Details

ThisThe pageEducation containsand linksSkills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to documentsthe concernedDepartment withfor Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

These documents concern the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) standard files and associated reference data from the Data Governance team.data.

TheseThey documents specify how and when the learner data collected is presented for analysisanalysis. andWe we also send them to external organisations for their own analysis.analysis Thisto ensuresensure that the files being analysed are fit for purpose and that any ambiguity is avoided.

Included are:

• The ILR Standardstandard Filefile Specification,specification whichdatasets showsshow how the data from the ILR collections is formatted for further analysis. This also includes derived variables (DVs) which help produce clearer and consistent data

• The Freezefreeze Scheduleschedule which details the frequency of the ILR returns, when they are available and the purposes for which they are collected.

• The ILR Dataset 201516

• ILR2024 Datasetto 201415
• What2025 is thenot ILRaccessible because there are tables with complex structures and colour is used to convey information. This means it does not meet WCAG Standardsuccess Filecriteria:
  • 1.3.2: Specificationmeaningful sequence
  • ILR1.3.3: Freezesensory Schedulecharacteristics

  We are currently working on an accessible version, which should be available by May 2026.

Data Sharing Documents

TheseThe documentsSFA terms and conditions are designed to put in place a framework for the sharing of personal data by external users with due attention to all relevant legislation.

Included are:

• SFA Terms and Conditions
• SFA Data Controller Data Sharing Agreement
• SFA Data Processor Data Sharing Agreement

How to use these documents

You can download any of these documents and save them to use as a local copy. We may periodically update these documents to reflect data specification changes or amendments to derivations.

How to get further information

If you would like any help with these documents or have any suggestions to help improve these documentsdocuments, orplease ifcontact youus haveusing additionalthe documentsCustomer thatHelp could usefully be added to this page, then please contact SDE.SERVICEDESK@education.gov.ukPortal.