AoC LR is part of the national body, the Association of Colleges. We are a professional membership organisation representing 52 post-16 learning and training institutions and their Principals across the London area. These include 35 Further Education Colleges, 11 Sixth-Form Colleges and 5 Specialist Centres offering learning and training opportunities ranging from accredited courses in Plumbing and Catering to A Level Economics and French, to HNDs in computer systems engineering. In terms of volume, many more GCSEs and A-Levels are studied in FE Colleges than in schools.

Our colleges work closely with business and the local community and are committed to widening participation and social inclusion, helping people of all backgrounds realise their potential. We do this by providing a broad range of learning environments for 16+ young people, adults on academic and vocational courses as well as students with learning difficulties or disabilities. London's Colleges also offer basic skills courses, training courses, and provide access, foundation courses and direct courses in higher education.

Colleges are also an important part of London's economy. We have forged close links with business, finance and industry. London's Colleges are a leading force for upgrading the skills of London's residents and workers, drawing people to the region from the UK and abroad. We are also entrusted with over £600 million each year from public funds, are major purchasers and property owners, and are key employers. London colleges have over 30,000 members of staff.

AoC LR works actively in partnership with key organisations in the London region to represent its member colleges in promoting the role of learning and skills in the post-16 sector. These regional partners include: the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA), the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), London Development Agency (LDA), the Greater London Authority (GLA, which includes the Mayor of London and London Assembly), which is the regional office for the Department of Communities and Local Government, London First, the London Skills Commission and London Aim Higher: HE/FE Partnerships.

As a stakeholder in these key organisations, AoC LR is committed to contributing to London's prosperity. We can achieve this through: training the region's labour force and increasing its human capital; assisting in the development of regeneration partnerships to enhance sustainable economic development; and encouraging social inclusivity by ensuring that all the city's residents, employers and workers have access to life long learning.

CONTACT US

For prospective student enquiries about available courses, please contact the Further Education Colleges directly.

For general enquiries about the Association of Colleges London Region and further education and training initiatives and strategies, please contact us:

Association of Colleges London Region
2-5 Stedham Place
London
WC1A 1HU

Telephone: 020 7034 9900

Regional Director: Kate Anderson
Chairman: Ian Ashman, Hackney Community College