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The 2003 and 2011 Skills for Life surveys of the general adult population revealed that while the proportion of adults showing literacy skills of Level 2 standard and above had increased, the level of progress at the lower end of the scale was disappointing and numeracy skills appeared to have shown a small decline. Reform plans for the further education and skills system developed in 2011 included expanding the Skills for Life programmes to offer free courses to enable adults to improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills to English and maths GCSE/Level 2.

This report describes a randomised control trial (RCT) into the relative effectiveness of face-to-face compared to blended learning for adult English and maths learning, i.e. learning that makes significant pedagogic use of information and communications technology (ICT). The RCT was part of a government initiated programme of research into adult English and maths. Its primary aim was to assess the impact of delivery mode on skills at the time of course completion. Secondary outcomes were identified as longer-term attainment, confidence with English and maths, labour market outcomes and subjective well-being. The report describes the RCT design decisions and implementation details, and provides an assessment of how the trial worked.

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In 2013 the Department for Business Innovation and Skills commissioned a consortium of organisations including Kantar Public (formerly TNS BMRB), the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), Alphaplus and the Learning and Work Institute (formerly NIACE) to conduct the longitudinal survey of adult learners. The aims were to enhance understanding of learners' experiences of English and maths Skills for Life funded courses delivered by colleges and look at how learners' skills progress during their course and in the year after. The survey also explored learners' broader economic outcomes, learning journeys and soft outcomes such as confidence in day to day life. Learners were interviewed at 3 waves in their learning journey. These were: at the start of the course; soon after the course ended; and one year after the course ended. Each interview included tests developed for the study to assess learners' reading and writing or numeracy skills. Findings from these interviews are included in the documents. The technical report and local authority comparison report for this study are included.

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