This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate in the House of Lords on the motion scheduled to be moved by Baroness Bakewell (Labour) on 5 July 2018 “that this House takes note of part-time and continuing education, and in particular the future of the Open University".
Part-time and Continuing Education (294 KB , PDF)
On 5 July 2018, the House of Lords is scheduled to debate a motion moved by Baroness Bakewell (Labour) on “part-time and continuing education, and in particular the future of the Open University”.
This short briefing considers some of the issues central to the debate on the decline in levels of part-time study in recent years, particularly in respect of part-time higher education courses in England—including a marked fall in the number of students taking part-time courses at the Open University (OU). Reasons suggested for the decline have ranged from economic explanations, such as the impact of the financial downturn on part-time course enrolments, to policy changes, such as the impact of reforms to the student tuition fee regime in England introduced under the Coalition Government. Other reasons, such as changing learning habits, have also been suggested as contributing to the downward trend. In response, the Government has launched a review of post-18 education in England. A selection of recommended reading is identified at the end of the briefing for further information on this subject.
Part-time and Continuing Education (294 KB , PDF)
Schools are currently required to actively promote British values. These values were taken from the 2011 Prevent strategy. The Education (Values of British Citizenship) Bill [HL] would require any statement relating to British values for education purposes, made by public authorities in England and Wales, to include certain values, some of which are different from those currently set out.
![Education (Values of British Citizenship) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 12 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Education-568x426.jpg)
In its manifesto ahead of the 2024 general election, the Labour Party stated that if elected it would remove the current exemption from VAT and business rates for independent schools. The impact of this measure has been debated; some estimate a net benefit to the government of £1.3bn to £1.5bn, while others argue it could result in a net cost.
In recent years, many universities have faced financial challenges. This has been attributed to several factors, including the impact of inflation on the real-terms value of tuition fee income from undergraduates, a dependence on international student numbers and increases in the cost of living. These challenges have led to some universities reducing their education provision and staffing allocations.
