| Document Title | AECL Accountability Statement |
| Lead Officer | Sarah Johnson and Ewa Szymonowicz |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Status | Approved |
| Approved by | Director: Communities |
| Date approved | 30/07/2026 |
| Last updated | 27/07/2026 |
| Review date | 30/07/2027 |
Adult Education & Community Learning Accountability Statement
Welcome to North Lincolnshire Council’s Adult Education and Community Learning (AECL) Statement of Accountability for the Academic Year 2026-2027.
This statement sets out how our adult learning provision will continue to respond to national, regional and local skills priorities, while ensuring robust stewardship of public funding and a strong focus on learner outcomes and progression. It reflects our commitment to delivering a high-quality, inclusive and responsive service that supports residents to develop the skills they need to succeed in work and life.
Statement of Purpose
AECL plays a central role in delivering North Lincolnshire Council’s strategic ambition to encourage personal aspiration and enable access to lifelong learning, high-quality education, training and opportunities to upskill and reskill.
Our provision supports residents to improve life chances, enhance employability and contribute to economic growth by:
- Providing accessible learning opportunities across communities, particularly in areas of highest need, for example, young people not in education or training
- Supporting individuals to catch up on their learning, gain skills, qualifications and confidence to progress into employment, further learning or volunteering
- Supporting individuals to develop wider skills such as confidence, resilience and independence
- Delivering both accredited and Tailored Learning provision from Pre-Entry to Level 2
- Contributing to the delivery of the North Lincolnshire Skills and Employability Plan and local economic priorities
Through our curriculum, we aim to reduce inequalities, improve social mobility and empower individuals to achieve their full potential.
The provision makes a positive difference to the lives of individuals and communities by providing formal and informal learning programmes to adults across North Lincolnshire in a wide range of community venues many of which are in the areas of highest need. The AECL offer contributes to our place plans for economic growth and Priority 3 of North Lincolnshire’s Skills and Employability Plan 2023-28 that North Lincolnshire is ‘a place which enables and encourages businesses, residents, and communities to achieve their full potential’ by ensuring everyone has the opportunity to learn, work, up-skill, re-skill, and build a career.
The AECL Tailored Learning offer is integrated with the One Family Approach and supports this ambition by maximising opportunities, enabling self-responsibility, promoting independence and addressing inequality.
Our Vision
AECL plays a central part in delivering the strategic ambitions for North Lincolnshire set out in the Council Plan priority intent ‘to encourage personal ambition to access life-long learning, high-quality education, guidance, training and opportunities to upskill’ by providing learning opportunities which enable residents to achieve better outcomes impacting on life skills, prosperity and social mobility.
Focusing on the needs of local people particularly those furthest away from the labour market, we aspire to make a real difference to people’s lives, enabling social mobility and reducing inequalities.
We will ensure that all safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.
Achieved through high-quality education and lifelong learning, residents will experience raised aspirations, achieve greater independence, and build resilience so that they thrive and prosper in their communities.
We will continue to focus on supporting individuals and communities to thrive, contributing to a safe, well, prosperous and connected North Lincolnshire.
North Lincolnshire in Numbers
North Lincolnshire covers 328 square miles (859 km2), and it is located at the mid-point of the United Kingdom’s east coast on the south bank of the Humber Estuary (equidistant between London and Edinburgh). The population in North Lincolnshire is approximately 171,336 people and the population is set to grow over the coming years.
North Lincolnshire is a predominately rural area made up of a number of historic market towns: Barton upon Humber, Brigg, Crowle, Epworth, Kirton in Lindsey, and Winterton. These are surrounded by many desirable larger and smaller villages and hamlets as well as an attractive countryside.
Statistics:
- Working Age Population: 101,569
- 16 to 64-Year-Olds with No Qualifications: 6.3%
- Claimant Count: 3.4%
- Employment Rate: 68.6%
- Unemployment Rate: 5.7%
- Median Gross Weekly Pay: £609.90 (£577.70 nationally)
- Qualified to NVQ3: 28.6%
- Economic inactivity 27.2%
Latest data available at time of writing: November 2025 Labour Market Briefing
Place Overview
In North Lincolnshire, the proportion of residents qualified to NVQ Level 4 and above is lower than regional and national averages, although attainment has improved over recent years. A higher proportion of working-age residents have no formal qualifications compared to the region and England overall, with concentrations in wards including Brumby, Frodingham, Crosby and Park, and Town.
Employment levels in North Lincolnshire are generally below regional and national averages, although measures can vary depending on the dataset and timeframe used. The claimant count is around 3.4%, broadly in line with or slightly below regional and national levels.
North Lincolnshire has a highly industrial employment profile, with a significantly higher concentration of jobs in manufacturing than seen regionally and nationally. Key local specialisms include steel, chemicals (including petrochemical refining), and food manufacturing. Other important sectors include transport and storage, energy, and construction.
The occupational profile reflects this industrial base, with higher proportions of skilled trades and process, plant and machine operatives than in the wider region and nationally. Conversely, professional occupations are underrepresented.
The Skills Escalator – AECL Role
It is evident that skills gaps exist in North Lincolnshire at all levels. Entry onto skills and employment progression pathways for many residents is often restricted by a lack of basic skills and qualifications and by other barriers such as aspirations and community resilience. AECL provides a range of non-accredited and accredited courses from Pre-Entry to Level 2.
AECL Tailored Learning courses aim to benefit residents who are furthest away from the labour market and support progression into employment. This offer includes courses that have softer outcomes such as work readiness, developing confidence, improved wellbeing, and resilience.
The provision works in partnership with Community Leaders and Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to ensure a targeted approach aimed at widening participation and supporting learners to become active citizens who contribute positively to their local communities through volunteering and paid employment.
Approach to Developing the Accountability Statement
Curriculum Planning
Adult Education and Community Learning’s curriculum planning starts in the Spring Term prior to the upcoming academic year.
Approach to Curriculum Planning
Curriculum planning for 2026–2027 is informed by:
- National policy direction and Skills England priorities
- Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) priorities and Performance Management Framework
- Get Britain Working
- Get Lincolnshire Working
- Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP)
- North Lincolnshire Skills and Employability Plan 2023–2028
- Local Labour Market Intelligence and Economic Growth Plan
- Learner feedback and stakeholder engagement
AECL Governance is strong and well-established. The Advisory Board benefits from the expertise, strategic oversight, and accountability of external members and senior leaders from the council. Board members provide the necessary challenge to service managers to provide advice to help them evaluate and improve the quality of the curriculum. Working with external stakeholders is an integral part of curriculum planning and implementation which provides up-to-date insight into local needs and priorities to ensure that learning opportunities are relevant and meet the needs of all residents in North Lincolnshire.
Recognising that North Lincolnshire has elevated levels of long-term unemployment and high levels of economic inactivity, our courses provide direct support to those out of work and the economically inactive to enable them to develop the employability skills required to be work ready.
Utilising our evidence base, we will develop a relevant curriculum for targeted groups to support people to reach their full potential and improve life chances.
Our priority will be to ensure people have access to high-quality learning and skills opportunities that are linked to the requirements in the labour market.
Context and Priorities
North Lincolnshire continues to experience:
- Skills gaps at multiple levels
- High levels of unemployment compared to national and regional labour market intelligence
- High levels of economic inactivity
- Lower qualification levels compared to regional and national averages
- Concentrations of deprivation and economic inactivity
- Strong employment in key sectors such as manufacturing, alongside under-representation in professional occupations
These factors shape our priorities for 2026–2027, ensuring our curriculum:
- Aligns with labour market demand
- Supports development of important wider skills
- Supports progression into priority sectors
- Addresses barriers to participation
- Develops essential and transferable skills
Strong governance arrangements, including oversight from the Advisory Board and senior leaders, ensure the curriculum remains relevant, high-quality and responsive.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Partnership working remains central to our delivery model and the partnerships ensure our provision is co-designed, inclusive and responsive to local needs, with strong reach into priority communities.
We will continue to work closely with:
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Community and voluntary sector organisations
- Schools, colleges and training providers
- Employers and business networks
- Family hubs and local services
Inclusion and Targeted Support
We are committed to widening participation and ensuring equitable access to learning opportunities.
Key groups include:
- Residents with low or no qualifications
- Individuals experiencing unemployment or economic inactivity
- Adults with learning difficulties, disabilities or health needs
- Parents and families in disadvantaged communities
- Adults experiencing barriers to learning
- Adults that need to catch up on their learning or upskill in their job roles
Provision will be delivered in small classes in accessible community venues and through targeted outreach to maximise engagement.
Contribution to National, Regional and Local Priorities
For 2026–2027, AECL will:
- Support economic growth by developing skills aligned with local and regional priorities
- Increase participation in English, maths and digital provision
- Promote work readiness and transferable skills
- Expand progression pathways into employment, apprenticeships and further learning
- Support priority groups, including unemployed adults, young people not in education or training, economically inactive residents and those with additional barriers and vulnerabilities
- Enhance digital inclusion and embed essential and digital skills across provision
- Promote sustainability awareness and green skills learning
- Support local employers to upskill their workforce
These actions contribute directly to national priorities, local growth ambitions and the delivery of North Lincolnshire Council’s strategic plans.
Courses will support the following council plans and priorities:
Skills & Employability Plan 2023 to 2028 Priorities
- A place to build a great career.
- A place enabling businesses to grow through skills and careers investment.
- A place with a proud culture of local skills aspirations and proactive collaboration.
Priority 1: Enabling people to access routes to local, high-quality careers in North Lincolnshire
Our intent
- People of all ages have the information, advice and guidance they need to access skills and employment opportunities that are linked to the requirements of the labour market
- The area is a visibly attractive place to build a career for residents and non-residents living within commuting distance
Priority 3: A place with a proud culture of local skills aspirations and proactive collaboration
- Providing the best skills offer for residents supporting high value employment, growth and inward investment
Our intent
- An impressive local infrastructure of innovative, enterprising employment and skills providers with a real appetite to collaborate to benefit local employers, communities and local provision
One Family Approach
Ambition: To work together with schools, corporate family support services, wider partners and the community to build on and further strengthen an integrated system that works for all families.
We will improve essential basic skills in North Lincolnshire by increasing the uptake of learners on priority programmes in English and Maths by 10%.
We will improve digital inclusion in North Lincolnshire, increasing the digital skills and confidence of adult residents in key disadvantaged wards. We will increase the uptake of learners on digital programmes by 10%.
We will deliver qualifications in areas such as Childcare and Teaching Assistants. This will meet a skills gap and enhance the level of education given to children and young people.
We will deliver qualifications in subjects that enhance the level of specialist skills available to those working with children and young people and healthcare, including Preparing to Work in Schools, Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Mental Health First Aid and Advocacy in the Workplace.
We will continue offering apprenticeship programmes in key priority sectors to provide sustainable employment and support for the Local Authority and the economy.
We will deliver Tailored Learning courses to improve adult residents’ mental health, wellbeing. We will also support progression onto further learning and into employment. We will focus on delivering tailored family learning courses to help parents support and encourage their children’s learning.
We will also work with key partners to deliver bespoke courses to prepare learners for training, employment and self-employment, this includes digital, financial, literacy and communication skills. We will increase the delivery of all Tailored Learning courses in the most disadvantaged areas. We will provide opportunities for the development of personal skills by promoting volunteering activities leading to increased active citizen engagement.
evelopment of personal skills by promoting volunteering activities leading to increased active citizen engagement.
Local Skills Improvement Plan Priorities
Adult Education and Community Learning (AECL) will continue to align its curriculum and delivery model with the priorities set out in the Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), ensuring that provision is responsive to employer demand and supports economic growth across the region.
The LSIP identifies a number of priorities which underpin workforce development across all sectors. These include:
- Work Readiness and Essential Skills – including communication, numeracy, teamwork, timekeeping, resilience and professionalism, which employers consistently identify as critical gaps impacting recruitment and productivity
- Digital and Data Skills – from basic digital literacy through to advanced digital, IT and data analysis capabilities required across all sectors
- Strengthening the Local Skills System – through improved collaboration between employers, providers and partners to ensure provision is aligned with labour market need
AECL Response to LSIP Priorities
In response to these priorities, AECL will:
- Strengthen its focus on work readiness and employability, embedding essential skills across all provision and delivering targeted interventions such as CV workshops, employability pathways courses and programmes and confidence-building activities
- Integrate digital skills development across the curriculum, ensuring learners build both basic digital confidence and progression routes into higher-level digital learning
- Align vocational provision and progression pathways with priority sectors, including childcare and education, supporting clear routes into employment and apprenticeships
- Continue to strengthen partnership working with employers, DWP, colleges and training providers, ensuring provision is co-designed and responsive to local labour market intelligence
- Contribute to a more joined-up local skills system, supporting collaboration, progression pathways and improved awareness of training and employment opportunities
Through this approach, AECL will ensure that its provision directly contributes to the delivery of LSIP priorities while supporting residents to access sustainable employment, progress in learning and contribute to local economic growth.
Actions
We will offer CV master classes, interview skills and workshops that include; Pathways to Employment, Get Set for Work (for young people) with a focus on: Development of communication, Numeracy Resilience, Timekeeping, Teamwork and Professionalism Skills.
We will also deliver tailored and bespoke learning opportunities for targeted groups, for example those at risk of redundancy, returners, people changing careers, people with disabilities, mental health support groups and community organisations.
We will ensure courses and apprenticeship programmes have a digital aspect to help individuals gain a comprehensive understanding of, and confidence with, digital tools and how they can be applied in a variety of settings including employment and daily life. We will offer digital progression routes for learners to move on from basic digital skills courses to qualifications.
Quality, Outcomes and Accountability
We will ensure high-quality delivery and continuous improvement through:
- Robust quality assurance and performance monitoring
- Regular review of learner outcomes and progression
- Stakeholder and learner feedback
- Strong governance and accountability arrangements
Our focus will remain on achieving measurable outcomes including:
- Increased participation and retention
- Achievement of qualifications and learning goals
- Progression into further learning, volunteering or employment
- Development of wider skills and outcomes
Corporate Statement
On behalf of North Lincolnshire Council, this statement sets out our agreed purpose, priorities and approach to Adult Education and Community Learning for the 2026 –2027 academic year.
The statement will be reviewed and updated in line with emerging policy, funding arrangements and the evolving skills landscape, including future changes relating to devolution.
Supporting Documents
This statement aligns with:
- North Lincolnshire Skills and Employability Plan 2023–2028: North Lincolnshire Skills and Employability Plan 2023-2028 | Invest in North Lincolnshire
- Economic Growth Plan 2023–2028: North Lincolnshire Economic Growth Plan 2023-2028 | Invest in North Lincolnshire
- Council Plan: Council Plan – North Lincolnshire Council
- Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP): Greater Lincolnshire LSIP | FSB Local Skills Initiative
- AECL curriculum intent, quality and inspection frameworks
- GLCCA performance Management Framework: GLCCA performance-management-framework-2026-27
Adult Education & Community Learning
Ashby Community Hub
Ashby High Street
Scunthorpe
DN16 2UT
01724 297146
North Lincolnshire Adult Education and Community Learning