Transparency data

Statement on administrative data sources

Updated 30 October 2025

Applies to England

Official statistics published by Ofqual are based on 2 main administrative data sources:

• organisation and qualification information maintained by recognised awarding organisations and published publicly on the Register of Regulated Qualifications
• data describing the activity of learners taking qualifications and the administrative processes surrounding this activity – in the majority of cases this data comes from the systems awarding organisations (sometimes via the Joint Council for Qualifications, JCQ) use to administer their qualifications

Both of these data sources are administrative systems which have not necessarily designed with statistical reporting in mind. Expert handling of the data is therefore required, as described below and in our other policies and procedures.

Ofqual’s perceptions survey statistics are not based on administrative data but are instead based on survey data collected specifically for use in statistical reporting. However, the same policies and procedures still apply.

Data collection

Within the Register of Regulated Qualifications, regulated awarding organisations are able to maintain records of their qualifications via a web-based user interface. Values held for critical fields are controlled by reference data to ensure consistency, and the production of qualifications within certain qualification types is controlled by an accreditation process.

Most other data collected from awarding organisations is transferred using Ofqual’s Data Portal. Organisations submit data using standard file formats in accordance with the specifications produced by Ofqual and published on our Submitting Data to Ofqual site.

Data validation and accuracy

The data we collect comes from many external providers, who are required as part of Ofqual’s General Conditions of Recognition to provide Ofqual with accurate information.

To encourage the submission of accurate information, we:

• ensure that we are clear about what is required through the provision of detailed specifications and guidance documents (found on our Submitting Data to Ofqual site)
• remind all providers (if and when appropriate) that, as a condition of them being regulated, all data must be as accurate as possible at the point of submission
• validate all data submitted using a set of consistent and automated validation rules to ensure that it is of the correct data type, conforms to required reference data values and is does not contain inconsistencies
• carry out additional manual and automated quality assurance checks, as per our quality framework for statistical publications, including by being alert to unexpected changes in the data submitted by comparing individual returns over time from the same supplier
• actively challenge any unexpected results with data providers as and when encountered through the above activities
• maintain an open dialogue with data providers, both on an ad-hoc basis and through quarterly data forum meetings, to gain and maintain an understanding of the data they supply, to ensure they have a firm understanding of our data requirements, and to address any potential or realised data quality issues

Data security

The systems we use to collect and store data are protected by Ofqual’s secure network. In addition, all authorised staff are fully trained in data protection principals and in the relevant civil service codes. All data is collected, stored and used within legal requirements such as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). See our statement on confidentiality and data security for more information.

Data for use in official statistics which has not yet been published is also treated confidentially, as per our pre-release policy for official statistics.

Communicating with data providers

We encourage and maintain an open dialogue with data providers, both on an ad-hoc basis and through quarterly data forum meetings. The purpose of this to encourage data providers to be open about any potential data quality issues, and to work with Ofqual in appropriately resolving them. This also enables Ofqual to be transparent about remaining limitations, caveats and sources of uncertainty in the data, in its reporting to statistics users.

The feasibility and burden to producers of any changes to data collections (including the introduction of new collections) are tested by asking the providers for their views on the proposals. Views will then be balanced against the public good that would come from the collection of this data and subsequent statistical reporting on it.