to be shocked at the demise of adult education?

[Goldfsh]

Now I have an empty nest, I was hoping to start some adult education classes in academic topics that interest me, e.g. history or literature.

Having contacted the two local colleges who used to drop brochures for adult classes through the door, I've learnt that they don't exist any more!

There are some online classes, or courses to get back into work, and some painting type classes - or U3A if you are semi-retired (I am far from that unfortunately!). But no general education classes.

I found this very depressing. I really wanted to learn something new and connect with local people too. AIBU to be shocked that these sorts of classes are a thing of the past?

Even City Lit is a PITA - I work part time and found a course with several modules which worked for me. Then they didn’t run part 2 the next term. Then they did run part 2 the term after, but changed the time to one I couldn’t do! And then more of the same - two years later I’m hoping to start part 2 next term as it is finally running on a day I can do.

Yanbu. I think the Tories cut it back to almost nothing a decade ago.
I used to get little brochures from our local college about GCSE / a-levels etc and none of it exists anymore. The college is shut in the evening.
I'd been planning to do the car maintenance course once my kids were old enough to be left but it no longer runs.

I think what a lot of folks on the thread are missing is that while colleges no longer offer these courses there is so much more out there provided by social groups, libraries, museums or private tutors.
If I wanted to learn to (for example) sew there's loads of classes and groups I could go to in all sorts of different venues. Even Hobbycraft do groups/classes.
Classes are out there. Just not at colleges.

The difference with privately run courses is the cost. They are very expensive.

Thing is I want to do things like Politics GCSE not sewing! 😭

Yes me too! I'd love to study something academic in depth (without self-funding a fecking MA!!!). That's not what's available. It's all "sip and paint" and "journalling with nature" - that's all very well but NOT FOR ME.

Unfortunately unless you need it for a job (which I expect would be part of your training) the need for random adults to want to do GCSE Politics is going to be low.
Unless it's for work you don't need a GCSE certificate at the end - just the knowledge. This is where community groups come in. Political societies etc.
Funding for the actual compulsory school age is low (and don't get me started on SEND funding) - I'm sorry but funding for adults to learn something "just because" is not a priority.

YANBU to feel this way, but YABU to have only realised this now!

This has been a problem for at least a decade, probably longer, with the focus on college aimed at school leavers.

Goes back long before then. It was late 90s and early 00s when I taught accounting technician courses at our local college of FE and the "adult" side was being wound down back then, and completely stopped around 2002, which is when I was made redundant. The college decided to close down it's entire "business and management" school part of which was the accounting courses, as they converted to an entirely 16-18 year old model and the college management decided to put all resources into vocational courses and basic Maths and English for school leavers.

@ThatsNotAKnife why do you need to go to college to learn car maintenance?
Isn't that part of driving lessons these days?

Absolutely. It used to be a real opportunity for people who had missed out on education first time round too. I wonder if some of the decline is due to longer working hours and commuting? It’s like a lot of the volunteering people used to do-if you don’t get home til 7.00 you don’t have time for classes or running Scouts. And if it looks as if demand is declining, the vultures will be in with the hatchet…

I just put my postcode in. Nothing at all.

What if you are many decades post-driving lessons?!

I suspect this is part of the story. But I do believe that in a post-covid world people are looking for IRL connections again.

If you have a driving license aren't you meant to know car maintenance?
I don't have a license so don't actually know.
I people are driving cars with no idea how to maintain them that's really worrying.

@CurlewKate I think the theory is now that no one should be missing out on education.
In England education is available for free for all 3-19 year olds. No one should be missing out.
It was different when people left at 14, 15 or 16.

I mean I can fill it with petrol if that counts...?!

Otherwise I just pay for an annual service... :/

Mmm it's the theory but I know various young people who were school refusers and are now in their early twenties with no qualifications or jobs. If young adult worklessness is an increasing issue, this is just another avenue that's been closed off to get themselves out of the benefits spiral.

(As other posters have illustrated with their own experiences.)

I have a looonnnggg track recorded with adult education from 1970s to present day. I attended my first class when I was 14. I went to yoga for 2-3 years with my Mum.

I studied English A level which helped get me into uni.

I joined French classes and pottery classes to learn yes, but as you mentioned Goldfish also to meet new people and make friends. Evening classes enabled me to change career.

I have taught in adult education for 20 years and have seen it's decimation - partly through reduced funding, partly through reduced interest from the public, partly through re-focusing on to remedial courses and partly as a reaction to OFSED oversight . Our local offer is paultry to what is was.

Education for adults is still out there but you have to look harder for it. Someone suggested looking at local colleges and universities, and there are many independent venues to - the problem is there's no way source of information about them. I live in Oxfordshire and we have a county wide online information souce called OxOn Arts Info. It is just about arts and crafts but its free to post things and free to use. Classes are still out there but they're taking part in village halls, people's dining rooms, and pubs. A friend of mine runs 'pottery in the pub' classes - I jest not !

Please keep looking -maybe you could say which part of the country you are based in and we may have some suggestions. Any particular subjects you're interested in?

FE colleges don’t do this so much now but the big universities do eg. shortcourses.ed.ac.uk/courses

That is true.
But see my comment upthread about lack of funding towards SEN children.
My daughter is 17.
She is autistic and suffered from ABSA (anxiety based school avoidance)
She doesn't have any GCSEs.
Thankfully she is at a SEN school and has an EHCP so can be funded for college until she's 25 so we are hoping she will get some GCSEs in the next few years.
This is the thing - schools are under funded (mainstream and sen). Many do slip through the net and miss out on their education.
Any funding towards Post 19 education should be for people who genuinely did miss out and need help and support to get the basics.
But the current funding isn't even enough for that.
So having funding for adults to learn politics or car maintenance just because they fancy it isn't a priority.
Sorry. But it isn't.

I'm quite lucky in Kent, there are still loads. Painting, writing, sewing, yoga, languages.

The funding basis for adult education has completely changed over the years.

The class I teach receives no government funding at all and that's common across all the subjects which could be defined as 'nice to have'. But interest in French conversation, Dress making for beginners for example has just fallen thru the floor. I struggle to get the minimum number of people in my class; when I started teaching we had waiting lists to join.

Costs post the Banking crisis back in 2008/9 stopped a lot of people coming as they couldn't afford classes and they've just never come back.

I think there should be funded or subsidised up to Level 3 qualifications for people up to the age of 25 at least. A chance have a go/have another go at GCSEs and A-Levels or V/T levels etc. They get one chance at GCSEs apart from Maths and English which must be done ad nauseum until you pass. What if you don't have the right work ethic at 16 but do at 18?

Decades ago I did silversmithing at the local art college, there was all sorts of classes and you could do it for years and work up to a high standard. They do no classes now (I’ve seen in other areas other art colleges still do).
The local uni does some short courses twice a year but they are the same ones each year.
The local FE college does some around the area in community centres but they tend to be at an introductory level, unlike the art college where you could go for years and work up to a standard.
Ive done some independent art based day things but they are all very expensive and rushed.
Im sad as I would love to do something at the art college with proper instruction in the evenings, but the choices now seem to be full days.