A number of individuals in teaching jobs are pleading with the chancellor not to curtail funding for further education colleges when he announces his budget later this week.

Following a study by the Association of Colleges which claimed that many adult learning colleges faced an average finance cut of 16 per cent, institutions have called on Alistair Darling not to further impede their courses.

There is a fear that the spending cuts could lead to a number of colleges having to close courses and hundreds of students being turned down for places.

The government has announced that it will make £340 million of "efficiency savings" across further education this year.

Julian Gravatt, Association of Colleges assistant chief executive, said: "We are calling on the chancellor to help protect these courses and the students they serve.

"We know that the Treasury is under significant pressure to further curtail public spending, but cutting courses that are so essential to our recovery is a false economy."

The University and College Union has also warned that funding cuts would force many colleges to close courses in practical subjects such as bricklaying, care work and catering.

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