Below is a list of partner colleges and universities, other London Lifelong Learning Networks, and useful organisations. We are not responsible for external links so cannot guarantee their content’s accuracy, reliability, timeliness, and completeness.

Partner Institutions

King’s College London
University of Greenwich
Goldsmiths, University of London
London South Bank University
Bexley College
Greenwich Community College
Lambeth College
Lewisham College
South Thames College
Southwark College 

Lifelong Learning Networks

National Forum for Lifelong Learning Networks

Further information about Lifelong Learning Networks

Information about Widening Participation 

West London LLN
Linking London LLN
Lifelong Professional Education LLN
Creative Way LLN

Qualifications

National Qualifications Framework (NQF): The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) has been devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to recognise more precisely the academic levels of qualifications at the higher levels of the framework; it applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Animated guide to the QCF: An interactive guide to the new Qualifications and Credit Framework.

UCAS Tariff: The UCAS Tariff is a points system used to report achievement for entry to higher education (HE) in a numerical format. It establishes agreed comparability between different types of qualifications and provides comparisons between applicants with different types and volumes of achievement.  

Fees and Finance

Adult Learning Grant: If you’re going back to college to study for your first full Level 2 or first full Level 3 qualification, the Adult Learning Grant (ALG) could pay you up to £30 per week.

Advice-resources: A fully searchable database of over 2000 funding opportunities from non-charitable sources (such as adult learning grants and career development loans). It includes a deadline prompt and news updates to keep you informed and to make sure your clients get their funding applications in on time.

Aimhigher: Aimhigher aims to widen participation in higher education (HE) by raising the awareness, aspirations and attainment of young people from under-represented groups. The programme particularly focuses on young people from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds, some minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.

Association of Charitable Foundations: ACF is the leading membership association for grant-making charities in the UK.  Advice for individuals and organisations seeking funding from UK trusts.

Career Development Loans: A Career Development Loan is a bank loan designed to help you pay for work-related learning. You don't have to start paying your loan back until one month after you stop training.

Connexions: Information and advice for young people.

HERO: This link will help you find out how much your course will cost you, what other expenses you may have, and also details sources of financial help enabling you to fund your study.

Careers Advice: Information about funding for study from learndirect careers advice.

National Union of Students: Funding information from NUS.

NHS student grants: Information about bursaries to students on pre-registration health professional training courses.

Skill- National Bureau for Students with Disabilities: A national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of impairment in post-16 education, training and employment.

Student finance: Hotcourses and UCAS bring you a comprehensive guide to everything you need when planning and organising your student finances.

Student Finance Direct: This site provides services and information for those in England who are interested in financial support for students in Higher Education

Student Loans Company: The Student Loans Company (SLC) is a UK public sector organisation established to provide financial services, in terms of loans and grants, to over one million students annually, in colleges and universities across the four education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Student Money: Hotcourses and UCAS bring you a comprehensive guide to planning and organising your student finances.

Support4learning: This site exists as a signpost to relevant organisations and resources in a number of key areas which are accessible from the tabs at the top of each page.  The site contains links to resources for advisors, students and everyone involved in education, training and communities. These links will help you to choose finance and support your education, training, lifelong learning, career planning and job search.

UCAS: Information from UCAS about student finance.

Uniaid: Information giving students and their sponsors practical financial coping skills for higher education.

Courses

14-19 Diploma: Information about the 14-19 Diploma.

Apprentices: Information about Apprenticeships for young people, employers and others.

Bexley College: Information about Bexley College.

Floodlight: Floodlight is the official guide to adult education courses in London. That's all the full-time, part-time, short courses and evening classes run by government-funded colleges, universities and adult education centres in all the London boroughs.

Foundation degrees: Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) is a national body that supports the development and validation of high quality Foundation degrees.

Goldsmiths, University of London: Information about Goldsmiths.

Greenwich Community College: Information about Greenwich Community College.

Hot courses: Information on courses, schools, colleges and universities as well as funding opportunities and career options.

King’s College London: Information about King’s College London.

Lambeth College: Information about Lambeth College.

Learndirect: Course information and information, advice and guidance.

Lewisham College: Information about Lewisham College.

London South Bank University: Information about London South Bank University.

South Thames College: Information about South Thames College.

Southwark College: Information about Southwark College.

UCAS: Provide application services across a range of subject areas and modes of study for UK universities and colleges.

University of Greenwich: Information about the University of Greenwich.

IAG

nextstep: nextstep is a free, face-to-face service, offering advice on learning and careers.
The face-to-face services are available to to people aged 20 or more who doesn’t yet have a Level 2 qualification - that’s five GCSEs at grades A* to C, or an NVQ Level 2.

Careers Advice Service: Advice on careers and learning.

Connexions: Confidential advice, support and information for 13-19 year olds.

SSC IAG portal: Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are the "voice" of their sector's employers on skills issues.  As part of its work, each SSC produces a wealth of intelligence on jobs, skills and employment trends for their sector. On this site there is a separate section for each Sector Skills Council, explaining which area of industry or service they cover, what careers resources they offer, and who to contact.

Careers in healthcare: The Health Learning and Skills Advice Line provides careers information, advice and guidance to support people who work in, or are considering a career in healthcare.  Free, expert, independent and confidential, the service is run by the Careers Advice Service and covers the whole healthcare sector.

NHS Careers: Information service for careers in the National Health Service (NHS) in England.  The service consists of a telephone and email helpline, website, literature and supporting services for NHS employers, schools, colleges and careers advisors.

Labour Market Information (LMI)

Asset Skills: Sector Skills Council for property, housing, cleaning services, and facilities management.

Construction Skills: Sector Skills Council for construction, representing every part of the construction industry, from architects to bricklayers, in every part of the UK.

Creative and Cultural Skills: Sector Skills Council for Advertising, Crafts, Cultural Heritage, Design, Music, Performing, Literary and Visual Arts.

Energy and Utility Skills: Sector Skills Council for the electricity, gas, waste management and water industries.

e-skills UK: Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms.

Financial Services Skills Council: Sector Skills Council for financial services industry.

Government Skills: Sector Skills Council for central government, including government departments, non-departmental public bodies and the Armed Forces.

Institute of Employment Research (IER): The Institute for Employment Research is one of Europe's leading centres for research in the labour market field.  Its work focuses upon the operation of labour markets and socio-economic processes related to employment and unemployment in the UK at national, regional and local levels.  It includes comparative European research on employment and training.

National Guidance Research Forum: Brings together research and practice in guidance to increase effectiveness.

SEMTA: Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies

Skills for Care and Development: Sector Skills Council for social care staff.

Skills for Health: Sector Skills Council for the UK health sector.

Skills For Justice: Sector Skills Council for the Justice sector.

SkillsActive: Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning, including sport and recreation, health and fitness, outdoors, playwork and caravan industries.

Skillset: Sector Skills Council for creative media industries.

SummitSkills: Sector Skills Council for the building services engineering sector.

UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES): The UK Commission aims to raise UK prosperity and opportunity by improving employment and skills.

Other

Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (AGCAS): AGCAS is the professional association for higher education (HE) careers practitioners, using the expertise and resources of its membership for the collective benefit of its members, HE careers services, their clients and customers, and the sector overall.

Business Extra: Business Extra is a not-for-profit enterprise agency set up to provide enterprise support services for existing and start-up businesses and social enterprises for the whole of Southwark. It is charged with helping to create more jobs and local wealth by assisting and encouraging existing businesses and encouraging new business start-ups.

Childcare: The one-stop parenting shop. Information and guidance for parents on everything from maternity leave to immunisation.

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF): Government department that leads work across to improve outcomes for children, including work on children’s health and child poverty.

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS): Government department that works to improve the nation's skills at every level, with provision for people at every stage of their adult lives.

Graduate Prospects: The UK’s official graduate careers support service.

IAG Review: Review of IAG services.

Institute of Career Guidance (ICG): The Institute of Career Guidance is the largest professional association for guidance practitioners in the UK.  Members include career guidance practitioners, managers, researchers, trainers and students, and anyone interested in or working in career guidance can become a full member of the Institute.

Jobcentre Plus: Jobcentre Plus is a government agency supporting people of working age from welfare into work, and helping employers to fill their vacancies.  Part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Learning and Skills Council: Responsible for planning and funding education and training for everyone in England other than those in universities.

London Knowledge Innovation Centre: London Knowledge Innovation Centre (LKIC) provides business advice and invention support services to hi-tech and knowledge-based start-ups.  It  helps start and build successful businesses by offering practical innovation and business support services.

Matrix quality standard for learning and work: The matrix Standard is the unique quality framework for the effective delivery of information, advice and/or guidance on learning and work. The matrix Standard is useful for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance to external clients as part of their business and also for employers who are committed to developing their people.

National Association for Educational Guidance for Adults (NAEGA): NAEGA is a practitioner organisation run by members for members.  Members work in many settings including IAG providers, further and higher education, community education, libraries, careers services, the armed forces, voluntary organisations, employer bodies and telephone advice lines.

Woody’s Webwatch: Popular web portal to useful information for young people, careers advisers and parents.

Unionlearn
Higher Education Academy
Universities UK
Learning and Skills Network
NIACE
London Higher
London First
UVAC
SEEC
Chambers of Commerce
OCN London Region