This research report presents the findings from the FE COVID-19 Learner and Apprentices Experience Survey conducted in the 2020-2021 academic year.
The aim of the research was to understand the experience of FE learners and apprentices, and their satisfaction with learning and training within a COVID-19 context. The research sought to provide insight into COVID-19 impacts in areas such as quality of remote learning, study support and welfare support.
It allowed learners to provide feedback to the Department for Education on their experience, which will help inform future policy development. The areas covered in the survey included:
- – Learning and training experience
- – Support for learners and apprentices
- – Satisfaction
- – Reasons for leaving their course early
The survey findings have been weighted to be representative of the FE learner and apprentice population in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, qualification level, subject and home region. Linking survey responses to the ILR allowed further analysis of survey responses by learner, course and provider characteristics. These characteristics included disability, learning difficulty, deprivation (based on home postcode), subject area, level of study and provider type. Within the report only differences that are statistically significant are commented upon.
The report is structured to show separate results for apprentices, 16-18 education and training (E&T) learners and 19+ E&T learners. Each of these groups had significantly different learning contexts during the pandemic.