Further education, work-based learning and community learning: August 2016 to July 2017

This report summarises data on learners in post-16 education and training. It excludes those at higher education institutions and schools but includes further education institutions (FEIs), other work-based learning providers and community learning provision collected via the Welsh Government’s Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR).

Note that the 'Welsh for Adults' StatsWales information normally included as part of this release cannot be updated to 2016/17. The National Centre for Learning Welsh has been responsible for providing leadership to the Welsh for Adults programme and co-ordinating provision across Wales on behalf of Welsh Government from 2015. Part of the work of the Centre has been to rationalise provision, and data systems, from 2016/17 onwards (with data collection in the past taking place through both HESA and LLWR data). New arrangements for data collection are being established for 2017/18 onwards, however, data has not been collected to provide a complete picture of provision for the 2016/17 year.

Main points

• There were 172,470 learners at FEIs, community learning or work-based learning  providers during 2016/17, compared to 172,460 in 2015/16.
• Full-time learner numbers in FEIs fell by 4% whilst part-time learner numbers rose slightly.
• Total local authority community learning fell by 4%.
• Total work-based learner numbers increased by 2%.