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Provider support manual:

How should I collect ILR data?

How should I collect ILR data?

You can collect the data required to make an ILR return in whatever way you wish to and in the best way that supports your natural business processes. For example, information about a learner may be gathered on a paper enrolment form or through an online enrolment process. Much of the information about the learning aims and programmes being undertaken may be held within a Management Information System (MIS) and can be exported directly from this.

You must ensure that you collect data in line with the ILR data management principles, particularly Principle 2: the ILR must accurately and comprehensively reflect the evidence recorded in the learner file or learning agreement.

Data protection requirements

You should make sure that all learners have seen the Privacy Notice, which informs them about how their data will be used. The Privacy Notice can be found here: https://guidance.submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/ilrprivacynotice

You should ask learners if they agree to be contacted for marketing, survey or research purposes and record this information in the Learner contact preference fields in the ILR.

You are required to ensure that the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are maintained at all times.

Learner Files

This was previously called ‘Learning Agreements’. All learners must have a learner file.

The ESFA funding rules and Advanced learner loans funding rules provide detailed information about the requirements for the learner file for ESFA and Advanced Learner Loans funded further education.

The ESFA 16 to 19 education funding regulations document provides funding compliance guidance in relation to learner recruitment, existence, retention and achievement.

Paper forms

All ILR data is required to be reported electronically to the ESFA, however you may use a paper form at the point of contact with the learner to capture data about the learner and this may form part of the learner file or learning agreement.

You are encouraged to use your own processes to gather ILR data which best meet the needs of your organisation. This may not involve the use of paper forms at all.