Oxfordshire County Council Adult Learning Service transfers to Abingdon and Witney College
The Adult Learning Service offers a wide range of educational opportunities including apprenticeships and workplace training as well as English and maths support and leisure and pleasure courses in over 80 venues across Oxfordshire.
The service delivers courses to around 12,600 learners annually and has 68 full-time equivalent staff, which equates to 180 people, all of whom will transfer to Abingdon and Witney College.
The transfer secures a long-term future for the service, which will now be able to develop and flourish under the support and guidance of the college.
The council was keen to transfer the work to a successful provider with plans to grow the provision whilst maintaining the culture of outreach and community-based learning and education.
The transfer will also allow the college to offer additional full-time courses in more establishments throughout the community, giving more 16 – 18 year old and adult students access to full time education.
Abingdon and Witney College Principal Teresa Kelly said, “We are very much looking forward to growing this provision for the people of Oxfordshire. It’s a real vote of confidence to have been chosen to continue this work on behalf of Oxfordshire and it reinforces recent national statistics that show Abingdon and Witney College is again the most successful college in Oxfordshire.”
No redundancies or job losses
Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member Cultural and Community Services, said: “We’re very happy to be able to transfer our adult learning service to a trusted publicly funded local provider with the ambition, expertise and resource to expand the service further.
“The college is committed to providing the same level of service as that provided by the council and to growing and developing it over time.
“Staff who work for the council will transfer to the new employer so there are no redundancies or job losses. It is a good deal for everyone and should lead to adult learning in Oxfordshire flourishing in the years ahead.