Widening participation in Education today, and what is being done to encourage people back to learning.

Essay by Alpenney November 2002

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION1

WHAT IS WIDENING PARTICIPATION2

THE PROBLEM2

WHAT IS BEING DONE2

FINDING'S FROM THE REPORT3

CONCLUSION5

BIBLIOGRAPHY6

Within this essay I am writing about widening participation and what is being done to encourage people back to learning.

WHAT IS WIDENING PARTICIPATION?

Widening participation means access achievement and progression. It means bringing students from underrepresented and disadvantage groups into education and training, ensuring that these students stay on their programme, extending the ways through which they can learn and achieve and ensuring that they progress to suitable destinations. Taken from the Further Education Funding Council - A Guide to Good Practice.

THE PROBLEM

There are over 7million adults within the UK who have left school with below level 1 in literacy and a similar number in numeracy. Many of those with low levels of literacy and numeracy are working some in poorly paid or low skilled jobs with no enthusiasm to learn new skills.

Others may now be unemployed. Adult education is a way forward but the standard in adult education has been too low and retention figures have been poor.

People may not achieve well at school for various reasons. They may be from deprived backgrounds and were not given the opportunity to progress. Their parents may be in low skilled jobs and can not see a reason to learn. The pregnancy rate in the UK is far greater than that of the rest of Europe even though the number is lower than that of 1999, young girls may not be aware that they can continue with their education or move onto further education. Some may even believe that they do not need to achieve as the government will look after them and house them. Students may have had some learning disabilities such as dyslexia and were just...