Further Education, Work-Based Learning and Community Learning in Wales Statistics: 2004/05 (a)(b)

The publication 'Further Education, Work-Based Learning and Community Learning in Wales Statistics: 2004/05' (PDF 692kB) is the second in a series providing statistics about the post-16 learning sector (excluding higher education institutions and sixth forms) in Wales.

In 2003/04 a new data collection system known as the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR) was introduced with the aim of collecting consistent and comparable data across the post-16 learning sector.  In its first year of operation, the LLWR collected data from Further Education and Community Learning providers.  Work-based Learning providers were included from 2004/05.  All the 2004/05 headline statistics were extracted from the LLWR-sourced post-16 database on 2 February 2006, which was also the extract date for SDR 36/2006.

Key results for 2004/05 are:

Further Education institutions

• 239,020 learners were enrolled at twenty five FE institutions during the 2004/05 academic year.
• 10,685 were pursuing work-based learning programmes.
• The characteristics of students in Welsh further education institutions were:
  34 per cent under the age of twenty five;
  96 per cent primarily domiciled in Wales; 24 per cent of these were domiciled in areas designated as deprived;
  4 per cent of a non-white ethnic origin;
  8 per cent with a disability.

LEA Community learning

• There were 56,555 learners undertaking LEA Community Learning activities in 2004/05, including 40 per cent enrolled with LEAs and 60 per cent enrolled at FE institutions but taught by LEA staff.
• 9.5 per cent of learners were under the age of twenty five and 27 per cent were aged 60 and over.

Work-based learning

• 58,620 distinct learners pursued work-based learning (WBL) with providers (including FE institutions) receiving funding from ELWa in 2004/05.
• The number of distinct learners on WBL programmes has increased by 27 per cent between March 2000 and March 2005.
• 66 per cent of WBL learners were under the age of twenty five on 31 August 2004; 2 per cent were of a non-white ethnic origin and 5 per cent had a disability.

(a) The figures in these Headline Statistics may differ from those appearing in other publications in line with the definitions used.
(b) The numbers of learners in Further Education, Community Learning and Work-based learning should not be summed together owing to overlaps in definitions of cohorts.

Contact:
Tel: 029 2092 6041
E-mail: analysisdells@wales.gsi.gov.uk 

Further Information:
The statistics in this volume complement the Welsh Assembly Government's Statistical First Release SDR 36/2006 on the 2004/05 post-16 learning sector and summary data available via the StatsWales website.

Next Update:
December 2007 (provisional - to be confirmed on the Due Out Soon page)