Glossary
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20+ childcare
A category of learner support to assist learners aged over the age of 20 who are at risk of not starting learning or leaving learning due to issues in obtaining childcare
A
Accelerated apprenticeship
Where the apprenticeship planned duration is shorter (by at least 3 months) than the typical duration of the standard, based on prior learning; however, the minimum programme duration and Off-the-Job training element must still be met .
ACE (Apprenticeship Certificates England)
The Federation for Industry Sector Skills and Standards is the designated Certifying Authority for Apprenticeships in England. To manage this process the Federation developed a bespoke, online system, Apprenticeship Certificates England.
Achievement date
The date on which the learning or programme aim was achieved by the learner
ACL (Tailored Learning purpose)
Identifies the purpose of the Tailored learning / Community Learning provision being undertaken
ACT (Apprenticeship Contract Type)
The type of contract under which the apprenticeship programme is being funded
Actual end date
The date that the learner completed the learning activities necessary to achieve the learning aim or the date the learner withdrew from the learning activities, accurate to within a week
Additional Delivery Hours
The number of additional guided learning hours required for completion of the learning aim
Additional payments
Extra funding claimed by providers to help with the additional costs of training specific groups of learners
ADL (Advanced Learner Loans Indicator)
Identifies whether the learning aim is financed by an Advanced Learner Loan
Advanced learner loan
Loans for individuals aged 19+ to provide financial support towards tuition costs. Paid directly from the Student loans company (SLC) to the college or training organisation .
AFL (Community Learning which is Family learning)
Identifies Community Learning/ Tailored Learning provision which is Family Learning
Aim sequence number
The sequence number of the learning aim or programme in ILR data submissions
Aim Type
The type of aim recorded, to differentiate between programme aims; 16-19 core aims, aims not a part of a programme, or component learning aims
ALB (Loans Bursary funding)
The category of Advanced learner loans bursary funding awarded learners where the provider is claiming support through the ILR
APAR (Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register)
Previously the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (ROATP), this is a record of organisations that; are eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices, and can undertake end-point assessments.
Apprenticeship evidence pack
A collection of documents and information about an apprentice, their apprenticeship standard agreement, and related programme activities
Apprenticeship levy
A levy on UK employers to raise funds to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment. The Levy is an amount paid at a rate of 0.5% of an employer’s annual pay bill, where the pay bill is over £3 million per year.
Apprenticeship standard code
The apprenticeship programme code, from the LARS database, for the apprenticeship learning being undertaken
ASF (Adult Skills Fund)
The Adult skills fund is the funding model for 19+ non-apprenticeship learners and has replaced the Adult education budget (AEB), as of August 2024.
ASL (Community Learning provision type)
Identifies the type of Community Learning provision activity being undertaken
B
BiL (Break in learning)
Situation where an individual takes an agreed break from study, but still plans to return to it in the future. This can be instigated by the learner, but must be agreed with their employer.
BSI (Benefit Status Indicator)
Identifies that the learner is in receipt of various types of state benefits and entitled to fully funded learning in certain circumstances.
C
Campus Identifier
The identifier of a campus within a college group, no longer a separate legal entity; but which previously operated as an incorporated college with its own UKPRN
Care leaver bursary
An additional one-off payment made to certain learners who are care leavers and who meet the care leaver criteria in the relevant funding rules.
Care to Learn
A Department for Education scheme to assist young parents under the age of 20 with the childcare costs that may form a barrier to their continuing in education
Co-investment
Where the government shares the cost of training with the learner (or employer, in the case of apprenticeships). Also referred to as co-funding.
Completion of Year of Instance
Refers to the year of engagement counted for funding purposes by the OfS
Completion status
The degree of completion of the learning activities leading to the achievement of the learning aim
Continuing learners
Learners who commenced learning in a previous funding year and remain in learning as of the start of the current year on the same aim/programme
Contract Reference Number
The reference number, assigned by the ESFA, for an element of a contract for services
D
DAM (Devolved Area Monitoring)
Indicates participation in programmes or initiatives in devolved areas; usually represented by DAM codes in ILR
Delivery Location Postcode
The postcode of the address at which the learning is delivered
Delivery subcontractor
A separate legal entity or an individual that has an agreement with the training provider to deliver any element of the programme
Diagnostic testing/assessment
A form of pre-assessment where training providers can evaluate strengths, weaknesses, knowledge and skills of a learner before their programme begins
Distance learning
Learning that is delivered remotely (online) rather than face-to-face
DSA (Disabled students allowance)
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is financial support to cover the study-related costs that learners have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability
E
Earnings Threshold
Eligibility criteria that enables learners to be fully funded if they earn below the government set earnings limit for education funding, regardless of employment status
EAS (Earnings adjustment statement)
A method used by training providers to claim funding that cannot be claimed through ILR returns alone
ECF (Eligibility for 16-19 disadvantage funding)
Learner eligibility for 16-19 (excluding Apprenticeships) disadvantage funding
ECF (GCSE English condition of funding)
Indicates the learner is either exempt from or has met the GCSE English condition of funding
EEA (European Economic Area)
Abbreviated as EEA; consists of the Member States of the European Union (EU) and 3 countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
EEF (Eligibility for Enhanced Apprenticeship Funding)
To indicate eligibility for enhanced apprenticeship funding. Provides extra funding for learners who have; learning difficulties, disability, or are care leavers
EHCP (Education Health Care plan)
A plan for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support, and set-up through the learners local authority
ELS (Exceptional learning support)
An additional payment that training providers can claim if the cost of supporting learning support for an individual learner is more than £19,000 in a funding year
EPA (End-point assessment)
An assessment that takes place at the end of an apprenticeship, to ensure apprentices have reached the necessary level of competence to be awarded an apprenticeship certificate
EPAOrg (End point assessment organisation)
An independent organisation that carries out apprenticeship end-point assessments
ESOL (English for speakers of other languages)
The study of English by speakers of other languages
F
FALA (Find a learning aim)
FALA is an online service where users can find information on available qualifications, non-regulated learning, apprenticeship standards, T Levels and units
FFI (Full or Co-funding indicator)
Indicates whether the learning aim is fully funded or co-funded through Adult Skills or Other Adult funding
FJAA (Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agency)
An organisation (that is a distinct legal entity, so apprentices have contracts of employment with the FJAA) that recruits and employs apprentices on behalf of other employers
FLN (Family English, Maths and Language)
Identifies participation in regulated Family English, Maths and Language (FEML) courses that are formula funded from ASF/AEB
Functional skills
Applied practical skills in English, maths and digital courses that provide the learner with the essential knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to operate effectively and independently in life and work
Funding adjustment for prior learning
The proportion of this learning aim, as a percentage figure, still to be delivered
Funding agreement
The agreement between the Secretary of State for Education, acting through the Department, and training providers who receive funding for education and skills training
Funding band
The financial range, set by government, for the cost of delivering training and assessment for an apprenticeship standard, or for delivery of 16-19 funded programmes
Funding Model
Identifies the category of funding to be applied when calculating funding for the learning aim
Funding year
A funding period which starts on 1 August and finishes on 31 July of the following year
G
Gateway
The period during which an apprentice prepares for and undertakes end-point assessment for an apprenticeship standard
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
The GDPR is retained in domestic law as the UK GDPR, but the UK has the independence to keep the framework under review. The ‘UK GDPR’ sits alongside an amended version of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018
H
Hardship support
Within learner support, a category of support to assist vulnerable and disadvantaged learners to remove barriers to education and training
HNS (High needs students)
To indicate if a local authority has paid element 3 (top-up) funding for an 16-19 (excluding Apprenticeships) funded student whose agreed support costs are greater than £6,000
I
ILR (Individualised learner record)
The primary data collection requested from training providers for further education and work-based learning in England. The government uses this data to monitor policy implementation and the performance of the sector
ILR specification
The technical documents, guidance and requirements to help training providers collect, return and check ILR and other relevant learner data
Immigration permission
The permissions, or otherwise, granted by the government of the United Kingdom for an individual to reside here. Foreign learners need immigration permission to study in the UK
Intent
The Intent shows the policy decision behind a validation rule and why it triggers
J
Job outcome payment
Payments made for learners who are unemployed at the start of learning and who then subsequently leave learning before the end of the programme to take up employment
L
LARS (Learning aims reference service)
A DfE maintained database of funded learning aims and programmes, represented online by the Find a learning aim (FALA) service
LDD/LLDD (Learning difficulty or disability)
A learner may be eligible for learning support if a learning difficulty or disability is recognised and directly impacts on their learning. This needs to be recognised as part of a learner need’s assessment
LDM (Learning Delivery Monitoring)
A code used as part of the ILR data to indicate participation in certain aims/programmes or initiatives, denoted in ILR data by an LDM number
Learner file
A training provider maintained collection of information about a learner and their learning programme activities
Learner Reference Number
The training provider's own reference number for the learner, as assigned by the training provider
Learner support
Learner support is available to provide financial support for learners with a specific financial hardship preventing them from taking part/continuing in learning
Learning Aim Reference
The learning aim reference code from the LARS database for the learning being undertaken
Learning Delivery
In ILR collections, a data entity that collects details of the learning aims that a learner is studying
Learning support
Learning support is available to meet the cost of putting in place a reasonable adjustment, as set out in the Equality Act 2010, for learners who have an identified learning difficulty and/or disability, to achieve their learning goal
Legal Entitlement
Funded Adult skills includes support for 4 legal entitlements to full funding for resident eligible adult learners (aged 19 and over): English and maths, up to and including level 2, first full qualification at level 2 and/or level 3, and essential digital skills qualifications, up to and including level 1
Levy-paying employer
An employer, or group of connected employers, with a collective annual pay bill of over £3 million per year
Local flexibility
Regulated funded qualifications, and/or their components, which are not part of the English and maths, or level 2 or level 3 legal entitlement offer
LSD Postcode (Learning Start Date Postcode)
The residency postcode of the learner for the purposes of funding. Used to determine whether learners are in a devolved or non-devolved area
LSF (Learning support funding)
Funding made available from DfE to enable providers to put in place a reasonable adjustment for learners with an identified learning difficulty and/or disability to achieve their learning goal
LSR (Learner support reason)
The category of learner support that is to be awarded to the learner , as reported in the training providers ILR data returns. Includes Hardship, 20+ childcare funding, Residential access funding, and ICT devices and connectivity
M
MCF (GCSE Maths condition of funding)
Indicates the learner is either exempt from or has met the GCSE maths condition of funding
Minimum duration
For apprenticeships, the minimum length of time the learner must spend in training; currently this is 12 months
Multiply
An adult numeracy programme delivered across Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs)/the GLA and upper tier/unitary authorities outside of those areas
N
NLM (National learner monitoring)
Identifies any additional monitoring characteristics required for the learner outside of Learning delivery monitoring (LDM) codes
Non-levy employer
An employer, or group of connected employers, with a collective annual pay bill of less than £3 million per year
Non-regulated aim
Learning which is not subject to awarding organisation external accreditation in the same way as a regulated qualification
O
Original Learning Start Date
The date on which the learner first started the learning aim - this is usually earlier than the programme start date and often applied to restarts and learner transfers
Other Funding Adjustment
The percentage factor used to adjust the funding to which the learner is entitled for the aim
OTJ (Off-the-job training)
Training, which is delivering new skills, is relevant to the apprenticeship and is not English and maths, which is delivered during the apprentice’s normal working hours (but outside of their productive job role)
OTJ Actual hours
The total Actual off-the-job training hours (as defined in the funding rules) that is delivered to the individual apprentice over the practical period of the apprenticeship (learning start date to learning actual end date)
Outcome
Indicates whether the learner achieved the learning aim, achieved partially or had no success
Outcome grade
The examination grade awarded to the learner for the learning aim
P
PED (Planned end date)
The date by which the provider and learner plan to complete the learning related to the learning aim
PEEP (Planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours)
Total PEEP activity for the teaching year. Includes all other planned, timetabled hours and work experience/placement included in the study programme that are not included in the planned learning hours
Planned hours
Programme level - for apprenticeships this field collects the Planned off-the-job training hours (as defined in the funding rules) that will be delivered to the individual apprentice over the full apprenticeship programme. For T-levels this field collects planned hours for qualification hours only
Planned hours
For apprenticeships, the Planned off-the-job training hours (as defined in the funding rules) that will be delivered to the individual apprentice over the full apprenticeship (excluding the end-point assessment period). For T Levels, the planned hours at programme aim level for qualification hours only. For Tailored Learning, the planned timetabled hours for learning activities for the learning aim
Planned learning hours
For 16-19 learners (non-T-level learners), this is the total planned timetabled hours for learning activities for the teaching year
Prior Attainment
Previous learning that may count towards the current programme whereby the training provider must reduce cost, duration and content of the learning undertaken. For example, due to previous work experience, education, training or qualifications
Prior Level
The highest level of prior attainment at the learning start date, relevant to the learning agreement
Programme type
The type of programme which the learner is undertaking (for example Apprenticeship, Study programme, T-level etc.)
Provider/Training provider
An organisation holding a funding agreement with the DfE through which funding is directly routed. The organisation will have the overall responsibility for training and on-programme assessment conducted by themselves and their (delivery) subcontractors.
Q
Qualification on Entry
The learner’s highest qualification on entry, usually applied to higher education programmes. Not necessarily the qualification applicable for entry to the course
R
Restart indicator
An ILR data check to identify whether the learner has restarted the learning aim after a withdrawal or break in learning
RPL (Reduction for prior learning)
A calculated reduction in overall price for an apprenticeship where the learner has been assessed to have previous experience or skills relevant to the current programme
S
SEC (Socio-Economic Indicator)
Identifies the socio-economic classification of learners participating in higher education
SEN (Special educational needs)
A learner with a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them
Sex
For ILR data purposes, the legal sex of the learner as shown in official documentation
SLC (Student loans company)
The company who administer and pay student loan commitments to training providers . SLC is an executive non-departmental public body associated to the Department for Education (DfE).
SoF (Source of funding)
The organisation or source from which funding has been received directly for this learning aim in this teaching year
Student Support Number
The identifier assigned by the Student Loans Company (SLC) for the learner
T
TNP (Total negotiated price)
The price negotiated between an employer and main provider for all the eligible costs of an apprentice’s training and assessment, after relevant prior learning has been taken into account
U
UCAS application code
The UCAS Application Scheme Code, which is a four or nine character code issued by UCAS
UCAS personal identifier
The learner's UCAS Personal Identifier, issued by UCAS
UKPRN
UK Provider Reference Number. An 8-digit number from the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP)
UKRLP
UK Register of Learning Providers
ULN (Unique Learner Number)
The learner's unique learner number (ULN), as held on the Learner Register, obtained from the Learning Records Service (LRS)
W
Withdrawal Reason
The reason why the learner has withdrawn from the learning aim chosen from a value list in ILR returns