With regards to previous Freedom of Information requests on the subject, Learn Devon & Arts, Crafts and Language Courses and Learn Devon & Arts, Crafts and Language Courses, can you provide me with the following information:
1. What were the arts/crafts courses that were cancelled? Was there any pattern that could be seen from the cancelled courses, to help guide decision-making about this provision? Were there any reports about cancelled courses to identify any particular reasons for their cancellation (e.g. location, subject matter, timing, etc)?
The arts and crafts cancelled across the years were a mixture of qualification courses and short informal courses. The take-up on the shorter courses was significantly lower where fees were charged, i.e. where there was an open course offer advertised on the website. Similarly analysis showed that there was little progression although evidence of repeat learners undertaking multiple short courses. In looking at the characteristics of learners, 14% had a Learning Difficulty or Disability contrasting a service figure of 31% of learners. In looking at postcodes of deprivation where the learner lives, often used as part of the proxy for impact across Learn Devon, 9% of the learners came from a disadvantaged postcode contrasting 8% for the whole service. This appears to be predominantly where learning has been used as an effective engagement tool with short duration offers and it reflects that there has been effective engagement with adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. The cancellation reason most prevalent was that of insufficient enrolments to make the course offer viable.
2. Can I request similar data for the other non-arts/crafts/language courses that Learn Devon run, so that I can compare their data with that of the arts/crafts/language data you have already supplied?
Please see below the courses offered by Learn Devon and the percentage of spaces that were enrolled in:
| Curriculum area | Total no of Courses Offered 2019/20 | Percentage of enrolments 2019/20 | Total no of Courses Offered 2020/21 | Percentage of enrolments 2020/21 | Total no of Courses Offered 2021/22 | Percentage of enrolments 2021/22 | Total no of Courses Offered 2022/23 | Percentage of enrolments 2022/23 |
| Art and craft | 338 | 66.86% | 213 | 13.62% | 159 | 46.54% | 98 | 67.35% |
| ALDD | 62 | 50.00% | 41 | 29.27% | 49 | 20.41% | 44 | 6.82% |
| Education and training | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 4 | 25.00% |
| Employability | 59 | 42.37% | 113 | 51.33% | 75 | 53.33% | 46 | 73.91% |
| English | 76 | 19.74% | 41 | 29.27% | 65 | 29.23% | 52 | 38.46% |
| ESOL | 37 | 29.73% | 33 | 36.36% | 40 | 5.00% | 48 | 39.58% |
| Family learning | 150 | 36.00% | 15 | 73.33% | 31 | 48.39% | 41 | 36.59% |
| Digital skills and IT | 83 | 37.35% | 176 | 37.50% | 173 | 35.84% | 168 | 44.05% |
| Modern foreign languages | 115 | 38.26% | 137 | 11.68% | 84 | 3.57% | 22 | 50.00% |
| Mathematics | 75 | 12.00% | 55 | 18.18% | 47 | 12.77% | 56 | 32.14% |
| Multiply | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 121 | 25.62% |
| Skills and development | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 9 | 22.22% |
| Wellbeing | 70 | 84.29% | 115 | 17.39% | 147 | 46.94% | 105 | 33.33% |
| Apprenticeships | 18 | 0.00% | 33 | 0.00% | 41 | 0.00% | 19 | 0.00% |
3. Who who attended the meeting when the decision was made to cut the arts/crafts and language courses from adult education?
The meeting was attended by the Economy, Enterprise & Skills Senior Leadership Team.
4. What is planned for the recently renovated arts centre in Bideford?
Bideford Arts Centre incorporates the library service in addition to Learn Devon as part of the renovation. Learn Devon will continue to make an offer supporting the Accountability Statement Purpose within the centre, along with working more closely with a range of partner organisations and Devon County Council services to maximise the use of the centre for the community.