Guidance

ProviderILR data: provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT)

AProvider tooldata andself-assessment usertoolkit guides(PDSAT) and reports to help furtherFE education (FE) providers submitmake accurate and complete individualised learner record (ILR) data returns.

From:
Department for Education and Education and Skills Funding Agency
Published
29 July 2019
Last updated
115 AugustJune 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Access PDSAT

https://pdsat.co.uk/

ReviewingProvider PDSATdata reportsself-assessment fortoolkit 2024(PDSAT) toonline: 2025: user guide

PDF, 9201.24 KBMB, 9322 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Reviewing PDSATprovider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) reports for 2023 to 2024: user guide

PDF, 641 KB, 100 pages

Reviewing provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) reports for 2021 to 2022: user guide

PDF, 703 KB, 113 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Reviewing provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT) reports for 2020 to 2021: user guide

PDF, 841 KB, 113 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Overview of PDSAT reports by type

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 31 KB

Privacy policypolicy: Provider data self-assessment toolkit (PDSAT)

HTML

Details

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)(ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

ThisPDSAT guidance is for:

  • FEa providerstool thatfor areanalysing requiredlearner toand maintainlearning delivery data. It interrogates individual learner record (ILR) data and ensureproduces itreports ison completethis anddata, accurate,so whichthat include:

    • colleges
    • independent training providers
    • higher educationcan providers
    • employer-providers
    • otheridentify organisations

  • organisationsand thatinvestigate deliverpotential fundinganomalies auditsin andthe otherILR reviews,data.

    We whichhave include:developed PDSAT:

    • DfE
    • accountancyto firms
    • externalinclude andnew internalfunctionality auditors

PDSATfor Onlinethe is2023 ato tool2024 developedfunding byyear

  • maintain aexisting supplierfunctionality toapplicable aidfrom the analysis2021 ofto learner2022 andfunding learningyear deliveryonwards

    • PDSAT data.will Itprocess interrogates ILR data andfor producesall reports,funding allowingyears providersfrom to2021 identify and investigate potential anomalies. A guide for how to use PDSAT Online is available on the supplier’s website.2022.

    It is aproviders’ provider’s responsibility to putimplement in place processes thatto ensure that they return timely,timely complete and accurate data in their ILRs.

    We encourage providers to use PDSAT to regularly check their ILR data,data reducing the risk of of:

    • overclaiming funds from theESFA
    • repayment Departmentof forfunds

    Reviewing EducationPDSAT (DfE)reports: thatuser thenguide

    The needuser toguide beis repaid.

    Tofor useproviders PDSATwho are required to maintain ILR Online,data providersand needensure toit registeris theircomplete organisation.and accurate. This includes:

    A

    The PDSATguide is availablealso forused to deliver funding yearsaudits 2016and toother 2017reviews throughby

    • the toESFA 2021and toaccountancy 2022.

      firms
    • external and internal auditors

    TheThis ‘Reviewingguide PDSATdoes reports:not userexplain guide’how isto foruse providersthe andPDSAT thesoftware. organisationsYou reviewingcan theiraccess ILRthe ‘PDSAT data. User guidesGuide’ forin the fundingdocumentation years 2020section toof 2021,the 2021tool, towithin 2022the and‘settings’ 2022tab.

    Registering toyour 2023organisation arefor availablePDSAT

    If inyou thehave Nationalnot Archives.

    Theyet ‘Overviewregistered ofto use PDSAT, reportsyou bymust type’request providesthe creation of a categorisednew summaryorganisation.

    Older versions of allPDSAT

    A availabledesktop version of PDSAT reports,is toavailable helpfor usersfunding understandyears thefrom purpose2016 andto potential20217 impactthrough ofto reports2021 thatto are2022.

    Further mostsupport

    If likelyyou tohave identifyany issuesproblems orrunning fundingPDSAT, errors.

    Foror have any queries,queries emailplease contact the PDSAT helpdesk DSAThelpdesk@KPMG.co.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 July 2019
    Last updated 115 AugustJune 2025 + show all updates

    1. We have added 'Reviewing PDSAT reports for 2024 to 2025: user guide'. We have removed 'Reviewing PDSAT reports for 2021 to 2022', 'Reviewing PDSAT reports for 2020 to 2021', 'PDSAT Online: user guide' and 'Access PDSAT', as these documents are now out of date. They are available in the National Archives.

    Sign up for emails or print this page