Skills Funding Agency

Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry, CV1 2WTT 0845 377 5000 www.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.ukA partner organisation of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills

Local Enterprise PartnershipsGuide to the LEP Operational Data Suite In-Year DataCubes – Returns 12 and 13 - October 2014

Date of issue 14 October 2014

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE READ ALONSIDE THE DATA SHARINGAGREEMENT WHICH GOVERNS THE USE, SHARING AND PUBLICATION OF DATA

CONTAINED WITHIN THIS SUITE OF CUBES.If you do not have a copy of this signed and binding agreement, please contact the

service desk. All activity undertaken using the data contained in these cubes is strictlygoverned by the terms of the Data Sharing Agreement and its terms must be adhered to at

all times.Contents1. Introduction .................................................................................................2

1.1 Purpose of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes .................................... 21.2 Contents of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes ...................................21.3 Frequency of production ...............................................................................................2

2. Accessing the offline data cubes ..............................................................32.1 Version of Microsoft Excel required...............................................................................32.2 Loading the Cube data into Excel .................................................................................3

3. Using the data in the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes...43.1 Data use and examples of ways in which data can be used .........................................43.2 General guidance and caveats ..................................................................................... 4

4. Contents of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes............54.1 Data Suite Structure......................................................................................................54.2 Fields available for analysis ..........................................................................................54.3 Types of provision included in the in-year data cubes ...................................................54.4 Formatting cells ............................................................................................................ 5

5. Further information .....................................................................................66. Cube field detail...........................................................................................7

6.1 Cube measures ............................................................................................................ 76.2 Cube dimensions..........................................................................................................7

7. Examples of ways to display data in the cube .......................................128. Common errors .........................................................................................14

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1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes

1. The purpose of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes is to provide LocalEnterprise Partnerships (LEP) with in-year data from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR),the Large Employer Outcome Pilot (LEOP) and the Employer Ownership Pilot stage 1 (EOPstage 1) for their LEP / Core City area. This provides information about the training in theirarea funded by the Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency (and theirpredecessor organisations).

2. Separate LEP Operational Data Suite full year data cubes will be produced in February eachyear containing full years of ILR, LEOP and EOP stage 1 data. These cubes will containadditional dimensions.

1.2 Contents of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes

3. The LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes consist of two offline online analyticalprocessing (OLAP) data cubes.

4. Only apprenticeship and workplace learning data is included in the in-year data cubes.Education & training and community learning provision is only present in the full year cubes.The LEP contents of the cubes are agreed by the LEP data working group.

5. The information in the LEP Operational Data Suite provides historic learning aim starts andachievement data for the geographic area covered by the LEP, funded by the Skills FundingAgency and Education Funding Agency. The in-year data cubes contain the full year’s data(currently for 2012/2013) and the year to date values for both the previous and current year(currently 2012/2013 and 2013/2014).

6. The data has been formatted to include either residents living in, or training delivered withinthe postcode covered by each LEP footprint as set out in the official Government LEP maphttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-enterprise-partnerships-local-authority-mapping.

7. All data within the LEP Operational Data Suite matches the figures supplied within theStatistical First Release (SFR).

1.3 Frequency of production

8. This LEP level in-year data is collated and made available after the publication of theStatistical First Release.

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2. Accessing the offline data cubes

2.1 Version of Microsoft Excel required

9. The offline data cubes have been designed to be used with Microsoft Excel. It isrecommended that Microsoft Excel 2007 or later is used to view the data in the cubes, butExcel 2003 can be used.

10. The correct version of an OLE DB Provider is required to be installed on the PC, in order forthe off-line data cubes to be accessed. This is present in Microsoft Excel 2010 onwards, butmay have to be downloaded from the Microsoft web site for other versions of Excel. It iscontained in the Community Technology Preview Feature Pack for Microsoft SQL Server2008 R2. The link below displays the required page on the Microsoft Support website.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29847

11. From this page the version of the OLEDB Provider that works with local cubes created withAS2008 R2 SP2 (Analysis Services 2008 Release 2 Service Pack 2) can be downloaded.

12. As this is a feature pack there are several downloads within this pack. The one that isrequired is ‘Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Analysis Services 10.0 OLE DB Provider’. Selectthe download that is compatible with your system:-

X86 Package (SQLServer2008_ASOLEDB10.msi) – 24.2MBX64 Package (SQLServer2008_ASOLEDB10_x64.msi) – 54.6 MBIA64 Package (SQLServer2008_ASOLEDB10_ia64.msi) – 61.9 MB

13. Microsoft have bundled the required files into a single package containing multiple files. Thefile and the installation instructions can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=30440

14. Only the files that are listed in our guidance document are required so when downloadingfrom the link above, just select these files.

15. If Microsoft Excel 2003 is used to view the data the field names displayed in the data cube,and the sequence of display, will not be the same as listed in section 6.

2.2 Loading the Cube data into Excel

16. Copy the .cub files onto a server, or onto a PC. The cube will operate faster if the .cub file isheld on a PC as a lot of data has to be transferred over a network when the file is on aserver.

17. Open Excel and ‘drag and drop’ the appropriate .cub file into a blank worksheet.

18. A security notice may be output asking whether you want to enable the content of the file.Click ‘Enable’.

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19. Excel will show a pivot table. The pivot table field list will show the fields available foranalysis.

20. If the cube is held on a server it can only be used by one person at a time.

3. Using the data in the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes

3.1 Data use and examples of ways in which data can be used

21. The ILR, LEOP and EOP stage 1 information in the LEP Operational Data Suite shows thefull picture of the provision delivered within the LEP geographical area. It should be notedthat funding data does not form part of the LEP Operational Data Suite. Volumes rather thanfunding data are used as the key indicators of capacity.

22. The data sharing agreement that covers the return 12 / return 13 data allows LEPs to publishdata from the LEP Operational Data Suite. Suppression of small numbers and rounding ofvalues should be applied to any published figures.

23. Your external publications can also include figures from the Statistical First Release and thelocal authority reports published on the data.gov.uk website (at data.gov.uk/dataset/fe-data-library-local-authority-tables).

24. If quoting figures from the Statistical First Release and the local authority reports publishedon the data.gov.uk website please ensure these are clearly referenced to the publishedStatistical First Release and local authority reports. In particular, all tables/data withindocuments produced by a LEP which use these sources must be footnoted with their sourceand reference.

25. To seek advice, or raise any specific queries, relating to what may be published pleasecontact the service desk. Contact details can be found in Section 5.

3.2 General guidance and caveats

26. The data in the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year offline cubes matches the figures in theStatistical First Release (SFR). The data provided will include every apprenticeshipframework / learning aim for that period (whether the apprenticeship framework / learning aimis active or completed).

27. ILR, LEOP and EOP stage 1 information in the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year offlinecubes has been based on two separate and distinct postcode sets – learner home postcodeand delivery postcode. Learner location, based on the learners’ resident postcode, willpresent the data in terms of where individuals live however this may not be the same localauthority location in which they undertake their study or work. Delivery location postcode datais also being provided as this directly relates to the training being undertaken within a LocalAuthority area, however a proportion of the learners may be resident outside of the deliverylocation.

28. Both funded and non funded apprenticeship frameworks / learning aims are included in thedata in the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year offline cubes.

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4. Contents of the LEP Operational Data Suite in-year data cubes

4.1 Data Suite Structure

29. There are two in-year data cubes The data cubes allow the learning aim start andachievement data for the geographic area covered by the LEP to be presented in a variety ofways.

30. The data cubes categorise the number learner starts and enrolments by the geography of thelearner home postcode, the geography of the delivery postcode, the characteristics of theapprenticeship framework or workplace learning aim, and limited demographics of thelearners.

31. One data cube contains starts and enrolments for learners whose home postcode is in one ofthe local authorities which comprise the Local Enterprise Partnership. The other data cubecontains starts and enrolments where the learning took place at a delivery location postcodethat is in one of the local authorities which comprise the Local Enterprise Partnership.

32. The in-year data cubes contain five data sets. One dataset is the full year’s data for theprevious academic year (currently for 2012/2013). Two datasets are the year to date valuesfor both the previous and current academic years (currently 2012/2013 and 2013/2014) forreturn 12 which contain LEOP data and two datasets are the year to date values for both theprevious and current academic years for return 13 which contain ILR and EOP1 data. Theyear to date datasets allow comparisons to be made between activity in the current year andin the previous year. The dataset dimension is used to select the required dataset(s).

33. The October Statistical First Release uses data from ILR return 13, EOP1 return 13 andLEOP return 12.

4.2 Fields available for analysis

34. Data can be analysed using the Excel Pivot Table functionality so a good understanding ofExcel is required. The names in the pivot table list are those used in the server based onlineanalytical processing (OLAP) cube from which the data in the offline cubes has beenextracted. Section 6 shows the fields in the offline cubes together with a description of thefield.

35. Some data fields are only applicable to specific provision types and should not be used toanalyse data for other provision types. For instance it is not valid to attempt to analyseapprenticeships by notional NVQ level. Section 6 shows show the applicable provision typesfor each data item.

4.3 Types of provision included in the in-year data cubes

36. Data for apprenticeships and workplace learning are included in the in-year data cubes.

4.4 Formatting cells

37. The Achievements, Enrolments and Starts fields will be output unformatted (that is, without athousands separator). If you wish to format these fields right click on a field and select ‘Value

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Field Settings’. Click on the ‘Number Format’ button and format the field as required. Theformatting will apply to all occurrences of the field, not just the cell selected.

5. Further information

38. For all queries on the content, use, sharing or publication of data within the data cubes, theterms of the data sharing agreement, or accessing the data cubes please contact:

Service Desk, Skills Funding Agency, Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry CV12WT, email servicedesk@sfa.bis.gov.uk, or telephone 0370 2670001

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6. Cube field detail

6.1 Cube measures

Measures Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

∑ Learning Aim Measures- Enrolments Number of apprenticeship framework / learning aim enrolments. An enrolment

indicates that the learner was on an apprenticeship framework or learning aim at somepoint during the period covered by the dataset.

All All

- Starts Number of apprenticeship framework / learning aim starts All All

6.2 Cube dimensions

39. This table shows the full set of dimensions. Not all dimensions will be present in each cube. The ‘Cube applicable field’ identifies the cubes in whicha particular dimension will be present, although most dimensions are applicable to both cubes.

Dimensions Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

Dataset- Collection Type The system used to collect the apprenticeship or learning aim data.

EOP1 - Employer Ownership Pilot stage 1LEOP - Large Employer Outcome PilotSILR - Individualised Learner Record

All All

- Dataset The academic year and collection number of a dataset, for example‘2013/14, Collection R13’.

The return 12 return 13 in-year data cubes contain five sets of data. One is the fullyear’s data for the previous academic year (currently for 2012/2013). Two datasets arethe year to date values for both the previous and current academic years (currently2012/2013 and 2013/2014) for return 12, which contain LEOP data, and two datasets

All All

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Dimensions Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

are the year to date values for both the previous and current academic years for return13, which contain ILR and EOP1 data.

NOTE. If the Dataset field is not used to select a specific dataset the data fromall five datasets will be shown, which will overstate the number of starts andenrolments.

Employer- Workplace Size The banded size of the workplace at which a learner is undertaking training. The

bands are: 1-3, 4-10, 11-30, 31-100, 101-300, 301-1000, 1001+, Unknown.Note. This is not necessarily the size of an employer. A large employer could havemany workplaces (for example, shops) which only employ a few people

All All

Framework Note. Use these dimensions for apprenticeships.- Framework Sector Subject Area A hierarchy of sector subject area tier 1 and sector subject area tier 2 Apprenticeships

onlyAll

- Framework Code The code identifying an apprenticeship framework Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Framework Name The name of an apprenticeship framework, e.g. Accountancy, Business Administration Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Framework Sector Subject Area Tier 1 Sector subject area tier 1 code and description Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Framework Sector Subject Area Tier 2 Sector subject area tier 2 code and description Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Pathway Code The code identifying a pathway Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Pathway Name Pathway name is used in conjunction with framework name to describe the specialismof an apprenticeship being taken. For instance, the Rail Infrastructure Engineeringframework has pathways of Electrification, Signalling, Telecoms, Track and TrackMaintenance. Not all frameworks have pathways and so reports may show unknowns.

Apprenticeshipsonly

All

- Programme Type The level of an apprenticeship programme; Intermediate, Advanced or Higher. Higher Apprenticeships All

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Dimensions Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

includes Higher level 4 and Higher level 5. onlyFunded

- ESF Funded Indicates whether a learning aim was co-funded by the European Social Fund All All- Funded Indicates whether the apprenticeship or learning aim was funded by the Skills Funding

Agency or Education Funding Agency. Learning aims financed by a 24+ advancedlearning loan are classified as funded

All All

Geography - Delivery LEP- LEP DG

- LEP DescriptionThe name of the delivery location Local Enterprise Partnership All Delivery

locationGeography - Delivery Local AuthorityDistrict

- Delivery Local Authority The name of the delivery location local authority district. The delivery location localauthority district is derived from the delivery location postcode

All All

Geography - Learner Home LEP- LEP LHG

- LEP DescriptionThe name of the learner home location Local Enterprise Partnership All Learner home

locationGeography - Learner Home LocalAuthority District

- Learner Home Local Authority The name of the learner home location local authority district. The learner homelocation local authority district is derived from the learner’s home postcode

All All

Learner Characteristics- Ageband At 31st Aug A banding of the age of a learner at 31st August. Age at 31st August is used for

Education & Training aims. The bands are: Under 16, 16-18, 19-24 and 25+All All

- Ageband At 31st Aug Detailed An expanded banding of the age of a learner at 31st August. The bands are: Under 16,16, 17, 18, 19-23, 24, 25-30, 31-49, 50-64, 65+

All All

- Ageband At Start A banding of the age of a learner at the start of their apprenticeship or workplacelearning aim. The bands are: Under 16, 16-18, 19-24 and 25+

All All

- Ageband At Start Detailed An expanded banding of the age of a learner at the start of their apprenticeship or All All

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Dimensions Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

learning aim. The bands are: Under 16, 16, 17, 18, 19-23, 24, 25-30, 31-49, 50-64,65+

- Gender The gender of the learner All AllLearning Aim Note. Use these dimensions for workplace learning aims.

- Learning Aim Sector Subject Area A hierarchy of sector subject area tier 1 and sector subject area tier 2 Workplacelearning only

All

- Awarding Organisation The name of the awarding organisation for the aim Workplacelearning only

All

- Awarding Organisation Code The code of the awarding organisation Workplacelearning only

All

- Innovation Code Indicates whether the aim is an Innovation Code aim. The Innovation Code is amechanism designed to help colleges and training organisations respond quickly tolocal employer needs and emerging skills gaps. It allows them to enrol learners on acourse that at present does not lead to a Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)qualification.

Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Notional NVQ Level The notional NVQ level of the learning aim Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Reference The learning aim reference number of the aim Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Sector Subject Area Tier 1 The subject sector area tier 1 code and description for the learning aim Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Sector Subject Area Tier 2 The subject sector area tier 2 code and description for the learning aim Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Title The learning aim title from the Learning Aims Reference System (LARS) Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Type Code The learning aim type code from the Learning Aims Reference System (LARS) Workplacelearning only

All

- Learning Aim Type Description The learning aim type description from the Learning Aims Reference System (LARS),for example GCE A Level, Certificate, Award,

Workplacelearning only

All

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Dimensions Description Provision typesapplicable to

Cubesapplicable to

Learning Delivery- ESF Dossier Number The ESF Project Dossier Number. It is only present for ESF funded aims All All- ESF Project Number The ESF Local Project Number. It is only present for ESF funded aims All All- NEET At Start Of Apprenticeship Indicates whether a learner was not in education, employment or training at the start of

their apprenticeship. This is notified by the provider who records the value 131 in oneof the four ILR learning and delivery monitoring codes

Apprenticeshipand workplacelearning only

All

Provider- Provider Local Education Authority The local education authority in which the postcode of the provider’s main

correspondence address is locatedAll All

- Provider Name The name of the provider All All- Provider Type The high level provider type, for example, General FE College incl Tertiary, Private

Sector Public FundedAll All

- Provider UKPRN The UKPRN of the provider All All- Provider UPIN The UPIN of the provider All All

Provision Type- Provision Type The type of provision. The in-year data cube only contains data for apprenticeships

and workplace learningAll All

Start Date Period Note. When using the start date periods with the enrolment measure the enrolmentvalue shown refers to the apprenticeship frameworks / learning aims that start in thatperiod. The enrolments for apprenticeship frameworks / learning aims that startedbefore the period covered by the dataset are shown as ‘in the past’

- Start Academic Calendar A hierarchy of Start Academic Year, Start Academic Quarter and Start AcademicMonth. The academic year runs from August to July.

All All

- Start Academic Month A month in an academic year, for example February 2014 All All- Start Academic Quarter A quarter in an academic year, for example Aug 2013 - Oct 2013 All All- Start Academic Year An academic year, for example 2013/14 All All

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7. Examples of ways to display data in the cube

40. The following screen shots shows different ways in which the data in the cube can bepresented. Move the fields/dimensions to the places shown below. Where a filter symbol isshown against a field in the report then the available data in the field has been restricted.

a) Apprenticeship and workplace learning starts by start month, for full year 2012/2013.

b) Apprenticeship starts by sector subject area tier 1, for full year 2012/2013

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c) Comparison of year to date apprenticeship starts (to period 6) by sector subject area, forthe previous year (2012/2013) and the current year 2013/2014)

d) Workplace learning starts by notional NVQ level and age band, for full year 2012/13

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8. Common errors

41. Before a report is used, it is prudent to carry out checks to make sure the data beingpresented is what was required. The flexibility of cubes allows you to make many differentreports, but it also introduces the opportunity for mistakes to be made. Common things tolook out for are:

Using all of the available data in a dimension. Check to see if you required all of theavailable data or whether you only needed a subset, i.e. did you require all of thelocal authorities or just one?

Using the wrong data sets. Check you have only used the data sets you need. Ifyou do not select specific datasets you will include all of the data in the cube acrossmultiple years and also duplicate data for 12/13 full year and 12/13 R12.

Using all provision types. Check you are only using the provision type you need, i.e.only Apprenticeships, if that is all you need. Including work place learning will createa lot of ‘unknowns’ if you are using apprenticeship dimensions.

Use the wrong dimensions for the provision type. The ‘Framework’ dimensions areonly applicable to Apprenticeships and the ‘Learning Aim’ dimensions are onlyapplicable to workplace learning.

Using enrolments as starts. Enrolments show the number of learning aims that arein learning in a dataset but they may have started in a prior year.

Author Skills Funding AgencyDate created 14 October 2014Document ref. Technical Guide to the LEP Operational Data Suite In-year Data

Cubes - Oct2014Version V1.2