Inform January 2019
Updated 18 January 2022
Applies to England
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1. Hub corner
1.1 Action: individualised learner record (ILR): R06 for 2018 to 2019
The ILR R06 data collection for the 2018 to 2019 funding year is now open and will close at 6pm on Wednesday 6 February 2019. As always, we recommend that you submit your data as early as possible and that you review your validation and funding reports that are made available to you on the hub.
If you need to submit an earnings adjustment statement (EAS) and you do not have access to this on the ‘Data Returns’ tab in the Hub, please email our service desk at SDE.servicedesk@education.gov.uk or call us on 0370 267 0001 to request this.
1.2 Information: R05 for 2018 to 2019
In R05 we processed 5,227 files from 1,504 providers. Over 590 providers submitted their first R05 file within the final 3 days of the R05 collection window, 197 of these submitted their first R05 file on the final day.
1,370 ILR files were submitted on the last day of the collection window, which is over 26% of the total files submitted during the entire collection window.
1.3 Information: specification of the individualised learner record (ILR) for 2019 to 2020
The first version of the ILR specification for 2019 to 2020 will be published next week and will be available on our ILR guidance page.
2. Qualification achievement rates (QAR) 2017 to 2018 – provisional data update
2.1 Reminder: query window deadline - Friday 1 February 2019
Thank you to those who have provided feedback on the provisional QAR 2017 to 2018 data and raised queries.
You have until 5pm on Friday 1 February to inform us of any concerns about how we have implemented our published methodology. To submit a query relating to the provisional data, please complete a data query form and email this to the service desk at SDE.Servicedesk@education.gov.uk. Please mark your query for ‘ESFA Business Operations QAR’.
You cannot request fixes or adjustments to your 2017 to 2018 individualised learner record (ILR) data.
2.2 Information: version 2 provisional data published
This week we republished the provisional data extracts and reports to resolve known issues. You can see your republished files as version 2 on the Hub.
Some providers have queried why they have data extracts but no reports. This is because the reports are only generated for providers who had leavers in 2017 to 2018, but the data extracts provide data and trend information for three years (2015 to 2016 through to 2017 to 2018). If you do not have a report but believe you should have received one, please contact the service desk and ask them to pass the query onto ‘ESFA Business Operations QAR’.
2.3 Information: accessing QAR data
To access your QAR data extracts and business intelligence (BI) reports on the Hub you will need to ensure that your user role allows you to access the Data Returns page. Please see the hub guide to user roles and the in-year guidancefor more information.
2.4 Information: rules, specifications and guides
The latest versions of the business rules, dataset specifications and data extract guides are on the QAR 2017 to 2018 webpage. Guidance about how to use the QAR reports is available on the QAR reports guidance webpage.
3. Information: R05 funding monitoring reports published
We have published the R05 funding monitoring reports on the Hub. The funding monitoring reports user guide 2018 to 2019 explains how to access the reports and any actions you must take to ensure data is correct.
We have also published a known issues log, which tracks issues that are affecting the suite of reports, and the dates we expect to resolve these. You should refer to the user guide and the known issues log when reviewing your reports.
For further information, please contact the sde.servicedesk@education.gov.uk, marking your query for the attention of the funding rules monitoring team.
4. Funding claims guidance and mid-year funding claim
4.1 Action: mid-year funding claims
You must submit your mid-year funding claim by 5pm on Tuesday 12 February 2019 using the digital claim form on the Hub if you receive funds through:
- adult education budget – grant-funded (non-procured)
- advanced learner loans bursary – grant-funded
- learner support contract – paid-on-profile (procured)
- community learning contract – paid-on-profile
The form will include your R06 ILR and EAS data information and will be available from 9am on Thursday 7 February 2019. You must include your forecasts for the remainder of the 2018 to 2019 funding year. Once you have submitted your mid-year funding claim in the Hub, you will also be able to view it on the Manage your education and skills funding.
You will not be able to complete the form after the deadline on Tuesday 12 February 2019. A user guide to help you complete the form is also available.
4.2 Information: funding claims guidance 2018 to 2019
The 2018 to 2019 funding claims guidance is now available. The guidance informs providers which funding streams they are required to submit funding claims for and includes all relevant dates for each funding claim.
Please note that the year-end forecast claim date has changed this year from September (following R13) and will now be in June 2019 following the R10 data collection.
5. Action: the FE Choices Learner Satisfaction Survey is live
The FE Choices Learner Satisfaction Survey was launched late last year, and many responses have already been received, thank you. The survey closes on Saturday 4 May 2019, so please encourage your learners to have their say. All participating providers receive a report containing their results – results are also published on GOV.UK, the Find an Apprenticeship service and the National Careers Service website to help learners decide where to train.
If you have not received an email to take part in the survey containing your details, please email enquiries.EFA@education.gov.uk.
6. Information: join our apprenticeship training provider user research panel
The apprenticeship service needs your help!
We are looking for training providers to join our Apprenticeship Training Provider User Research Panel to help improve our online services.
It would involve sharing your views on our service and getting a first look at prototypes.
The research is typically held remotely, which means you could take part from your desk and share screens with one of our research team. We would do our best to work around your schedule.
Your participation is always voluntary and you do not have to take part in every session that takes place, you can unsubscribe from the panel at any time.
To join, please fill out our online form You will be asked some questions which will help make sure you get invited to research that’s relevant to you. We value your privacy, so your answers won’t be shared with anyone else.
7. Information: earnings adjustment statement - new guidance video to assist your submissions
Following changes earlier this year to the way you submit your earnings adjustment statement (EAS), we have produced a video to help you to create and submit a new EAS file.
We will publish this video on Monday 28 January and you can find the link through the EAS webpage.