The Mary Ward Centre is part of the Mary Ward Settlement, which was established in 1892 and includes the Mary Ward Legal Centre and Blackfriars Settlement. The settlement movement began in the early 1880s in response to urban poverty, with the aim of promoting social justice and equality. The Mary Ward Centre is a designated institute of adult learning. Courses are offered at different times of the day to meet the needs of the communities the centre serves. In 2023, the Mary Ward Centre moved from central London to a purpose-built site in Stratford, east London. At the time of the inspection, there were around 2,000 students, a high proportion of whom were on entry and level 1 programmes. Courses in visual and performing arts make up around a third of the provision. Approximately 500 students study courses in English, mathematics and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) from entry to level 2. A small part of the provision is made up of courses that lead to qualifications at levels 2, 3 and 4. These include courses such as counselling and community interpreting. There is a range of outreach courses in the community that aim to engage new students in learning.