Plenty of adult learning opportunities

Rochdale Council's new Guide to Courses for September offers a broad choice of courses for the coming year.

Funding for the course comes directly from the Learning amp; Skills Council, which has reduced funding for adult education across the country. As a result, this year there will be fewer courses and increased costs to the public.

Rochdale Council will receive almost 10% less than in 2005/6. The national funding changes have been introduced to direct greater resources towards education for 16-18 year olds, Skills for Life courses and the needs of employers and local skills priorities. Skills for Life courses offer qualifications in basic numeracy and literacy.

Fees for some Further Education and Adult Community Learning courses will need to rise to offset the reduced grant levels.

The Council is also bidding for funding from range of other sources, in order to minimise these cost increases and maintain as wide a choice of courses as possible.

The changes will not threaten the employment of any tutors, who may be deployed teaching other courses for which they have appropriate qualifications.

Paul Gibson, Work Based amp; Community Learning Service Team Leader said, "Despite the reduced funding, we are still able to offer a broad range of learning opportunities for young people and adults. Though we are unable to offer some choices, the new guide to courses offers some new courses as well as many popular existing choices."

How to enrol

You can enrol at any of the following sessions

• Middleton, Durnford Street Adult Learning Centre Tuesday 29 August 10am-3pm and 5pm-8pm
• Heywood Township Centre Wednesday 30 August 10am-3pm and 5pm-8pm
• Littleborough Community Campus Thursday 31 August 10am-3pm and 5pm-8pm
• Rochdale, Municipal Offices, Customer Service Centre Monday 4 September 10am-4pm
• Norden Community School Tuesday 5 September 2pm-7pm

If you are unable to attend one of these Enrolment Sessions please ring the Information amp; Advice Team on 0161 643 3618 for details of how to enrol by post and at other times or visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/learnlocal