning, traineeships and learning funded by advanced learner loans
    • Community learning includes a range of non-formal courses to promote civic engagement and community development.

Participation

  • In 2022/23 there were almost 77,000 adult (19+) learners participating in further education and skills courses in the North East:
    • The total was 8.9% higher than in 2021/22 but 2.2% lower than in 2019/20
    • there were just over 45,800 learners particpating in adult education and training
    • this total was 9.4% higher than in 2021/22 but 1.0% below the 2019/20 total
    • about 23,900 participated in apprenticeships, with just over 11,300 in community learning
    • these totals were, respectively, 2.5% and 18.0% higher than a year earlier and 1.6% higher and 11.9% lower than in 2019/20.

Age groups

  • In 2022/23 about 74% of North East adult further education and skills participants and 76% of achievers were aged 25 and over:
    • The number of participants from the older age group was 9.6% higher than a year earlier, with the number in the younger age group about 6.8% higher
    • between 2019/20 and 2022/23, the number of North East participants aged 19-24 decreased by 4.6%, with the number aged 25 and over decreasing by 1.4%.

Geographical comparisons

  • Population-based rates are used to compare participation and achievements in different sized areas. For adult (19+) further educations, the rates are calculated by dividing totals in an area by the resident population aged 19 to 64:
    • In 2022/23, the number of North East further education and skills participants was equivalent to over 6,600 per 100,000 residents
    • the rate of North East achievements in the same year was almost 4,700 per 100,000 residents
    • both rates were higher than those of England: by 23% and 31% respectively
    • the North East rates have both been higher than England's in each of the last six academic years
    • within the North East, both the participation rate and the achievements rate were highest in South Tyneside
    • the two rates were both higher than the England equivalent in six of the seven local authority areas, with Northumberland being the exception. 

Adult education and training

Participation

  • In 2022/23 there were just over 45,800 learners participating in adult (19+) education and training courses in the North East:
    • The total was 9.4% higher than in 2021/22 but 1.0% below the 2019/20 total
    • there were almost 23,000 learners participating in adult education and training level 2 courses
    • this total has decreased in recent years and was 3% lower than a year earlier and almost 15% lower than in 2019/20
    • almost 14,600 participated in courses below level 2 (excluding basic skills), 21% higher than in 2021/22 but 9% lower than in 2019/20
    • almost 9,000 participated in basic skills courses, 11% higher than in 2021/22 when the total was at a similar level to pre-Covid (2019/20)
    • about 5,400 participated at level 3, about 5% lower than a year earlier but more than 6% higher than in 2019/20
    • the sub-totals by level sum to more than the total number of participants because some participated at more than one level.

Achievements

  • In 2022/23 there were 38,200 achievements in North East adult (19+) education and training courses:
    • This total was 11.5% higher than a year earlier and at a similar level to the pre-Covid period (2019/20)
    • there were almost 18,600 achievements at level 2, about 3% lower than in 2021/22 and 14% lower than in 2019/20
    • there were 13,400 achievements in courses below level 2 (excluding basic skills), 21% higher than in 2021/22 but 9% lower than in 2019/20
    • there were 7,200 achievements in basic skills courses, 13% higher than in 2021/22 and 11% higher than pre-Covid (2019/20) 
    • there were 3,800 achievements at level 3, about 2.5% higher than a year earlier and 13% higher than in 2019/20
    • as with participation, achievement sub-totals sum to more than the grand total because of individuals achieving at more than one level.

Age groups

  • In 2022/23 about 78% of North East participants and achievers in adult education and training courses were aged 25 and over:
    • The number of participants from the older age group was almost 9% higher than a year earlier, with the number in the younger age group about 12% higher
    • the latest North East number of participants aged 25 plus was 1% lower than in 2019/20, with the number aged 19 to 24 about 2% lower.

Geographical comparisons

  • Using rates based on the resident population aged 19 to 64:
    • In 2022/23, the number of North East participants in adult education and training courses was equivalent to almost 4,000 per 100,000 residents
    • the rate of North East achievements in the same year was 3,300 per 100,000 residents
    • both rates were higher than those of England: by 40% and 49% respectively
    • the North East rates have both been higher than England's in each of the last six academic years
    • within the North East, both the participation rate and the achievements rate were highest in Sunderland
    • the two rates were both higher than the England equivalent in six of the seven local authority areas, with Northumberland being the exception. 

Adult education subjects

Enrolments

  • Each learner can enrol to study more than one aim in a specific year. In 2022/23 there were 83,400 aim enrolments in the North East:
    • About 42% of aim enrolments were in the preparation for life and work sector subject
    • health, public services and care (19%) and engineering and manufacturing technologies (10%) had the next highest totals of aim enrolments
    • among other subjects, only retail and commercial enterprise (7%) and business, administration and law (6%) had more than 3% of aim enrolments in the latest year
    • about 88% of aim enrolments at entry level and 47% at level 1 were in preparation for life and work
    • at level 2 and level 3+, the highest percentages of aim enrolments (37% and 34%) were in health, public services and care.

Achievements

  • There were about 69,500 aim achievements in the North East in 2022/23, with some learners achieveing in more than one aim:
    • About 43% of aim achievements were in the preparation for life and work sector subject
    • health, public services and care (18%) and engineering and manufacturing technologies (11%) had the next highest totals of aim achievements
    • among other subjects, only retail and commercial enterprise (7%) and business, administration and law (6%) had more than 3% of aim achievements in the latest year
    • about 87% of aim achievements at entry level and 45% at level 1 were in preparation for life and work
    • at level 2 and level 3+, the highest percentages of aim achievements (36% and 35%) were in health, public services and care.

Geographical comparisons

  • Although preparation for life and work was responsible for the highest number of 2022/23 aim achievements in the North East, the percentage (43%) was lower than nationally (49%). For other subjects, compared to England:
    • Engineering and manufacturing technologies had a much higher percentage of aim achievements in the North East (7.2% compared to 3.5%)
    • health, public services and care (18% compared to 15%) and retail and commercial enterprise (6.9% compared to 4.4%) also had higher North East percentages
    • in contrast, only 2.2% of North East aim achievements were in information and communication technology compared to 4.4% in England
    • within the North East, Newcastle had the highest total of aim achievements in preparation for life and work in 2022/23
    • County Durham had the highest totals in health, public services abd care and in engineering and manufacturing technologies.

Female and male learners

  • In 2022/23, the numbers of aim achievements by females and males in the North East were very similar (34,900 and 34,600):
    • Within the North East, females had more aim achievements than males in County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle and Northumberland
    • females were responsible for almost 55% of Gateshead's aim achievements. This contrasted with males being responsible for over 56% of Sunderland's aim achievements 
    • about 63% of the North East's level 1 aim achievements were by male learners.  This contrasted witth about 62% at level 3 and above being by female learners.

Community learning

Participation

  • In 2022/23 there were just over 11,300 adult (19+) learners participating in community learning courses in the North East:
  • The total was 18% higher than in 2021/22 but still 12% below the pre-Covid (2019/20) total
  • most of these learners (7,900) were participating in personal and community development learning courses
  • this total was 13% higher than a year earlier, but 18% lower than in 2019/20
  • about 1,700 learners were participating in neighbourhood learning in deprived communities, the lowest total in recent years
  • about 1,400 were in wider family learning, with 700 in family english maths and language courses
  • the sub-totals sum to more than the total number of participants because some participated in more than one course type.

Achievements

  • In 2022/23 there were 10,700 achievements by North East adults in community learning courses
    • This total was 20% higher than a year earlier, but 8% lower than in the pre-Covid period (2019/20)
    • most of the achievements (7,400) were in personal and community development learning courses, 15% higher than in 2021/22, but 14% lower than in 2019/20
    • there were 1,600 achievements in neighbourhood learning in deprived communities, 1,400 in wider family learning, and 600 in family english maths and language courses
    • as with participation, achievement sub-totals sum to more than the grand total because of individuals achieving in more than one course type.

Geographical comparisons

  • Using rates based on the resident population aged 19 to 64:
    • In 2022/23, the number of North East participants in community learning courses was equivalent to 979 per 100,000 residents
    • the rate of North East achievements in the same year was 923 per 100,000 residents
    • both rates were slightly higher than the England equivalents: 975 and 906, respectively
    • North East rates have both been similar to England's in all recent years
    • within the North East, both the participation rate and the achievements rate were particularly high in Gateshead and South Tyneside.
    • the two rates were both higher than the England equivalent in six of the seven local authority areas, with Northumberland being the exception.