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

1. Direction of travel

2. Challenges

3. Developments

Contents

Policy and Context

The Coalition Government’s Strategy for Sustainable Growth cites a highly educated and skilled workforce as an essential component of the growth potential of the UK.– New Challenges, New Chances: 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.- 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+

ULNThe 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

Learning Records Service (ULN-PLR)

Awarding Organisations Shares achievement

data to benefit customers

22

Skills Funding Agency11

Learner access to their achievements

online

Sharing Award Data by ULN

Lifelong Learning Account

Schools, Colleges and Learning

Providers

Evidence of prior

achievement for claiming

awards

Evidence of prior

achievement for funding, IAG, exams

33

ULN Coverage

FE Sector(Scotland)

14-18 SchoolsSector

(Scotland)

HE Sector(Scotland)

4-14 SchoolsSector

(England)

4-14 SchoolsSector(Wales)

4-14 SchoolsSector (NI)

4-14 SchoolsSector

(Scotland)

Overseas

FE Sector(England)

FE Sector(Wales)

FE Sector(NI)

14-18 SchoolsSector

(England)

14-18 SchoolsSector(Wales)

14-18 SchoolsSector (NI)

HE Sector(England)

HE Sector(Wales)

HE Sector(NI)

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

FE Sector(England)

FE Sector(Wales)

FE Sector(NI)

FE Sector(Scotland)

14-18 SchoolsSector

(England)

14-18 SchoolsSector(Wales)

14-18 SchoolsSector (NI)

14-18 SchoolsSector

(Scotland)

HE Sector(England)

HE Sector(Wales)

HE Sector(NI)

HE Sector(Scotland)

4-14 SchoolsSector

(England)

4-14 SchoolsSector(Wales)

4-14 SchoolsSector (NI)

4-14 SchoolsSector

(Scotland)

Overseas

The single identifier (ULN) in education with widespread access to prior achievement and destination data (PLR)