Adult education and skills
This article brings together data on participation and achievement in adult further education and skills courses and higher education enrolments, based on the home address of the learner.
The further education figures include funded post-secondary education and training for adults aged 19 and over, such as essential English and maths skills, national vocational qualifications (NVQs), and higher qualifications up to master's degrees. All age apprenticeships (16 and over) are also included in these figures. The higher education figures include all enrolments on higher level qualification courses that are delivered by higher education providers.
The latest full-year figures for further education are for the 2024/25 academic year. The latest figures for higher education enrolments are for 2024/25.
Further education and skills
The rate of participation in further education per 100,000 people aged 19 to 64 was 6,141 in Lancashire-12. This was higher than the England rate (5,174). Compared to the previous year, the participation rate decreased by 0.4% (England = 1.7% decrease).
The further education achievement rate in Lancashire-12 was 4,416. This was higher than the England rate (3,554). Compared to the previous year, this was a 0.1% decrease (England = 1.3% decrease).
Higher education
In Lancashire-12, the rate of undergraduate enrolments per 100,000 people aged 18 to 64 was 3,348 (England = 4,118). This was a 1.1% decrease compared to the previous year (England = 0.6% increase).
The rate of postgraduate enrolments in Lancashier-12 was 831 (England = 960). This was a 1.1% decrease compared to the previous year (England = 0.2% increase).
Apprenticeships
The rate of participation in apprenticeships per 100,000 people aged 16 to 64 was 2,467 in Lancashire-12. This was higher than the England rate (2,065). Compared to the previous year, this was a 2.1% increase (England = 3.4% increase).
The rate of achievement in apprenticeships was 644 in Lancashire-12. This was higher than the England rate (538). Compared to the previous year, this was a 5.2% increase (England = 11.3% increase).
Source: Further education and skills from the Department for Education and higher education student data (Table 59) from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, via LG Inform Plus.
Further education and skills
Further education and skills data are published by the Department for Education based on individualised learner records data, with the figures for the full academic year published annually. The further education and skills figures capture funded post-secondary adult learning (including regulated and non-regulated courses).
Participation figures provide a count of the number of learners who attended at least one day on a learning aim during the academic year. Achievement figures provide a count of the number of learners who successfully completed at least one education and training or apprenticeship learning aim during the academic year.
Learners participating in more than one course or achieving more than one learning aim during the academic year will appear only once in the total count.
Further information is available on the Gov.uk website.
Higher education enrolments
The higher education enrolment figures are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) annually, based on HESA student records. The figures include all students based on their registered home address (not a term-time only address), regardless of nationality, enrolled in full-time or part-time courses. Postgraduate enrolment figures include both taught and research-based courses.
Rates per 100,000 have been calculated using mid-year population estimates for the population aged 18 to 64.
Page updated 11 May 2026