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Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) for schools in Wales
News in Welsh
The Welsh Government Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has confirmed its commitment to continuing its work with the Learning Records Service (LRS).
In January, Minister for Education and Skills, Leighton Andrews, approved the full implementation of the Unique Learner Number and Personal Learning Record for learners aged 14 and over in Wales. This will include:
- funding to enable Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) to be allocated to learners aged 14 and over in maintained secondary schools in Wales.
- a project to examine the feasibility of including Welsh qualifications data on the Personal Learning Record (PLR).
- provision for learners in Wales to access their own PLRs through Careers Wales on Line.
The provision of ULNs to schools in Wales will allow learning providers and awarding organisations in Wales and England to access shared information on individual learners' achievements and qualifications, gained in school and beyond, through a single secure online source. The Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification, awarded through the collation of data from a number of sources, is just one service set to benefit.
This landmark decision is the latest outcome of discussions between the Welsh Government and the LRS, which had already resulted in the roll-out of ULNs to the FE sector in Wales, and a successful pilot project with 17 schools.
Over 400,000 learners in Wales already have ULNs, largely allocated by Further Education (FE) colleges and Work-Based Learning (WBL) providers. This year, ULNs will be extended to all learners aged 14 and over in maintained schools nationwide.
Data for ULNs will be automatically submitted to the LRS via the Data Exchange Wales initiative (DEWi) which collects the relevant Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) data from schools each January and September.
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