GOVERNMENT inspectors have praised a Durham County Council adult learning scheme.

A report by the Adult Learning Inspectorate has found Durham County Council's Education in the Community service to have helped learners make significant progress.

The watchdog said that improvements were evident in all areas of the adult education scheme.

And the report added the service has been particularly effective in attracting more men into adult learning.

The inspectors also found the standards of teaching and learning to be good and that the service provided effective programmes for a wide variety of people, including those with special needs, and all staff had a strong commitment to improving the scheme.

However, the inspection also found that some work was needed on access to some buildings and to the Internet in some centres.

David Emmerson, the county council's education in the community manager said: "This is a very encouraging report which reflects the energy and hard work that colleagues have given to improving the quality of adult learning.

"We still have some work to do, but this is a very satisfactory result which provides a solid foundation for further improvements so that we can make things even better for adult learners in the county.''

Councillor Neil Foster, cabinet member for lifelong learning, said: "The county council welcomes the inspector's report and its confirmation of the good quality learning provided by Education in the Community.

"It's especially appropriate that we should be celebrating this excellent news during Adult Learners Week.''