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Guidance

Find a learning aim and ILR sources of data

Information for software suppliers and FE providers that write their own software about learning aims and data sources for individualised learner records (ILR).

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
25 February 2014
Last updated:
10 June 2026
Show all updates

  1. Added 'LARS table and field definitions: version 12 (applicable from August 2026)'.

  2. Added 'LARS table and field definitions: version 11 (applicable from August 2025)'.

  3. Added 'LARS table and field definitions: version 010 (applicable from August 2024)'.

  4. We have published the LARS table and field definitions: version 009 (applicable from August 2023).

  5. We have updated the LARS table and field definitions: version 008 with the new URL for Find a learning aim.

  6. We have updated the LARS table and field definitions: version 008 (applicable from August 2021) document.

  7. We have updated the section on Employer reference numbers (ERNs).

  8. We have published the LARS table and field definitions: version 008 (applicable from August 2021).

  9. We have updated the Learning Aims Reference Service Categories document

  10. We have updated the HE learning aim request due dates. Providers requesting new learning aims for prescribed Higher Education provision must submit completed forms, together with all approval information, to us by: Friday 25 September for 2019 to 2020, and Friday 24 September for 2020 to 2021.

  11. We have added an updated version of the Learning Aims Reference Service Categories: July 2020 to include information relating to coronavirus (COVID-19). We have also added information about the new find a learning aim service.

  12. We have updated LARS table and field definitions: version 007 (applicable from August 2019).

  13. We have published LARS table and field definitions: version 007 (applicable from August 2019).

  14. We have updated the Learning Aims Reference Service Categories (March 2019).

  15. Added new guidance on adding prescribed higher education qualifications to the Learning Aims Reference Service (LARS).

  16. New version of LARS table and field definitions and the Learning Aim known issues 2017 to 2018 (April 2018) added.

  17. LARS files for 2016 to 2017 uploaded on 6 November 2017. Also editorial changes made to page.

  18. New version of LARS table and field definitions (applicable from August 2017) uploaded on 7 August 2017.

  19. New version of Learning Aims Request Form HE aims uploaded on 3 August 2017.

  20. New version of Learning aims search user guide uploaded on 18 July 2017.

  21. New file titled LARS table and field definitions: version 005 (applicable from August 2017) uploaded on 28 April 2017.

  22. Editorial change to HE learning aim request due date 2017 section of detail.

  23. Learning Aim known Issues 2015 to 2016: version 5 uploaded on 9 December 2016.

  24. New version of Learning aim search user guide uploaded on 2 December 2016.

  25. Two revised files uploaded on 23 November 2016: * LARS table and field definitions 2016 to 2017 * Learning aim search guidance: November 2016

  26. Learning delivery 2015 to 2016 files in mdb, csv and psv formats uploaded in section headed LARS for 2015 to 2016 on 23 November 2016.

  27. Editorial change made to the page under the heading HE learning aim request due date 2016 on 21 July 2016.

  28. New file titled LARS table and field definitions 2016 to 2017 uploaded on 2 June 2016.

  29. Learning Aims Reference Service Categories May 2016 published on 9 May 2016

  30. Learning Aims Reference Service Categories: March 2016 uploaded on 17 March 2016.

  31. New version of Learning aims search user guidance uploaded on 8 December 2015.

  32. Learning Aims Reference Service Categories: December 2015 uploaded on 8 December 2015.

  33. Learning Aims known issues version 4 uploaded on 20 November 2015.

  34. New version of Learning Aims known issues uploaded on 14 October 2015.

  35. Editorial change to page to provide new detail about HE learning aim request due date 2016.

  36. Introductory video shows you how to find the learning aim search facility on the Hub, explains the links on the landing page and key documentation.

  37. LARS known issues version 2 uploaded on 05 October 2015.

  38. New versions of: * Learning Aim known issues 2014 to 2015 * Learning Aim known issues 2015 to 2016 uploaded on 26 August 2015.

  39. Updated Learning Aim known issues document.

  40. Amended HE learning aim request due date 2015.

  41. Updated LARS table and field definitions 2015 to 2016 document.

  42. Updated Learning Aim known issues document.

  43. LARS known issues version 8 uploaded on 22 July 2015.

  44. New version of Learning Aim Search Guidance uploaded on 21 July 2015.

  45. New Learning Aim Search Guide and Learning Aim known issues uploaded on 06 July 2015.

  46. LARS table and field definitions uploaded on 22 May 2015.

  47. Revised Individualised Learner Record (ILR): sources of data page published 10 December 2014.

  48. Lars Lite R14 MDB and PSV files uploaded 07 October 2014.

  49. LARS lite R10 uploaded.

  50. LARS lite R09 new files uploaded plus known issues document.

  51. Two new documents uploaded

  52. New document LARS lite known issues v10.0 uploaded

  53. Amendment of attachment order

  54. Minor editorial change. Amendment to attachment order

  55. New LARS lite known issues v9.1 and LARS lite RO7 (csv, psv and mdb) uploaded

  56. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Find a learning aim and ILR sources of data

HTML

LARS table and field definitions: version 12 (applicable from August 2026)

PDF, 574 KB, 49 pages

LARS table and field definitions: version 11 (applicable from August 2025)

PDF, 544 KB, 48 pages

LARS table and field definitions: version 10 (applicable from August 2024)

PDF, 430 KB, 33 pages

Details

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

This guidance is for:

  • software suppliers
  • publicly funded further education (FE) providers that write their own software

‘Find a learning aim and ILR sources of data’ gives guidance on the technical documents defining the ILR data that providers must collect and return.

‘LARS table and field definitions’ is a technical specification describing the tables and fields in the learning aims reference service (LARS).

The LARS service categories are available in the National Archives, if required.

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