Personal Learning Record

What is the Personal Learning Record?

The PLR is an accessible verified database of learning participation and achievement. It is managed by the Learning Records Service (LRS). Visit their website for more details about the PLR.

The PLR provides learners with a single record of their achievement data which the LRS states will help:

• Learners to take control of their personal learning development 
• Providers and advisers support learners to interpret their achievement data online and in one place.

The data that will be transferred consists of name, date of birth, Unique Learner Number (ULN) and the date and title of the achievement. This is referred to as the achievement data.

Does this affect all customers?

This only affects funded candidates in England, Wales and NI including ILM centres. Our international customers and those based in Scotland will not be impacted.

When were centres notified of the transfer of achievement data to the PLR?

Last September, the Skills Funding Agency wrote a letter to all colleges and training providers about the implantation of the PLR and qualification funding related to it.

Will centres need to request for achievement data to be made available to the PLR?

No - as long as we have a valid ULN all relevant achievement will be sent to the PLR.

How will centres provide and verify the ULN?

Centres will continue to provide ULNs to City & Guilds business as usual. This can be done via EDI or the Walled Garden. City & Guilds already has a system in place to verify ULNs with LRS and provide feedback to centres on matches on a Walled Garden report. This service is now available to ILM candidates.

When should centres add the ULN to a candidate record?

The ULN may be added before or after has achieved . City & Guilds will send all relevant results to the PLR whether the ULN was received before the certification or after.

Will ULNs still be printed on certificates and other appropriate outputs?

Yes – ULNs will continue to be printed on relevant documentation.

Will City & Guilds continue to use our Enrolment numbers (ENR)

Yes – enrolment numbers will still be used in our systems and processes. The ULN is an additional identifier but not all learners will have one. International Learners will not be affected.

Will prior achievement for candidates be loaded into the PLR?

Achievement for City & Guilds qualifications will be available for learners who have achieved from 29 March 2013.

Will City & Guilds be able to access to our candidates’ PLR records?

No, City & Guilds are unable to change or access learners’ records once they have been uploaded to the PLR.

Will learners have access to the PLR?

Learners can access their own PLR through the National Careers Service – https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

Why would a candidate’s achievement data be missing from the PLR?

In order for City & Guilds to send achievement data to the PLR it must satisfy several criteria:

1. A candidate’s ULN must be positively verified with the LRS.
   You can check the ‘LRS’ report on the reports section of Walled Garden to see the status of a candidate’s ULN. You’ll find a guide to use this report on our Walled Garden Support Documentation page. 
2. The result or qualification in question is not technically accredited. 
3. There was an error in transferring the achievement to the PLR.
   Any errors that occur will be picked up by City & Guilds operations staff and resolved as soon as possible which may include contacting the centre. This will fall in line with other data correction SLAs, but for PLR purposes we would give a 48 hour guideline.

What will happen if a candidate’s results are cancelled?

City & Guilds will withdraw any cancelled results from the PLR accordingly.

What if that same result is reinstated?

City & Guilds will send any reinstated results to the PLR accordingly.

Will centres be able to differentiate between our candidates’ City & Guilds and ILM results?

Yes – on an individual learner’s PLR record a centre can see (if the learner has consented to this) the awarding organisation of each qualification and unit achieved.

Will centres be able to determine the centre where the achievement was assessed?

Yes – City & Guilds and ILM will provide centre details with the data sent to the PLR which can be viewed on an individual’s record.

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