Return to Agenda

Return to EX13

ITEM EX13 - ANNEX 1

EXECUTIVE – 27 MAY 2003

ADULT LEARNING PLAN

 

Adult and Community Learning Service Statement of Purpose

This is the updated overall statement of purpose for the LEA’s Adult and Community Learning Service as a whole:

To develop and sustain across Oxfordshire a range of high quality lifelong learning opportunities that will engage new adult learners and enable all learners to gain knowledge and skills, progress in learning, and play an active and creative part in their communities.

The County Council Adult and Community Learning Service focuses on providing local learning opportunities distributed equitably across the county, underpinned by countywide provision of basic skills, guidance and learning disability services. It provides programmes that are broadly-based or at specific levels, from first rung up to Level 2 with some gap-filling at Level 3.

It aims to maximise the value to learners of being a local authority adult learning service, operating across the whole county as the largest single provider of adult learning opportunities, and playing a major role in local planning for lifelong learning.

It plans its provision to complement that of voluntary and private providers, Further Education colleges, and Higher Education institutions.

Strategic objectives

Flowing from its mission and needs analysis, the Local Authority Adult and Community Learning Service has these main strategic objectives across the whole of its provision – both its Further Education and its Adult Learning Plan provision.

  1. To widen participation in learning by

        1. Working collaboratively with a range of partners to:

    • assess the needs of individuals, communities and employers

    • maximise the value to communities of the different strengths and resources of partners

    • secure new resources

    • attract learners

          ii. Outreach – taking information, advice and guidance, and a range of learning opportunities, to new learners in their own settings; providing an independent education and training guidance service that is free and biased towards outreach and new learners

          iii. Expanding the number of first rung opportunities for new learners, with special emphasis on basic skills, ICT, family learning, childcare

          iv. Using the unique features of a Local Authority provider to increase the number of local learning centres, and to secure equality of opportunity for specific groups of learners who are underrepresented in learning, or experience particular disadvantage

  1. To improve the quality of learning, and the achievement and satisfaction of learners, by

        1. Listening to learners and helping them voice their wants and needs

        2. Maintaining a range of initial and in-service tutor training programmes and other quality systems to monitor and develop good practice in teaching and learning support

        3. Continuing to develop curriculum that excites, challenges and retains learners, and actively promotes progress and progression

  2. To develop high quality management and leadership at all levels of the service by

        1. Improving internal communication

        2. Ensuring the professional development of staff

        3. Securing management information that is timely and accurate, and that is used at all levels of planning in the service

        4. Managing the change from Local Authority to LSC funding to secure for learners and communities the benefits of both of change and continuity

          Return to TOP