very month, organisations which provide apprenticeships have to submit 'individual learner record' (ILR) data for every learner to the ESFA. Without it, providers can't claim funding.
And it sounds simple - just submit data you've already collected for each apprentice. Unfortunately, the devil is in the detail and it's easy to be caught out by tiny administrative errors. What's worse is that if you slip up, a clock starts ticking for you to fix it - and if you don't, your funding might be delayed.
It's a major part of apprenticeship delivery, funding and compliance - and it's a major pain point for many providers.
Read this guide to find out exactly what ILR data is, how to maintain accurate data, and the best way to submit your data each month.
ILR is the primary type of data collected for further education and work-based learning in England. It includes loads of information - from personal details to actual off-the-job hours.
Each month, providers have to submit ILR data for all their learners in order to claim funding from the ESFA. When providers submit ILR data for learners, the ESFA checks that everything is correct, before sending the provider funding to cover training delivered to each learner.
It's actually quite easy to submit ILR data to the ESFA. But the tricky part is making sure the data itself is accurate.
Unfortunately, there are lots of ways you can slip up - mainly through admin error. If the ESFA finds errors, it will return the ILR data for correction - but you don't have long to make amends. If you're late resubmitting data, there may be a delay to your funding. This is a major issue for many providers who rely on the ESFA for funding, cashflow and compliance.
Most training providers use a management information system (MIS) to record information about their learners, and submit the data to the ESFA from there.
The ESFA also provide a free learner entry tool to submit ILR data for up to 500 learners. The tool is pretty basic, but it's a good place to start if you only have a few learners.
It's all too simple to make a mistake - from simple things like using an incorrect date format, to errors which show up only during complex validation checks between data fields.
The ESFA provides a Funding Information System (FIS) to help providers check each ILR file before it's submitted. However, it's not online, so may not find all the up-to-date errors ahead of your submission.
The best way to get ahead is to use a quality software tool, which will enable you to find and resolve errors quickly.
The best solution is to use a live, online software solution which is integrated with your on-programme learning management system. This will enable you to automatically record, share and submit accurate data without the time hassle of using a manual system.
If your system has an error checker, this will also make your ILR submissions much more efficient. You'll be able to see any red flags and make the changes before you submit data to the ESFA - reducing any delays in funding.
At OneFile, we've developed an ILR tool that shares data from across the OneFile platform - making your ILR submissions as simple as possible.
To find out more about it or to book a demo with a member of our team, click the big blue button!