Bromley Adult Education College fees would rise about 86% in two steps from September 2027. Free places for SEND adults, lip-reading and ESOL learners would end.
Course fees at Bromley Adult Education College would rise by about 86% over two years under a council proposal. A typical 20-hour class in a standard classroom now costs £129.60. It would cost £177.60 from September 2027 and £241.40 from September 2028.
The council also proposes to end free places for three groups of learners: adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), lip-reading students and people learning English (ESOL). Those who qualify for a free course under the government’s funding rules would still get one.
The plans are in a report to the council’s Children, Education and Families scrutiny committee, which meets on Wednesday 18 November (Bromley Council report CEF26056). Councillors are asked for their views. The decision itself rests with the Director of Children, Education and Families.
Overview
- Hourly fees would rise in two steps, in September 2027 and September 2028, by about 86% in total.
- Free places for SEND adults, lip-reading and ESOL learners would end, except where the funding rules make a course free.
- The aim is to save the council £720,000 a year on the college.
- A £100,000 hardship fund would support the learners least able to pay.
- Nothing changes this year. The new fees would start in September 2027, after a consultation in January and February 2027.
The proposed fees
The college sorts its courses into four fee bands. The report sets out the hourly rate for each:
| Fee band | Now, per hour | From Sept 2027 | From Sept 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1: adult core courses | £4.26 | £5.84 | £7.94 |
| Band 2: tailored learning, standard classroom | £6.48 | £8.88 | £12.07 |
| Band 3: tailored learning, specialist classroom | £6.87 | £9.41 | £12.80 |
| Band 4: full cost, self-funded courses | £11.94 | £16.36 | £22.25 |
For a 20-hour course, that means:
- Band 1: £85.20 now, £116.80 from 2027, £158.80 from 2028
- Band 2: £129.60 now, £177.60 from 2027, £241.40 from 2028
- Band 3: £137.40 now, £188.20 from 2027, £256 from 2028
- Band 4: £238.80 now, £327.20 from 2027, £445 from 2028
English, maths and digital skills courses are fully paid for by government grants, so they stay free. The college cannot charge for them.
Why the council wants to charge more
The college is mainly funded by a Greater London Authority grant, worth £1.7 million in 2026/27. Fees bring in about £370,000 a year. Until now they have gone up by the council’s usual yearly rise, typically 3%.
As part of the council’s Transforming Bromley savings programme, the college has been told to cover its own costs and more. The report breaks the target down:
- the council’s own £220,000 contribution to the college would be withdrawn
- the college would raise £600,000 of extra income
- £100,000 of that would go into a hardship fund for learners
That gives a gross figure of £820,000 and a net saving of £720,000 a year. The report quotes both numbers.
It also says Bromley’s fees are low compared with its neighbours. Its own comparison of hourly rates:
| Provider | Lowest | Highest | Charges SEND learners? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley Adult Education | £11 | £14 | Yes |
| Morley | £8 | £20 | Yes |
| Croydon Adult Education | £8 | £14 | Yes |
| Lewisham Council | £8 | £9.50 | Yes |
| Bromley Adult Education College | £4.26 | £11.94 | No |
The end of free places
Ending the free places for SEND adults, lip-reading and ESOL learners would raise an estimated £178,909 in 2027/28 and £243,187 in 2028/29. Most of that would come from SEND adult learners: £138,626 in the first year and £188,424 in the second.
The report says many of these courses may still be free for people on benefits or below a salary threshold. SEND adult learners would keep free English, maths and digital courses.
The council’s legal advice in the report says the decision-maker must have “due regard” to the Public Sector Equality Duty “particularly given the proposed removal of existing concessions”. It says an equality impact assessment and the consultation results should be considered before anything is put in place.
More hours on full-cost courses
The college also wants to double the number of hours it runs on full-cost courses, from 3,727 to 7,454 guided learning hours. The report says some art, craft, fitness and language classes “operate like a club”, with long-standing students who need only light guidance from the tutor. It expects the extra hours to raise £124,721 in 2027/28 and £169,599 in 2028/29.
The college has 2,980 learners this academic year, with 6,247 enrolments between them.
The fee plan comes as the council also recommends closing the college’s Poverest Centre in Orpington. The same committee looks at both reports on 18 November.
What it means for you
- If you are on a course now, your fees for this academic year do not change. The new rates would apply from September 2027.
- If you are a SEND adult learner, a lip-reading student or an ESOL learner, check whether you would qualify for a free place under the funding rules, for example if you are on benefits. The college’s website lists the free course options for eligible learners.
- If you want a say, the council plans a consultation in January and February 2027. The scrutiny meeting on 18 November starts at 7pm and is open to the public; the agenda and papers are online.
- The decision can be called in by councillors once it is made.
Sources
- Bromley Council report CEF26056: Bromley Adult Education College, proposal to increase learners’ fees, Children, Education and Families PDS Committee, 18 November 2026
- Committee agenda, 18 November 2026
- Bromley Adult Education College
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