Individualised Learner Records (ILR) are an essential aspect of apprenticeship compliance. Learning providers must ensure that ILR submission happens on time, and that the ILR contains the required information.

What is the ILR?

The ILR, or individualised learner record, is an ongoing collection of data about a learner. The ILR is maintained throughout an apprentice’s learning journey. The data that is collected and then submitted in the ILR is used to ensure that public money – distributed by the Department for Education (DfE) – is used to fund high-quality learning programmes, and to inform government statistics.

More specifically, as explained on the government website, the data contained in the ILR is used to:

• Calculate actual funding earned.
• Monitor at an individual level, all training providers’ delivery against allocation or contract.
• Monitor quality of provision and evaluate the effectiveness of training providers across the learning and skills sector.
• Make the case to government for levels of funding appropriate to the sector.
• Monitor progress against government targets.
• Demonstrate the outcomes of the distribution of government funds.

Training providers across government-funded apprenticeships and skills bootcamps are responsible for completing and submitting the ILR. ILR submission happens in most cases on a monthly basis, although providers offering training to 16-19 year olds must submit data on a quarterly basis. The data return for each month is referred to as R01, R02 and so on. Each is submitted in arrears, with the monthly deadline being the fourth working day of the following month. This continues throughout the year until R12, as you would expect. There are two extra returns – R13 and R14, which give you an opportunity to tidy up the data from those previous returns and also to add in any additional data that you hadn’t previously been able to submit. The R14 deadline is also known as a ‘hard stop’.

Why is the ILR important?

As we’ve seen, data included in the ILR enables the government to track and report on the sector, and to monitor the quality and suitability of provision. For training providers, individualised learning records are key because they are used by the DfE to calculate their funding. Without accurate ILR submission, training providers will not receive government funding.

Common pitfalls in the ILR

ILR management is time-consuming and complex, and becomes more so as the number of learners an organisation supports grows.

The depth and breadth of the information that needs to be recorded for each learner is significant. For organisations training 500 learners or less, the government provides a free ILR Learner Entry Tool. However, providers with larger learner numbers, or aspirations to have larger learner numbers, are advised to use a purpose-built Management Information system to ensure the correct data is collected and submitted.

The DfE checks all ILR data upon submission and if errors are found, they will require the training provider to check, correct and return the data. However, they don’t allow much time for this process to happen and any delays in this process can result in delays to the receipt of funding.

As errors in the data can range from the simple (the formatting of dates or post codes, for example) to the more complex, it is advisable to use a tool like the Funding Information System (FIS) to highlight any errors in your data before submitting. It’s important to be aware of what the FIS does and does not check. For example, rules that rely on external tables such as postcode or Unique Learner Number tables are not included in the FIS and will need to be checked separately. Finally, it’s recommended to submit data early so that there is time – if needed – to go through the process of fixing any errors found by the DfE in the ILR.

How do the latest funding rules impact the ILR?

Changes to funding rules may impact IRL submission from August each year. A full explanation of the changes to apprenticeship funding rules is available here.

Here is a link to the rules that affect individual learner record submissions, at the time of writing.

How should providers manage ILR management and submissions?

ILR can be complex, even for those experienced in world of apprenticeship management. From a systems perspective, Aptem Apprentice makes it quick and easy to create your ILRs, allowing you to focus on compliance rather than complex data entry.

How Aptem simplifies your ILRs and monthly submissions:

• Process automations allow you to make compliant ILR changes through trackers with an audit trail of changes. Aptem does the hard work.
• The Aptem RPL Calculator automates the tasks associated with applying the correct reductions to price and duration based on the apprentice’s recognised prior learning in accordance with the latest funding rules, so that administrators can submit a compliant and accurate ILR.
• Different levels of ILR permissions enable a robust ILR verification process to protect the ILR from changes that may affect compliance and your funding claims.
• The built-in Compliance Dashboard easily identifies things like missing AIMS, data errors, and compliance issues.
• It is quick and easy to export batch files and filter the data, for all learners or groups of learners.
• Learners can self-serve their personal information saving on double keying and reducing errors.
• ILR templates are available at programme level, automating the creation of the ILR and removing the need for manual entry.

Aptem’s ILR functionality in action:

“Here at Edge Hill University is really benefiting from the off-the-job calculations that are all done by Aptem, being able to process ILRs digitally and the process automations within the ILR that reduces admin time and margin of error, and the reporting that helps to inform operational and strategic decisions.” Joanne Sage, Compliance Manager, Edge Hill University

“We are very happy that we selected Aptem Apprentice. The programme director can log on and assess the application suitability and take it from there, which saves a lot of time. Having the top-level overview of our apprentice’s progress and the ability to generate reports is great. The ILR functionality is invaluable. This flexible system saves us considerable time and effort and delivers a high level of insight.” Ruth Eccles, Head of Professional and Workplace Learning, University of Nottingham

If you would like to talk to a member of our team about how Aptem supports nearly 200 apprenticeship providers with Recognition of Prior Learning, please get in touch.

Please note that certain features and functionality highlighted here are exclusive to specific Aptem packages. Please speak to your Business Development Manager, or Customer Success Manager if you are already an Aptem customer, for further information.