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ITEM EX11 - ANNEX 1

LEARNING & CULTURE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 11 MAY 2004

ADULT LEARNING PLAN 2004/05

 

Mission Review Consultation Outcome

  1. A mission review of the ACL Service was held between 1 - 22 March 2004 among a range of stakeholders including councillors, Community Education Committees (CECs), partners, other providers, staff and learners. The Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee considered the consultation on 9 March.

  2. There were 32 responses to the full questionnaire including 25 individual responses, from current members of CECs, staff, learners, and others. Also included were a further set of comments to a slightly different Mission Review consultative questionnaire put to tutors at the tutor conference in November 2003.

  3. There were 6 group responses, from

    • A group of County Council schools advisers

    • Oxford University Department of Adult and Continuing Education

    • The WEA

    • A group of learners

    • A Chair of CEC and Area Head jointly

    • A CEC

  1. Responses have indicated broad agreement with the objectives proposed. Many responses were in favour of maintaining a mix of learning opportunities, both accredited and non-accredited, which enhanced skills but also supported broader personal and community development. First rung learning was seen as important but there was also a plea to maintain and widen progression to further and higher education.

  2. Elements which were not seen as the core business of the service and which were mentioned by small numbers of respondents were: sports and recreation (as they were offered by leisure centres); GCSE and Advanced levels (more appropriately offered by colleges) and NVQs. (In response to this service staff would say that there was still demand for these to be offered locally, within easy distance of home.

  3. Training for immediate work benefits was not seen as a major focus of the service's work apart from Basic Skills and ICT provision. On the other hand entry or introductory courses to skill shortage areas were seen as a service strength where there could be expansion.

  4. Partnerships which enabled contact with new learners or which led to progression and co-ordination of provision were felt to be fundamental. Schools were mentioned particularly as were other Council functions, such as Cultural Services and  Social & Health Care. Primary Care Trusts, District Councils, other providers such as Oxford University Department for Continuing Education and Trade Unions were also seen as important partners.

  5. Higher fees for non-accredited courses with concessions for those who cannot afford to pay were overwhelmingly approved. 

  6. A range of comments were made about the overall mission statement, mostly relating to its construction rather than disagreeing with its overall message.

  7. The Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee, among some detailed comments, expressed a preference for the option of "charging higher fees but with concessions for those who cannot afford to pay" if government subsidy for non-accredited learning is reduced and asked that non-accredited learning is not marginalised within the Adult and Community Learning programme.

A fuller summary of the responses is available in the Members’ Resource Centre.

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