This summer, I reached a significant personal milestone – 60 years old. It is also a moment to reflect on the fact that I have spent half my life working in the further education and skills sector.
I love this sector and especially the transformative power of adult education. But the past six months have been incredibly tough. Since the Department for Education’s announcement in February regarding cuts to the adult skills fund (ASF), small adult education providers like mine have been fighting hard to balance budgets and plan for an uncertain future.
Let us be clear: the government has made a deliberate choice to protect funding for schools, 16–18s and apprenticeships, while reducing the ASF pot. It is a difficult decision no doubt, but one that will have a profound impact on my ability to help my local adults upskill and meet the evolving needs of the economy.
As a principal, one of the most painful responsibilities I face is cutting courses – and cutting staff. This summer has involved doing both.
The reality is stark is we can now only offer significantly less than we could just a year ago. In my case, that means around 20 fewer qualification courses available to local residents, at a time when demand has never been higher.
Saying goodbye to long-serving, loyal staff members is especially difficult. This year’s funding reduction has forced me to make significant cuts to staffing costs. We have undergone two restructures over the summer, resulting in the loss of teaching staff and reductions in our student services team.
Both have been equally painful. What we do so well at Redbridge depends on the brilliant people who deliver it. And losing them will inevitably affect the quality and reach of my service.
The future
As a small local authority provider, we rely heavily on our ASF grant. Being small also means we feel the impact of cuts more acutely. While we will manage this round of reductions, I cannot continue to salami-slice my service indefinitely. We remain outstanding – for now – but with another new inspection framework looming, who knows where we will be next time round?
So, what is next for the adult education sector? Honestly, I am not sure. The immediate future looks – to put it optimistically – challenging. We will need to keep cutting just to stand still.
Personally, I remain unconvinced that apprenticeships alone can meet the needs of adults living busy and complex lives. We still need flexible, accessible routes to retraining – which is what the ASF gives us.
Half of my budget goes toward ESOL provision, and demand in Redbridge far exceeds supply. We urgently need a different funding model for this, one that could immediately ease some of the pressure on the adult skills budget.
Of course, every crisis presents an opportunity. It forces us to innovate and find more cost-effective ways of working. We are exploring the potential of immersive technology and AI to enhance delivery. But these tools can only go so far in supporting adults to enter a highly competitive job market.
As things stand, I fear for the long-term future of our sector. I believe we need to urgently explore collaboration – merging or federating with other specialist adult education providers – before it is too late.
Milestones offer a moment to reflect. And right now, I’m not sure I can face making further cuts to provision and losing even more of the outstanding quality that I currently can provide. I have potentially got seven years to go, but how far will I make it?
Your thoughts