Simplification: ULN and Personal Learning Records, April 2012

Today’s theme

To explore the current policy thinking and developments concerning the ULN and the Personal Learning Record in achieving simplification

Agenda

Contents

1. Direction of travel 2. Challenges 3. Developments

Policy and Context

The Coalition Government’s highly educated and skilled workforce as an essential component of the growth potential of the UK.

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Strategy for Sustainable Growth

New Challenges, New Chances

cites a : Further Education and Skills; –

Students at the Heart of the System

: Higher Education. Key drivers – integrated general and vocational offer with Apprenticeships across schools leading to FE, HE and employment; - operating a regulated qualification and credit-based system enabling credit accumulation and transfer

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- increasing focus on independence, academies, raising the participation age and independent IAG (Lifelong Learning Accounts and launch of National Careers Service); – simplifying the funding system, new loan arrangements and supporting progression with a stronger focus on prior attainment and destination information;

Single Identifier for 14+

ULN

The ULN is the key to learning: • a number for the learner that can be used throughout their education from age 14; • • • nearly 15 million issued; unlocks services in education; gains access to the Lifelong Learning Account, funding and achievement results online.

• new initiatives are being built around the ULN

Direction of travel

Focus on realising administration efficiencies for examinations (A2C), enrolment, funding and excellence (progression) within the UK education system Move towards a single learner identifier to enable effective data sharing Simplify the administration of the ULN Enable access to prior achievement (almost real-time award data) and education destination data Secure the wide spread adoption of the ULN and PLR

Sharing Award Data by ULN

Awarding Organisations Evidence of prior achievement for claiming awards 3 1 Shares achievement data to benefit customers Skills Funding Agency Learning Records Service (ULN-PLR) Lifelong Learning Account Learner access to their achievements online 2 Evidence of prior achievement for funding, IAG, exams Schools, Colleges and Learning Providers

ULN Coverage

4-14 Schools Sector (Scotland) 4-14 Schools Sector (NI) 4-14 Schools Sector (England) 4-14 Schools Sector (Wales) 14-18 Schools Sector (Scotland) 14-18 Schools Sector (NI) 14-18 Schools Sector (England) 14-18 Schools Sector (Wales) Overseas FE Sector (Scotland) FE Sector (NI) FE Sector (England) FE Sector (Wales) HE Sector (Scotland) HE Sector (NI) HE Sector (England) HE Sector (Wales)

Challenges

• Level of ULN administration must reduce • ULN needs to be available within schools through MI Systems (direct MIS link) • Learners must know their ULN at school and be able to access both ULN and PLR online when they leave • Exam results and awards need to be available in almost real-time • Colleges and learning providers should collect the ULN from learners and use PLR in future where possible • Agency & Awarding Organisations reaching agreement to share award data in almost real-time

Developments

- Improve ULN matching by up to 40% during 2012; - Rollout ULN across schools in Wales during 2012; - Secure ULN adoption across English schools expected for 2012-13 academic year (ISB/Star Chamber); - Start sharing real-time achievement data during 2012; - Converge to ISB naming standards and align with A2C implementation during 2012-13; - Enable the IA reduce the ILR collection for 2013-14 (i.e. amount of data collected by the Agencies)

Developments Cont…

- HEFCE-HESA recommending HEIs use the PLR for collecting prior achievement during 2012 - National Careers Service/Lifelong Learning Accounts to integrate online ID to ‘Get ULN’ and ‘Get PLR – award data’ online during 2012 Careers Wales Online to offer ‘Get ULN’ and ‘Get PLR’ online during 2012-13 - Fully integrate ULN and PLR with UCAS Apply for use by schools and FE students from 2013-14 onwards - ULN to be used by Student Loans Company to underpin the administration of FE loans with FE providers

Long-term scope of ULN and PLR

The single identifier (ULN) in education with widespread access to prior achievement and destination data (PLR) 4-14 Schools Sector (Scotland) 14-18 Schools Sector (Scotland) FE Sector (Scotland) HE Sector (Scotland) 4-14 Schools Sector (NI) 14-18 Schools Sector (NI) FE Sector (NI) HE Sector (NI) 4-14 Schools Sector (England) 4-14 Schools Sector (Wales) 14-18 Schools Sector (England) 14-18 Schools Sector (Wales) FE Sector (England) FE Sector (Wales) HE Sector (England) HE Sector (Wales) Overseas