General description

This table provides the number of learners enrolled in local authority community learning (LA CL) in Wales. The data includes all community learning that is delivered by local authorities, and includes any community learning delivered in collaboration with further education (FE) institutions.

Learner counts are provided on a 'unique learner' basis which uses the unique learner identifier in the underlying data. This eliminates any element of multiple-counting where a learner is enrolled with two or more LA CL providers in the academic year.

Any provision that is delivered in collaboration with FE institutions can be removed from the figures using the population field.

All figures are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5. Any values greater than 0 and less than 5 have been suppressed and replaced with an asterisk (*).

Data collection and calculation

From 2016/17 onwards all data in the table is calculated using the month 5 freeze of the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). This freeze is produced close to the end of the December after the academic year in question finishes. For example, the freeze containing the 2022/23 data was taken close to the end of December 2023.
Prior to 2016/17 data in the table was calculated using the month 7 freeze of the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). This freeze was produced close to the end of the February after the academic year in question finishes. For example, the freeze containing the 2015/16 data was taken close to the end of February 2017.

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

Data in the table is presented on an academic year basis, which runs from 1st August - 31st July. Data for both full-year provision and those in learning during the week of December 1st are available.

Users, uses and context

The data in this table are used both within and outside the Welsh Government to monitor educational trends and as a baseline for further analysis of the underlying data. Some of the key users are:

Ministers and the Members Research Service in the National Assembly for Wales
Officials in the Welsh Government
Other government departments
Further Education Institutions, Work-Based Learning providers and local authorities
Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education and Training in Wales
Students, researchers, and academics
Individual citizens, private companies, and the media

These statistics are used in a variety of ways. Some examples of these are:

General background and research
Inclusion in reports and briefings
Advice to Ministers
Informing and evaluating the education policy-making process in Wales

LLWR data are used to underpin funding and performance reports for learning providers, to calculate NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) figures and in student finance modelling.

Rounding applied

All figures in the table have been rounded to the closest multiple of 5. All non-zero values less than 5 have been suppressed and are denoted by an asterisk (*).

Title

Unique learners in local authority community learning in Wales

Last update

27 February 2024 27 February 2024

Next update

February 2025

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Lifelong Learning Wales Record, Welsh Government

Contact email

post16ed.stats@gov.wales

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Local authorities

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English only

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Statistical quality

Statisticians within the Welsh Government review the data and query any anomalies with the LLWR data collection team and, where relevant, with learning providers before tables are published.

The LLWR data underlying this table are intended to be final, for non-funding purposes.

Keywords

Lifelong Learning Wales Record LLWR Community Learning ACL LACL Post 16 P16

Weblinks

http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/further-education-work-based-learning-community-learning-statistics/ - Further education, work-based learning and community learning statistics: an annual publication which this table provides part of a digital alternative with improved interactivity. Previous publications of this release provide data for the academic years 2006/07 - 2011/12, and there are no current plans to update this table to include data previous to 2012/13.

Name

Educ0165