Association of Colleges

22 March 2010

Colleges, by far the biggest providers of vocational training in Britain, are calling on the Chancellor to protect adult students in the forthcoming Budget.

Colleges across England face a £200million cut to funding for adults.

They have been told ‘adult learner responsive’ budgets will shrink by 10 to 25%.

Julian Gravatt, Association of Colleges Assistant Chief Executive, said:

"We are calling on the Chancellor to help protect these courses and the students they serve. We know that the Treasury is under significant pressure to further curtail public spending but cutting courses that are so essential to our recovery is a false economy."

Pat Bacon, Association of Colleges’ President and Principal of St Helen’s College, said:

"We understand the pressures on the public purse but these cuts will affect front line services; they will have an impact, not only on the students and the communities Colleges serve so well, but also on Government’s own ambitions for further and higher education.

“Any suggestion that Colleges can keep the same number of adult students by simply expanding the number of fee-paying places ignores the current economic climate and people’s ability to pay.”

Courses affected include:
• Bricklaying, joinery, plastering, plumbing, painting and tiling
• Electrical installation
• Catering and care – including professional hospitality awards and safe handling of medicines for care workers
• Basic literacy and numeracy
• A levels and GCSEs for adults
• Qualifications for youth workers
• Security, hospitality and licensing
• Qualifications in paralegal administration
• IT help desk/junior technician courses
• Aeronautical engineering
• Certificate in British Sign Language

Martin Doel, AoC Chief Executive, said: “Colleges don’t want to lose high quality courses that make a great deal of difference to people and businesses across Britain.”

"Unlike the current debate about university funding cuts – which will take place in the future – these changes are real and are happening now. They will affect students trying to enrol this September.”

A recent AoC survey, completed by 147 Colleges in under a week, shows that they face an average cut of 16%. Over two fifths (63 of those surveyed) face a cut of more than 20%. For full details of the AoC survey please see the attached document:     AoC College Funding Survey 2010/11 *Please see notes to editors for updated data on this survey.
 
Ends
Contacts:
Ben Verinder
Communications Director
ben_verinder@aoc.co.uk

Helen Galley
National Press Officer
020 7034 9973
helen_galley@aoc.co.uk
 

Notes to Editors:

*Updated figures from AoC ALR Funding cuts survey - summary from 162 survey responses:
Please note: Since we first sent the ALR funding release and survey out to the national media on 2 February, we have had further responses to the survey which has led to some adjustment in the figures. The statistics below are the most up-to-date so, if necessary, please refer to these.
• Average % change in 2010/11 adult funding compared with 2009/10 =16%
• Cut as a proportion of total 2009/10 funding  = 3.6%
• Survey respondents 2009/10 adult funding as a % of total adult funding in 2009/10 = 54%
• Response rate (out of all colleges in England) = 46%
 
Key facts
• Every year Colleges educate and train around three million people
• Colleges provide 39% of entrants to higher education
• More than half of all Foundation Degree students are taught in Colleges
• Almost half (45%) of all vocational qualifications are awarded via Colleges; 6% are awarded through employers
• The three most popular qualifications taught in Colleges at Level 4 and above are: Accounting: Business, Administration and Law; Health and Social Care
 

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