To think evening class GCSE/A Level provision for adults has massively declined since 1990?

I don’t think they were ever free unless you weee under 19. I did GCSE Maths at evening class in 1992. I had to pay for it.

Yes, it's a real shame.

I did a couple of evening classes (A level Computing at the local college & Conversational French via the local uni) in the late ninties and there were loads to choose from. The college where I did the computing had a real buzz to it in the evening due to how many classes were on - loads of GCSE/A level but also vocational qualifications you could do in the evening like plumbing courses etc. It is such a shame on so many levels to lose this.

Our local college doesn't do A levels at all (it used to and there were several one year A level courses intended for mature students but were mainly 18-19 year olds doing resits).
What happened to life long learning

Also leisure courses are thin on the ground (and massively oversubscribed). I used to love a course each september.

U3A isn't the same because it's organised by private individuals. I tried to join a group and the organiser was....unwelcoming. A group my DH would enjoy is always full, there doesn't seem to be any way of new people joining.

I looked into doing this mostly because my exams are from Denmark and not known here. However I gave up as no provisions in evening. With the local authority only day time.

I have considered an online platform but I am without a computer right now and it feels hard on a phone.

I've done a couple of terms of language courses online with City Lit and they were pretty good. I thought they were expensive until I properly compared prices, and discovered they are actually quite reasonable! These days you can also just get one-to-one lessons online although thats a different experience to being in a group. It's that social aspect and meeting like-minded people which is so important.

The old fashioned type of night class were very important for older people in terms of mental health and social contact.

Retired people join U3A instead and can do various classes during the day

Wasn’t the Tories, as I said in my earlier post it was around 2005/6. Labour were in power then. The Education Secretary was either Alan Johnson or Ruth Kelly.

They don't have the funding.

I went to uni at 32 after becoming disabled and I was unable to continue in my chosen career.

The local college offered loads of courses that I got for free because I was getting DLA.

I did some Italian, Deaf awareness, basic counselling, AS sociology. All gone now.

I live in London and I want to learn Portuguese. The only course I can find is Brazilian Portuguese at City Lit. That’s it. No other options.

I think there has been a cultural shift - for which I blame the Tories, obvs. They have destroyed the idea of just enjoying learning as a goal in itself. Now everything has to be leading to a job.

But there is value in education for its own sake. And value in creativity (do not get me started on the decline of arts education).

Non existent in my area. You can do online AL but it costs £1500 plus if you include exam fees (for which I'd have to travel quite a distance to sit).
There's nil "interest" type night classes. You can't learn French, cake decorating, etc anymore. The only courses are strictly job focused with industry recognised qualifications. They are very expensive, unless you are on benefits, mostly daytimes, and require fulltime or 1/2 time attendance.
The old fashioned type of night class were very important for older people in terms of mental health and social contact.

YANBU and I think it is still needed, and a lot more FE College funding & expansion. Schools make a massive hoo haa about doing 8+ GCSEs by 16 but then if you fail at that point you never get the chance to do them again other than Maths & English at college. Either 8+ GCSEs aren't important and drop them altogether, or give people longer to study them as not everyone is ready at 15/16 for all manner of reasons.

The Lifelong Learning centre at my local university has just closed.

I think it’s really sad.

Yes I could for an additional £1200. That’s how much it costs with practicals and exams. Not a small amount on top of another degree.

There used to be lots of different adult classes both daytime and evening. Due to the massive cuts in funding there are only a tiny number of courses and they are all directed at getting people back to work with the vast majority on during working hours. These course are reduced for those on benefits but full price for everyone else. Such a shame the adult courses were well attended and a fantastic way for adults of all ages to meet new people/learn new skills.

Agree there was lots of courses
Daytime and evening.
Only Maths and English now.

Except you probably can't do an A-level now as an adult.

I did Spanish GCSE in evenings at a sixth form college. I did it with my mum when I was 24 and she was about 64. It was great. Most others were 30-40 and a few weren't native English speakers. We did have to pay though.
I know they cut funding for ESOL as well as other subjects since then. Shame really.

You could do the A Level…

This. I want to do a healthcare degree. I have a Masters degree in a non science subject. But, because I don’t have a biology A level I may have to do a year long access course taking my non earning years to 4 in total to get the degree. It’s silly!

So do I. I used to do French and German evening classes.