Night school in the olden days?

[Rosemerrie]

What do the adults do now, those who want to educate themselves at night school like they used to in the past? Does anything like that exist anymore ?
These were often free to those on low incomes and reasonably priced generally.
The more academic qualifications, but also the 'frivolous' courses like watercolour painting, calligraphy, sewing or learning a language at a basic conversational level.

We started to discuss this on the What do you miss about the past thread, https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/amiibeingunreasonable/4716545-to-ask-what-you-miss-the-most-about-the-past?page=3&reply=123066366
but thought it deserved a thread of its own.

Plenty of courses at our town college, mostly once or twice a week, or one evening plus Saturday mornings. They tend to be arts or computers, marketing etc.

Sports & music tuition seem to be mostly private now.

Check out your local library or college - they often have part time adult courses in the evenings.

Some they still do, lots of it is online now, I miss the social element when doing online training, but it does make it easier to fit around other commitments and no need for a babysitter

Thanks
Yes, I'm sure something still exists on some level, and I would be interested in knowing what, though not necessarily for myself at this time.

I'm particularly talking about the funding cuts and how this impacted on the adult evening classes, which I think were run by the LA, and many are no longer available. People talked of the brochures they used to receive. It might also differ by area.

The courses I've done as an adult have either been run by the library or college. There's still a concessionary rate for those on a low income and some courses are free to those on a low income if they are likely to directly lead to employment, for example, teaching assistant or care assitant courses.

I think it depends on the area you live in and funding, etc

Plenty do still exist but the internet means you have wider options now

My local council still runs a few courses like crafts and creative writing but not many.

I think I’d be much more likely to turn to YouTube, Future Learn, the Open University etc

There's definitely no local provision in our local colleges for adults to do GCSE nor A levels, which is awful because that's a big obstacle for adults who need better grades or different subjects for career changes, professional exams, etc.

There is a private "exam centre" about an hours' drive away where you can sit the exams (upon payment of a VERY expensive fee, several hundred pounds per exam), but that's just sitting the exam, they don't do the teaching.

I've asked our local college of HE if you can pay to just sit the exam with their students (16-18 year olds), but they say no, as they provide no facilities for external candidates at all, only their own students.

So, basically only option is to teach yourself (or find an online course) and then pay an extortionate amount to sit the exam in a private exam centre miles away!