Community Challenges

Skills and Education

Engage — Act — Deliver

Excellent schools and lifelong learning are the engine of every successful community.

Context

What is happening.

Our schools work hard against significant headwinds. Outcomes are improving, but attainment gaps remain — and adult learning has been hollowed out.

Challenges

What we face.

  • Attainment gaps for disadvantaged pupils
  • Insufficient careers guidance into high-skill sectors
  • Decline of accessible adult education locally
  • Limited support for English as a second language
Opportunities

What we can build on.

  • Dedicated teachers and engaged parents
  • Strong further-education partners in the city
  • Demand from local employers for higher-skilled workers
Solutions

Practical, community-led steps forward.

  • Reinvest in community-based adult learning hubs
  • Expand free ESOL provision through trusted local partners
  • Schools-to-careers partnerships with East Birmingham employers