Adult learning in the community (ALC) – Adroddiad Blynyddol | Annual Report
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Adult learning in the community (ALC)

Early Insights 2025-2026

Teaching and learning

Learners make sound progress and engage positively in their learning. Tutors generally respond well to learners’ needs. However, a few do not make sufficient use of naturally occurring opportunities to develop and reinforce learners’ literacy and numeracy skills.

What’s going well

  • Nearly all learners make sound progress from their starting points and develop confidence, independence and subject-specific skills that support further learning, employment and everyday life.
  • Most learners recall and apply prior learning effectively, enabling them to tackle increasingly complex tasks and challenges.
  • Teaching is strong across most provision. Tutors demonstrate secure subject knowledge, plan effectively, have high expectations and adapt learning well to meet learners’ needs.
  • Learners engage enthusiastically, work respectfully with others and demonstrate resilience and ambition, supported by flexible delivery approaches that promote participation and progression.
  • Many learners improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills and apply them confidently in their learning and everyday lives.
  • Learners benefit from constructive feedback and inclusive learning environments that strengthen their well-being, confidence and involvement in their communities.

What needs to improve

  • A few tutors do not make sufficient use of naturally occurring opportunities to reinforce literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Opportunities to develop Welsh language skills or access Welsh-medium and bilingual learning remain limited.
  • In a very few sessions, learning activities do not involve learners sufficiently or help them develop their knowledge systematically.
  • Learners are not always sufficiently aware of the accreditation opportunities available to them.

Well-being, care, support and guidance

Nearly all learners feel safe, valued and well supported in inclusive learning environments. Providers respond effectively to learners’ individual circumstances and support their well-being, confidence and social inclusion. However, digital exclusion and digital-only enrolment arrangements create barriers for a few learners and potential learners.

What’s going well

  • Nearly all learners feel safe, valued and well supported in welcoming, inclusive and respectful learning environments.
  • Providers demonstrate a strong commitment to learners’ well-being, personal growth and social inclusion. Many learners report significant improvements in confidence, outlook or well-being.
  • Tutors and support staff respond sensitively and flexibly to learners’ circumstances and provide effective pastoral support.
  • Providers use enrichment activities and partnership working effectively to promote social integration, cultural understanding and learner engagement.
  • Providers identify learners’ support needs appropriately and address them effectively through targeted interventions and external partnerships.
  • Learners contribute positively through learner voice arrangements.

What needs to improve

  • Digital-only enrolment arrangements and wider digital exclusion create barriers to participation for a few learners and potential learners.
  • Attendance is variable across some evening and community provision. In a very few classes, low attendance limits opportunities for interaction and engagement.

Leading and improving

Leaders provide clear strategic direction and work effectively with partners to tailor provision to local priorities. However, arrangements for tracking and evaluating learners’ progression across providers and levels are still developing, and Welsh-medium provision remains limited.

What’s going well

  • Leaders provide clear strategic direction and maintain effective governance, management and partnership arrangements.
  • Providers understand community needs well and tailor provision effectively to local priorities.
  • Leaders use stakeholder feedback, learning walks, observations and survey evidence effectively to support continuous improvement.
  • Professional learning is well supported and aligned closely with identified priorities and organisational objectives.
  • Marketing, community engagement and flexible delivery arrangements support participation and improve access.

What needs to improve

  • Arrangements for tracking and evaluating learners’ progression across providers and levels are still developing.
  • Opportunities to access Welsh-medium and bilingual provision remain limited.

Overview of recommendations from inspections

In the 2025-2026 academic year, we inspected 2 providers in the adult learning in the community sector.

One provider (50%) had a recommendation in relation to teaching and learning:

  • To improve learners’ progress from community provision to vocational or skills provision at higher levels

Both providers (100%) had recommendations relating to leading and improving:

  • One provider (50%) had a recommendation to evaluate the impact of their provision on learners’ progress
  • One provider (50%) had a recommendation to extend its reach into community settings to help reduce barriers to education
  • One provider (50%) had recommendation encourage learners to use and develop their Welsh language skills and to increase opportunities for learners to undertake courses through the medium of Welsh

Effective practice identified during inspection

North East Wales Adult Community Learning Partnership (Wrexham and Flintshire)

Inspection report: North East Wales Adult Community Learning Partnership (Wrexham and Flintshire)

Read how leaders and staff introduced families to Family learning, including using AI to support learning, developed Expressive Arts, and took a theme-based approach to self-evaluation.

Bridgend College (Bridgend)

Inspection report: Bridgend College (Bridgend)

Read how Bridgend College develops learners’ digital photography skills and ensures provision meets their needs.