Further Education, Work-based Learning and Community Learning in Wales Statistics 2004/05

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. 

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.  Data were extracted from the LLWR-sourced post-16 database on 2 February 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.

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.