About This Publication
This survey continues the series documenting adult participation in learning in the UK. Using responses of around 5,000 adults in the UK, it offers key findings, breaking down participation, trends in participation and future intentions to learn by gender, socio-economic class, age, employment and the regions. It provides up-to-date data as well as a valuable means for comparison over time.
At first glance, the 2009 survey offers comfort to government after months of criticism about the balance of its investment in adult learning opportunities. The proportion of adults reporting participation in learning has increased slightly, staunching the decline seen year on year from 2006-8. However, closer attention to the survey’s findings tells a different and more worrying story, and offers little cause for optimism. The proportion of adults currently learning is at its lowest level since the Labour government was elected in 1997 and findings suggest that the real gains of a modest number of the least skilled are bought at the expense of many more of the educationally marginalised.
At first glance, the 2009 survey offers comfort to government after months of criticism about the balance of its investment in adult learning opportunities. The proportion of adults reporting participation in learning has increased slightly, staunching the decline seen year on year from 2006-8. However, closer attention to the survey’s findings tells a different and more worrying story, and offers little cause for optimism. The proportion of adults currently learning is at its lowest level since the Labour government was elected in 1997 and findings suggest that the real gains of a modest number of the least skilled are bought at the expense of many more of the educationally marginalised.