Train to Gain success rate methodology 2009/10 FAQs

• The existing Train to Gain success rate does now sufficiently take account of the "roll-on, roll-off" nature of this provision. This has led to distortions in calculations at provider level and national rates that change over time, which makes it difficult to benchmark or assess performance against national changes.
• Partner organisations - for example, Ofsted and the LSC - have continued to measure this provision in different ways. This is unhelpful and confusing for the sector.
• Data for inclusion in the new approach relating to activity during the 2009/10 academic year will be capped at Period 15. This will ensure clean and final data for both the calculation of performance measures and for commissioning purposes.
• This new approach is part of overall efforts to harmonise success rates.

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2. What are the benefits of changing the calculation methodology?

• The new approach will have as its focus the setting and planning of outcomes in relation to individual learners and achievement by end dates as recorded on the ILR.
• The new methodology is transparent.
• The approach is very learner-focussed and rewards those providers that manage their provision well.
• The approach will be agreed by all partners and, therefore, providers will be able to use it with confidence when writing their self-assessment reports and when preparing for inspection.

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3. How will it affect me as a provider? 

• Success rates: As now, success rates will vary according to provision type (NVQ Level 2/ 3, Skills for Life and Other) and Sector Subject Area. More generally however, if any part of your provision carries a high proportion of late achievements (compared to planned end dates), there will initially be a negative impact. It is expected that this will even out over time.
• National level success rate figures: At the headline level, timely success rates might initially appear lower than those currently published, but it is expected that this will rapidly improve. The intention to continue to capture all successful outcomes, even those that are outside an agreed time period, will mean that a new 'Overall' national success rate may well be higher than that currently published by the LSC. 

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4. How will performance be monitored over time? 

• The new timely Train to Gain success rate will be used by Ofsted, the LSC and, in future, the SFA, in the same way as the current approach. It will be used to set national and local targets, and as part of the commissioning process.
• Guidance will be produced for all staff responsible for assessing performance at the provider, local and sector level. This will assist with the process of monitoring performance over time and ensure that informed judgements are made on a 'like-for-like' basis.

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5. What are the main principles and changes to the 2009/10 Train to Gain success rate methodology?

The new Train to Gain methodology will broadly follow the existing Apprenticeship approach - i.e. both Overall and Timely numbers for achievement of learning aims will be recorded.

Success rate definitions:

Overall - all learning aim achievements over time with reporting mainly taking place in the year that they are finished (therefore, not time-dependent).
Timely - method of caturing all learning aims that are completed within 90 days when compared to the initial planned end date (therefore, time dependent).

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6. When will the new Train to Gain methodology be published?

The new methodology will be published in-year, following receipt of Period 6 ILR data (February 2010), which allows for a sufficient period of development and testing.

This publication date is earlier than last year, which was during Period 9, and therefore the earliest date so far that the Train to Gain success rate methodology has been provided.

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7. Where can I get access to the published definitions of success rate methodologies once they become available? 

Once made available, published definitions will be on the Data Service wesite, in the Data Dictionary. 

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8. Why are these changes being communicated now? 

The changes are being communicated now as we are trying to give the sector advance notification of the Train to Gain methodology changes, in particular providers who receive Train to Gain funding and software suppliers/ writers, so that preparation is made for any changes that occur. The alignment of the Train to Gain and Apprenticeship success rates is an indication of an overall 'direction of travel' for all the organisations involved, including the LSC, BIS, DCSF and Ofsted, towards greater simplicity and transparency.  

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