Adult and Community Learning 2024-25

The Skills & Lifelong Learning Team (S&LL) Priorities for the 2024 to 2026 Commissioning Years

S&LL is undertaking a commissioning exercise to procure and develop Adult Education Budget provision for the residents and workers of the Cheshire East Borough and Cheshire and Warrington LEP areas.

Following the economic disruption owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and current cost of living crisis, S&LL wishes to commission learning provision which is primarily aimed at learners:

• seeking employment outcomes; or

• on the route to gaining employment.

S&LL encourages applications from those with proven links with the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions), the Cheshire Job Centre structure, local employers, and other providers of similar provisions.

S&LL is seeking to commission local providers with excellent local links.

Other considerations

These programmes should demonstrate how they fit with:

• Local economic need;

• Cheshire East's Corporate Plan;

• Cheshire and Warrington LEP economic strategy.

S&LL welcomes applications from high quality providers to meet the needs of young people with Special Educational Needs or a Disability (SEND).

Lot 1: Accredited Learning - bids equal to or lower than £100,000 per year - the total amount for Lot 1 is £600,000 over two years.

Lot 2: Non-accredited learning also known as Community Learning - bids equal to or lower than £50,000 per year - the total amount for Lot 2 is £300,000 over two years.

Accredited Learning (Lot 1) will focus on qualifications supporting employability skills, ICT, English, and maths particularly those who are most disadvantaged with the aim of enhancing learners' work prospects.

Non-accredited Learning (Lot 2) will focus on turning around the lives of local people to enhance their employability, maximising the impact on the social and economic wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities, particularly those who are most disadvantaged.

Applicants may apply for funding from either or both Lots.

The available budget is a constraint for the funding available and will not change during the contract term.

The funding at this time (March 2024) is also subject to confirmation from the ESFA.

Lot 1: AEB: Accredited Learning

S&LL will retain 20% of the Education and Skills Funding Agency published funding rate for a learning aim for contract and performance management, quality assurance and support, the processing of data for analysis and processing the returns to the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Where regulated qualifications are delivered, they must be eligible for AEB funding and available at find a learning aim https://submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/find-a-learning-aim/

Lot 2: AEB: Non-accredited Learning (Community Learning)

Payment will be by results for non-accredited learning. Complete funding will only be paid at the discretion of the S&LL Contract Manager, once learner targets have been met and a satisfactory data report has been processed.

Additional information:

Opportunity advertised on the Chest portal at https://www.the-chest.org.uk/ reference DN715967 Registration is free.