Get it in! Get it right!

The deadline for the fourth Employer Responsive (ER04) ILR return of 2010/11 must be submitted by 06 December 2010.

Compulsory requirements for this return include the need to submit valid Unique Learner Numbers and Employer identifiers, as stated in the 2010/11 ILR Specification issued by the information authority.

Unique Learner Number (ULN) - Fields L45 and A55

Since August 2010 the inclusion of a valid Unique Learner Number (ULN) for each learner became compulsory within the ILR. For providers this means that a valid ULN will be a compulsory requirement in the ER04 collection and onwards for all funded learning aims (with a planned or actual duration of 14 days or more) where the learning aim start date is more than 60 calendar days before the reference date for the return, otherwise the learning aim will not pass validation (will be rejected).* This validation check will only occur in the Data Collection portal - not the LIS.

ULNs must be obtained from the Learner Register and should be generated at least 2-3 days in advance of the return date to ensure they are accepted as valid when transmitting the data. 

*For OLASS learners, there may be exceptional circumstances where the offender is in custody and cannot be registered for a ULN, in this case the provider can use 9999999999.

Completion of the Employer identifier (field A44)

A valid Employer identifier is a compulsory requirement in the ILR for Employer Responsive-funded provision from the ER04 collection onwards for all ER-funded learning aims* where the learning aim start date is more than 60 calendar days before the reference date for the return otherwise the learning aim will not pass validation (will be rejected).

(* For Apprenticeship programmes, the Employer identifier only needs to be completed on the main aim.)

Impact of unknown or invalid ULNs and Employer identifiers

The ULN and the Employer identifier are mandatory for ER-funded provision. Learning aim records with unknown or invalid Employer Identifiers in ILR returns will be rejected. This will have an impact on learner monitoring, funding and performance.  We would encourage providers to make early returns to ensure that they have made a valid return by the closing date.

A number of free tools are available from the Data Service and the information authority to help you ensure your data is accurate, pre and post-submission of your ER04 return.

Pre-submission – Get it right!

Available software includes:

• The Learner Information Suite (LIS) - this can be used to validate ILR data returns, calculate derived variables, and to generate reports on LR and ER funding.
• The Data Self-Assessment Toolkit (DSAT) – this can be used to analyse final funding claims, as well as to perform additional data quality checks.
• ILR e-learning module – developed to assist provider understanding of the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).

ULN Top Tips Guide
In August 2010, the Unique Learner Number (ULN) became a mandatory field in the ILR. Working together, the Learning Records Service, the information authority and the Data Service have launched a ULN top tips guide designed to support providers in the application of the ULN. This guide includes tips on the best time to generate ULNs and ULN requirements in the 2010/11 ILR specification and showcases the good practice Lewisham College has put in place.

 ULN Top Tips Guide (352Kb)

Post-submission – Get it right!

• ILR validation reports (rule violation reports) and funding reports from the Data Collections portal can be used to examine errors (learner record rejections) or warnings in ILR file submissions. 
• ILR credibility reports from the Data Collections portal provide key summaries on the submitted data against the information authority data quality standards, together with key summaries on derived variables calculated by the Data Service.
• Data Quality Dashboard Reports from the Provider Gateway provide dashboard views of provider performance against information authority data quality standards and in comparison to national, regional, local authority, and provider type averages.

If you have any queries on your ILR data return please contact the Service Desk on 0870 2670001, or e-mail servicedesk@thedataservice.org.uk quoting ‘ER04’ in the subject header.