Terms and conditions

1. Find a course:

Why not check out the advanced search option on our main page  

• What  - Search by subject area
• Where - Search by district or centre
• When - Search by day /  daytime or Evening

Or click on the map on the main page and see what's on in your area. 

2. Book a course:

• In person  - Call in at any main centre
• Internet - search for a course / centre  for much more information
• Telephone - Please call the centre where the course is being advertised
• Email -  For more information or to request an enrolment form, please contact the appropriate centre. 

3. What you need to enrol: 

• Course details,  including the start and end date
• Personal Details
• Proof of concessions / reduced fee entitlement
• Method of payment - please contact your Adult Learning centre to confirm which method of payment  is available
• National Insurance number
• Proof of identification (photo if possible)

Please note that you must be aged 19 or over by the 31 August in the academic year in which your course begins. (Academic years run from 1 August to 31 July) 

Current prices are published in our brochure and on the website.  These prices are subject to change.  The total price quoted is the amount payable in order to secure a course place.  The total price includes tuition costs, examination fees, where applicable and in some cases, additional costs which relate to the particular course.  Other optional materials, which may be associated with the course, are available for purchase as identified in the course outline. 

Unless details are provided in the course outline, you are advised not to buy equipment, books or materials until after the first session. 

Adult Learning concessions are applicable to individuals who are looking to upskill, are disadvantaged or facing social hardship.  If you fit into one of the following categories then you may be eligible for a concession: 

• Unemployed
• Enrolling on a Maths/English Qualification
• Aged 19 to23 enrolling on your first Level 2 Qualification
• Aged 19 to 23 enrolling on your first Level 3 Qualification
• Employed (or not seeking employment) on an income related benefit (for non-qualification Adult Learning courses only)

If you feel you are eligible for a concession then you should contact the appropriate Adult Learning Centre. 

By signing the enrolment you are self-declaring that you fit the appropriate category of eligibility.  All enrolments are subject to final verification and approval by Adult Learning.  Should the concession selected not meet our terms, you will be contacted in order that your enrolment can be corrected.  You will be asked to pay for any course fees where concessions are not permitted.

Cumbria County Council staff are entitled to claim a 15% discount off any of our Adult Learning courses.  Please make sure that you select the staff discount option at the checkout when using the online booking and payment system. If you need any more information about the discount then please contact your local centre.

Please check the start date of your course on the website or as supplied in your enrolment confirmation.  If you require any further information or assistance before your course starts, please contact the Adult Learning Centre delivering the course. 

Adult Learning reserves the right to withdraw or cancel a programme whenever its viability cannot be assured.  In such circumstances, every effort will be made to offer an alternative programme.  However, Adult Learning cannot guarantee that an acceptable programme will be available as part of our curriculum. 

Learning Support is provided to meet the needs of learners who have an identified learning difficulty and/or disability.  If eligible you will have access to a support package designed to help you achieve your set learning goals.  This includes providing funding for reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010. 

Learning Support is available to individuals enrolling on qualification courses and certain targeted non-qualification Adult Learning courses.  If you feel you are eligible for this support or require further information then please discuss this with the relevant Adult Learning Centre.

Adult Learning is committed to ensuring that all learners, staff and visitors are treated equally and, where possible, have full access to our sites and services.  Please help us to achieve this by bringing to our attention any potential discrimination.  If you are a disabled learner or have any specific needs, we will ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to the learning environment to ensure that you will not be placed at a disadvantage.  By disclosing your specific needs to us at the earliest opportunity, you will enable us to put in the required support.  If you do not wish to disclose your needs or request that this information remains confidential, we cannot guarantee that appropriate adjustments will be made.

Equal Opportunities and Access Policy (PDF, 343Kb)

Disability Policy (PDF, 299Kb)

We do all we can to ensure Adult Learning provides a safe environment for our learners and have a number of procedures designed to ensure that learners, staff and visitors are able to learn in a safe environment. 

The personal information you provide is passed to the Skills Funding Agency and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Where necessary it is also shared with the Department for Education, including the Education Funding Agency.  The information is used for the exercise of functions of these government departments and to meet statutory responsibilities, including under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, and to create and maintain a unique learner number (ULN) and a Personal Learning Record (PLR). 

The information you provide may be shared with other organisations for education, training, employment and well-being related purposes, including for research.  You may be contacted after you have completed your programme of learning to establish whether you have entered employment or gone onto further training or education.  You may be contacted by the English European Social Fund (ESF) Managing Authority, or its agents, to carry out research and evaluation to inform the effectiveness of the programme.  Further information about use of and access to your personal data, and details of organisations with whom we regularly share data

Once a course has begun, we will only consider refund requests in exceptional personal or family circumstances. However, if the refund affects the continued viability of the course then Adult Learning reserves the right to refuse the refund. If you need to withdraw from a course before it begins, we will process refund requests as follows:

• if the request is made more than eight weeks before the course starts, a full refund will be returned
• if the request is made less than eight weeks and more than one week before the course starts, a full refund less a £10 cancellation fee will be returned
• no refunds will be made if you withdraw from a course less than seven days before the start.

The length of each course is based on a minimum number of learners enrolled and the financial viability of the course. If this is not achieved, it may be necessary for us to cancel the course before the first class, and provide learners with a full refund. 

For more information about what to do if your course or class is cancelled, please contact your local  Adult Learning Centre.

Any issues regarding online payments can be raised through;- 

Cumbria County Council
Adult Learning
Eamont Building
Skirsgill Depot
Skirsgill
Penrith
Cumbria
CA10 2BQ

Email: communitylearning@cumbria.gov.uk

Telephone: 01768 812175