Programmes for adult learners are delivered by a diverse range of providers.

To be eligible for government funding, through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), to deliver education and training services to learners aged 19+, organisations must first be listed on the register of training organisations. These organisations may then compete in tenders to offer education and skills training, and, if successful, are funded by the ESFA through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) to provide education and training.

There are over 1000 direct contract holders with the ESFA, which include further education (FE) colleges and voluntary (third) sector organisations. The main types of provider are described below.

From September 2019 onwards, responsibility for certain adult education functions of the AEB have been transferred (or ‘devolved’) to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). The AEB has therefore been dividied into devolved and non-devolved budgets; approximately half has been transferred to the devolved authorities, whilst the remaining half continues to be administered by the ESFA for learners in England that are resident outside of the devolved areas. The devolved authorities publish their own funding rules which apply to providers in receipt of devolved AEB funding. Statutory guidance for the devolved authorities on exercising their adult education functions has been published by the Department for Education (DfE).

Further education (FE) colleges 

Further education (FE) colleges are at the centre of adult education provision, but are also major providers of full- and part-time courses for 16- to 19-year-olds. Traditionally, they offered technical and vocational courses, but many have broadened their role to offer more general education programmes for young people and adults (aged 19+). These include courses leading to functional skills qualifications (see the subheading ’Provision to Raise Achievement in Basic Skills‘ in the article on ‘Main Types of Provision’), General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) and A levels. FE colleges may also offer access to higher education diploma courses, higher education programmes such as foundation degrees, and community learning. From September 2020, they will also offer T Levels and new apprenticeship routes, at Levels 2-7 based around specific occupational pathways.

FE colleges vary significantly in size and focus but can be divided into the following categories on the basis of their mission and subject mix:

Source: Association of Colleges, Number and list of colleges, September 2020

Since 1 April 1993, most FE colleges have been statutory corporations as established by the Further and Higher Education Act (FHEA) 1992. The core of the legislative framework set out in the FHEA 1992 remains in place, amended in part by the Learning and Skills Act 2000, the Education and Inspections Act 2006, the Further Education and Training Act 2007, and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.

All colleges have an Instrument and Articles of Government, setting out how the college is governed.

Community learning providers 

Community learning providers include further education (FE) colleges (see above), as well as local authorities (LAs) and voluntary (third sector) organisations. They also include a small number of specialist designated institutions, which have a long tradition of attracting disadvantaged adults to informal adult learning. Of these, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), has a national remit.

Local authority community learning provision may be delivered in adult education centres, or in settings used for a range of purposes, such as local community centres, libraries, schools and children’s centres.

Private and voluntary (third) sector training organisations 

Private and voluntary (third) sector training organisations are also eligible for government funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (EFSA). They may provide apprenticeships, traineeships or other work-based learning provision, and other further education provision through franchising arrangements.

Providers of open and distance learning 

Open and distance learning for adult learners is provided by a number of other organisations across the UK, as follows.

• The National Extension College (NEC) is a not-for-profit organisation providing a wide range of general and vocational distance learning programmes. It was set up in 1963 as a pilot for the Open University. 
• learndirect is a major provider of technology-led training, including adult skills, employability and apprenticeships, and eAssessment services. learndirect is a private company but its predecessor organisation, UFI, was set up by government in 2000 with a remit to use new technology to transform the delivery of learning and skills across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Futurelearn is a MOOC (massive open online course) platform providing free online courses in general and vocational subjects. It is a private company wholly owned by the Open University. Partners include UK and international universities, and organisations such as the British Council and the British Library.
• The Open University also provides distance learning access modules to help students prepare for higher education programmes, as well as free educational resources available to any learner via its openlearn portal.

Institutes of Technology 

the first 12 Institutes of Technology are currently being rolled-out with access to £170m of capital funding. Eleven are operational. A total of £290m of capital funding will be invested to establish 20 new Institutes of Technology (IoT).  This will enable every region in England to have a high quality IoT.

IoTs are led by employers, in collaboration with further and higher education providers. Targetting both young people and older learners who may already be in employment, IoTs aim to deliver higher level technical education with a clear route to high skilled employment and meeting the skills needs of  local employers. They specialise in technical disciplines, particularly STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) at Level 3 to Level 5, and also extending to degree level and above (Level 6 +), to strengthen routes into higher levels of technical education and directly into employment.

Article last reviewed December 2020.