Measuring the impact of the Adult Education Budget

The London Learner Survey (LLS) provides the GLA, stakeholders, and providers with better information on the impact of Adult Education Budget (AEB)-funded courses on the lives of Londoners. It is key to how the Mayor manages London’s AEB. 

The survey measures the extent to which learners progress into further learning or employment, as well as their health, wellbeing and social integration. It provides useful intelligence to the skills and employment sector, as well as supporting the Mayor to make the case to central government for further investment in adult education. 

The LLS consists of two linked surveys of people participating in GLA-funded Adult Education Budget (AEB) learning: 

• A baseline survey administered by learning providers when the learner starts their course. 

• A follow-up survey, administered by IFF Research from approximately five to seven months after the end of learning. This enables the LLS to measure outcomes achieved by learners post AEB courses. 

London Learner Survey 2022-23 

The 2022/23 London Learner Survey found that:  

Nearly half (46%) of all AEB learners (equivalent to 81,000 learners) experienced a positive economic change five to eight months after completing their course. More than half (59%) of these learners were from Black Asian or Minority ethnic background (estimated at 48,000 learners). Additionally, we estimate that approximately: 

• 23,000 learners (24%) of out of work learners were supported into work.  

• 25,000 learners (39% of those in work) experienced in-work progression including a pay increase, movement onto a permanent contract or an increase in hours of work  

• 127,000 learners went onto or were about to start further study following their course  

The majority (94%) of learners experienced positive social changes (equivalent to around 185,000 learners). The social impact was across a range of metrics, and we estimate that approximately: 

• 158,000 learners (80%) experienced an increase in their general wellbeing due to their course. 

• 170,000 learners (87%) felt more confident due to their course. 

• 152,000 learners (77%) met new people due to their course. 

LLS Policy Insights 

• The survey highlights the AEB's successful targeting and achievements of priority/under-represented groups of learners, especially women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds 

• High levels of training are more likely to lead to jobs and in-work progression (36% of out of work learners taking Level 3 courses went onto secure employment and 34% of employed/self-employed learners experienced an increase in pay) 

• Lower levels of training lead to further education (70% of Other Level, including community learning courses, and 66% of Entry Level learners go onto further training) 

• Increases in salary beyond the London Living Wage (LLW) and movement of learners out of inactivity demonstrates the importance of policies that help low-income Londoners access free training such as the London Living Wage and Out of Benefits policies  

• Improvements in wellbeing and participation in volunteering following an AEB course are larger in Community Learning compared to Adult Skills  

• On average, learners on Adult Skills courses experience greater economic outcomes compared to those on Community Learning courses 

• There are equally high levels of social outcomes achieved across both Adult Skills and Community Learning 

You can find more data and detail on the LLS London Datastore page, the LLS interactive dashboard and the LLS slide pack.  

The GLA made some important changes to the survey in 2022/23 to improve accessibility and reduce the burden on providers. 

• The survey has been translated into six additional languages meaning it is now available in 12 languages. These are English, Arabic, Bengali, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Ukranian and Urdu. 

• A paper-based easy read version of the survey was introduced to support learners with disabilities or learning difficulties to participate. 

• Where learners are enrolled in multiple courses, they will now only be required to complete the survey where the learning aim start dates are at least 90 days apart. 

• The requirements relating to the LLS in the AEB Funding Rules have been strengthened and providers will be monitored against their LLS participation rate. 

To guide providers, the GLA has published Lessons Learnt on Administering the LLS and Participation Rate Methodology for 2022-23.

Where learners are enrolled in very short courses (one day or less), this will not be included in the GLA’s calculation of the participation rate but providers should still encourage these learners to take part. 

More information on the survey is available on the London Learner Survey website and further information can be found in our informative video to share with learners.  

If you have any questions about the survey please contact the Skills and Employment team at [email protected]. 

London Learner Survey 2021-22

The mainstage LLS officially launched at the start of the 2021/22 Academic Year. All GLA-funded AEB providers participated in the survey.

The 2021-22 LLS found that:

• The majority (96 per cent) of learners experienced positive social changes (equivalent to around 180,000 learners). The social impact was across a range of metrics, and we estimate that approximately:     
  • 160,000 learners (84 per cent) experienced an increase in their general wellbeing due to their course
  • 170,000 learners (90 per cent) felt more confident due to their course
  • 150,000 learners (79 per cent) met new people due to their course.
• Over half (52 per cent) of learners (equivalent to around 100,000 learners) experienced positive economic changes five to eight months after completing their course. Additionally we estimate that approximately:
  • 30,000 (29 per cent of learners out of employment) went into employment
  • 20,000 (33 per cent of employed learners) had an increase in earnings
  • 130,000 (68 percent of learners) went onto further learning.

You can find more data and detail on the LLS London Datastore page, the LLS interactive dashboard and the LLS Slide pack.

In May 2022, IFF Research finalised their report covering the evaluation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) in the 2020-21 Academic Year. The evaluation highlights the Mayor’s successful management of London’s AEB in the first two years of its delegation to London through a period heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Download the 2020-21 AEB Evaluation Final Report.

Access the published GLA Response to 2020-21 AEB Evaluation.

The 2021/22 AEB Evaluation Report prepared by IFF Research, highlights some of the key areas where the Mayor’s policies and flexibilities introduced in the 2021/22 academic year made a real difference to Londoners. Here are some of the main findings summarised in the 2021-22 AEB Evaluation Findings and GLA Response.

• London has performed well compared to the non-devolved areas and other Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs).
• The Free Courses for Jobs Fund (previously NSF) has resulted in increased number of learners taking high level qualifications.
• Improvements have not been limited to number of enrolments and learners, but the GLA has been improving the accessibility of learning.
• Providers welcome an improved engagement with the GLA via webinars and forums.

For more details on the full report please see the 2021-22 AEB Evaluation Report. 

The GLA commissioned an independent process evaluation following the delegation of the Adult Education Budget from government to the Mayor of London.

The report focuses on three key phases:

• Making the case for devolution of the AEB
• Securing delegation of the AEB
• Implementing and delivering the AEB.

Key recommendations

1. Use of the GLA Act to transfer powers to London should be reviewed with emphasis on enabling devolution of powers on similar terms to other Mayoral Combined Authorities.
2. Central government should take a more collaborative approach to working with the GLA and ensure the accessibility, coordination and effective management of AEB devolved learner data.
3. Future AEB procurements should include the use of an e-tendering system with sufficient capacity to handle a large volume of tenders. 
4. Future investment should be made in the development of GLA OPS to  make sure it offers additional flexibility in relation to making payments and facilitating performance management. 

The GLA commissioned IFF Research to conduct an independent evaluation of the first year of AEB delivery following delegation of the Adult Education Budget to the Mayor of London. 
 
The evaluation findings are "largely very positive", with IFF concluding that "the delegation of the AEB has worked effectively in its first year, for the majority of providers who receive funding from it". 
 
The research also found that: 

• the vast majority of providers (39 out of 44 respondents) were satisfied with the GLA’s management of AEB, including the relationships that have been built during the first year of devolution
• many providers had increased their provision in the Mayor’s priority areas, including support for low-income learners, and provision of training related to priority sectors
• most providers thought the communication and support provided by the GLA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic had been effective. 

The research also looks at how providers have changed their mode of delivery in response to COVID-19 and provides insight into provider views on the likely longer-term impact of the pandemic on the FE sector. 
 
View the evaluation report.

The Skills for Londoners Innovation Fund programme was launched in March 2020 and aimed to provide innovative adult skills initiatives that addressed London’s skills priorities between March 2020 and August. Grants were awarded to deliver 27 projects across 25 of London’s adult education providers.

An evaluation of the programme was carried out by ICF Consulting. The evaluation draws out examples of effective practice in delivering adult skills provision and measuring outcomes that could be used more widely across London. The evaluation included case studies with 16 projects and analysis of programme-related data.

Read the Executive Summary of the evaluation and the full report.