SFA: national achievement rates tables 2014 to 2015
Source: data.gov.uk (2017-03-20)

Apprenticeship and education and training national achievement rates tables

National Achievement Rate Tables are produced annually in arrears of the production of the qualification achievement rate reports.
Their purpose is to give providers and the sector as a whole summary indicators of overall performance against which individual providers can contextualise their own targets and actual performance.

The release of the 2014 to 2015 apprenticeship national achievement rates tables replaces the data for 2011 to 2012 to 2013 to 2014 published in 2015. The data used in this release is a cascade of the information first made available in the March 2016 statistical first release supplementary tables. 

The release of the 2014 to 2015 education and training national achievement rates tables replaces the data for 2013 to 2014 published in 2015. The data used in this release is a cascade of the information first made available in the March 2016 statistical first release supplementary tables.

Skills Funding Agency 
 
Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road,  Coventry, CV1 2WT  
T xx-xxxx-xxxx  www.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk 
A partner organisation of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills 
 
 
 
Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables  
for the 2014/2015 academic year  
 
Guidance notes 
  
 
Date of issue 
10 May 2016  
 
 
Contents 
Section 1 – Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2 
Purpose of this document ........................................................................................... 2 
Purpose of the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables .......................... 2 
Location of national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015 ................................... 2 
Changes to the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables ......................... 2 
Section 2 – Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables worksheets .................. 3 
Contents of the tables ................................................................................................. 3 
Format of the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables ............................ 3 
Headline report ........................................................................................................ 3 
Institution reports for overall measure and timely measure ................................... 4 
Excluded framework report for overall and timely measure ................................... 4 
Section 3 – Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables open data files............. 4 
Format of apprenticeships national achievement rates tables open data files ...... 4 
Section 4 – Contents of national achievement rates tables ....................................... 6 
Report columns ........................................................................................................... 6 
Institution type .......................................................................................................... 6 
Age group ................................................................................................................ 6 
Apprenticeship level and type ................................................................................. 6 
Framework name and framework code .................................................................. 6 
Sector subject area tier 1 and tier 2 ........................................................................ 7 
Report measures ......................................................................................................... 7 
Overall qualification achievement rate .................................................................... 7 
Timely qualification achievement rate ..................................................................... 7 
Overall and timely cohorts ....................................................................................... 7 
Section 5 – Exclusions from the national achievement rates tables ................................. 8 
Section 6 – Choosing information on the national achievement rates tables .................. 8 
Further information and help .................................................................................................. 9 

 
Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
Page 2 of 9 
 
 
Section 1 – Introduction 
 
Purpose of this document 
 
1. This document provides information about the apprenticeships national achievement 
rates tables for the 2014/2015 academic year.  
 
Purpose of the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables   
 
 
2. The national achievement rates tables for apprenticeships set out levels of success, in 
terms of framework completions, in apprenticeships provision in England for the 
2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic years. We publish national achievement 
rates tables every year.  
 
3. The information in the tables is consistent with the apprenticeships qualification 
achievement rates BI dashboard for 2014/2015 made available to institutions. It expands 
upon the national achievement rates published in the statistical first release (at 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-
highest-qualification-held). 
 
4. Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables help institutions to raise the standard 
of their work. They allow institutions to assess their performance, and help them to plan 
action programmes to improve their apprentices’ qualification achievement rates. 
 
5. Throughout this guidance we refer to ‘national achievement rates tables’ rather than 
'benchmarking data'. National achievement rates tables allow for comparison, and are not 
a standard of best practice. 
 
Location of national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015 
 
6. The national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015 are on our website (at 
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/sfa-national-achievement-rates-
tables-2014-to-2015). 
 
Changes to the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables 
 
7. The changes made to the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables to those 
produced for 2013/2014 are as follows. 
 
 
The information from the 2014/2015 apprenticeships qualification achievement rates 
reports has been added to the national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015. 
 
The information for the 2011/2012 apprenticeships qualification achievement rates 
has been removed from the national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015.  
 
The Excel format for the 2014/2015 NARTs have changed. All spreadsheets will be 
produced as Microsoft Excel 2010. 
 
The consultation on the outcome based success measures identified that there are 
other equally important factors that determine the successful outcome of learning. In 
preparation for the introduction of a broader range of success measures, we are 
changing the name ‘Success Rates’ to ‘Achievement Rates.’  
 
UPIN is no longer the primary identifier of an institution and has been removed from 
the national achievement rates tables for 2014/2015. 
 
Percentile data does not provide essential information and has been removed from 
the 2014/2015 national achievement rate tables.   

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
Page 3 of 9 
Section 2 – Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables 
worksheets 
 
Contents of the tables   
 
8. Our aim in publishing the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables is to provide 
a useful but manageable amount of information, drawing on existing statistics. 
 
9. The information for the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables has been 
created from institutions' Individualised Learner Record (ILR) returns, and the tables 
provide a range of national-level and institution-level statistics for success. The method of 
calculating achievement rates is available on the gov.uk website (at 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-qualification-achievement-rate-2014-to-
2015). 
 
10. The apprenticeships national achievement rates tables contain qualification achievement 
rates for three academic years (2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015). The information 
for academic years, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 are sourced from the qualification success 
rates dataset produced for that year, calculated using the method that applied to that 
year. The information for the 2014/2015 academic year is sourced from the qualification 
achievement rates dataset produced for 2014/2015, calculated using the method that 
applied to the 2014/2015 academic year. 
 
Format of the apprenticeships national achievement rates tables 
 
11. The apprenticeships national achievement rates tables are published as six compressed 
files. Each compressed file holds a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains a number 
of worksheets. The separate spreadsheets are: 
 
Headline report for the overall measure; 
 
Institution report for the overall measure; 
 
Institution report for the timely measure;  
 
Excluded framework report for the overall measure; 
 
Excluded framework report for the timely measure; and 
 
National achievement rates for the timely measure. 
 
The contents of the spreadsheets are shown below. 
 
Headline report 
12. The headline report contains separate worksheets that show an overview of all national 
qualification achievement rates. This report also presents the achievement rates by: 
 
gender;  
 
learning difficulty or disability;  
 
ethnic background; 
 
sector subject area tier 1 and 2;  
 
framework;  
 
apprentices’ local authority (based on the apprentices’ home postcodes);  
 
apprentices ’Local Enterprise Partnership;  
 
apprentices’ region;  
 
local authority for where the learning is delivered (based on the postcode of the 
institutions’ delivery locations);  
 
delivery Local Enterprise Partnership; and  
 
delivery region.  
 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
Page 4 of 9 
Institution reports for overall measure and timely measure 
13. The institution reports contains worksheets that show the overall qualification 
achievement rates and timely qualification achievement rates of each institution at 
headline level, which is a high-level overview of the overall qualification achievement 
rates for each institution, and by: 
 
gender;  
 
ethnic background;  
 
learning difficulty or disability;  
 
sector subject area tier 1 and tier 2; and  
 
framework. 
 
18. The hybrid end year (which is the actual end year or the planned end year, whichever is 
later) is shown for the overall qualification achievement rate and the expected end year is 
shown for the timely qualification achievement rate.  
 
19. The sector subject area and framework reports are split by year over separate 
worksheets. 
 
Excluded framework report for overall and timely measure 
20. Due to the exclusion rules described in section 5, the full coverage of frameworks 
delivered nationally, and at institution level, is not available in the national- and  
institution-level framework spreadsheets for the overall achievement rates. 
 
21. The excluded frameworks are published in the excluded framework spreadsheets to allow 
the full scope of frameworks delivery to be seen. The reports indicates the reasons for the 
particular frameworks being excluded.  
 
22. The report for the overall measure is split into four worksheets: 
 
Excluded apprenticeship frameworks at national level for 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 
2014/2015;  
 
2012/2013 overall excluded frameworks for institutions;  
 
2013/2014 overall excluded frameworks for institutions; and 
 
2014/2015 overall excluded frameworks for institutions. 
 
23. The report for the timely measure is split into three worksheets: 
 
2012/2013 timely excluded frameworks for institutions; 
 
2013/2014 timely excluded frameworks for institutions; and 
 
2014/2015 timely excluded frameworks for institutions. 
 
24. The excluded frameworks for institutions are split by year over separate worksheets. 
 
 
Section 3 – Apprenticeships national achievement rates tables open 
data files 
    
Format of apprenticeships national achievement rates tables open data files 
25. The apprenticeships national achievement rates tables are also published in a non-
proprietary format to meet the ‘three-star open data standard’. The comma-separated 
variable (CSV) file is our preferred non-proprietary format. For more information on open 
data, see the published white paper written by the Cabinet Office (at  
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-data-white-paper-unleashing-the-
potential). 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
Page 5 of 9 
 
26. The apprenticeships national achievement rates tables open data files are published as 
28 separate compressed files. The contents of each file, and which report the information 
comes from, is shown below.  
 
 
File 
number 
File contents 
Source report 
NART201 
Headline overall achievement rates 
Headline 
NART202 
Overall achievement rates by gender 
Headline 
NART203 
Overall achievement rates by ethnic background 
Headline 
NART204 
Overall achievement rates by learning difficulties or 
disabilities 
Headline 
NART205 
Overall achievement rates by sector subject area 
Headline 
NART206 
Overall achievement rates by framework 
Headline 
NART207 
Overall achievement rates by apprentices’ Local Enterprise 
Partnership 
Headline 
NART208 
Overall achievement rates by delivery locations’ Local 
Enterprise Partnership 
Headline 
NART209 
Overall achievement rates by apprentices’ region 
Headline 
NART210 
Overall achievement rates by delivery locations’ region 
Headline 
NART211 
Overall achievement rates by apprentices’ local authority 
Headline 
NART212 
Overall achievement rates by delivery locations’ local 
authority 
Headline 
NART213 
Headline overall achievement rates for institutions 
Overall institution 
NART214 
Overall achievement rates for institutions by gender 
Overall institution 
NART215 
Overall achievement rates for institutions by ethnic 
background 
Overall institution 
NART216 
Overall achievement rates for institutions by learning 
difficulties or disabilities 
Overall institution 
NART217 
Overall achievement rates for institutions by sector subject 
area tier 1 and tier 2 
Overall institution 
NART218 
Overall achievement rates for institutions by framework 
Overall institution 
NART219 
Timely headline achievement rates for institutions 
Timely institution 
NART220 
Timely achievement rates for institutions by gender 
Timely institution 
NART221 
Timely achievement rates for institutions by ethnic 
background 
Timely institution 
NART222 
Timely achievement rates for institutions by learning 
difficulties or disabilities 
Timely institution 
NART223 
Timely achievement rates for institutions by sector subject 
area tier 1 and tier 2 
Timely institution 
NART224 
Timely achievement rates for institutions by framework 
Timely institution 
NART225 
Overall excluded national frameworks 
Overall excluded 
frameworks 
NART226 
Overall excluded institution frameworks 
Overall excluded 
frameworks 
NART227 
Timely excluded institution frameworks 
Timely excluded 
frameworks 
NART228 
Timely national achievement rates 
National timely 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
Page 6 of 9 
 
Section 4 – Contents of national achievement rates tables  
 
27. This section describes the columns in the apprenticeships national achievement rates 
table worksheets. 
 
Report columns 
 
Institution type 
28. Each institution classified into one of six institution types. The institution types reported on 
are: 
 
 
General further-education or tertiary college 
 
Private-sector publicly funded institution 
 
School 
 
Sixth-form college 
 
Specialist college  
 
Other publicly funded institution 
 
29. The ‘specialist college’ category includes agriculture and horticulture colleges, and art, 
design and performing arts colleges. An ‘all institution type’ category is also available on 
some of the worksheets. 
 
Age group  
30. The age group of a cohort is based on an apprentice’s age on the start date of the 
framework aim. Apprentices of unknown age are included in the 24 and over age group. 
Apprentices under 16 are included in the 16 to 18 age group. All tables show information 
divided into age groups:  
 
16 to 18  
 
19 to 23  
 
24 and over 
 
All ages 
 
Apprenticeship level and type 
31. Apprenticeships are grouped according to their level and type. The apprenticeship levels 
and types reported on are: 
 
 
Level 2 – intermediate apprenticeship 
 
Level 3 – advanced-level apprenticeship 
 
Level 4+ – higher-level apprenticeships (this includes level-4 and level-5 
apprenticeships) 
 
All levels and types 
  
Framework name and framework code  
32. The framework name and framework code of an apprenticeship is in the learning aim 
reference system (LARS) (at 
https://hub.imservices.org.uk/Learning%20Aims/Pages/default.aspx).  
 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
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Sector subject area tier 1 and tier 2  
33. The sector subject area tier 1 and sector subject area tier 2 for an apprenticeship are 
those recorded in LARS for 2014/2015.  
 
Report measures 
 
34. The overall and timely achievement rates are calculated in line with our apprenticeship 
qualifications achievement rates business rules and methods. These are on the gov.uk 
website (at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-qualification-achievement-
rate-2014-to-2015).   
 
Overall qualification achievement rate 
35. The overall qualification achievement rate measures the percentage of apprenticeship 
frameworks achieved against the overall number of apprenticeship frameworks 
completed. The overall achievement rate is based on the hybrid end year.  
 
36. The hybrid end year is the actual learning end year or the planned learning end year of 
an apprenticeship, whichever is later. 
 
Timely qualification achievement rate 
37. The timely qualification achievement rate measures the percentage of apprenticeship 
frameworks that were achieved by their planned end date, or within 90 days after their 
planned end date, against the number of apprenticeship frameworks that were expected 
to be completed.  
 
Overall and timely cohorts 
38. In the reports the term ‘cohort’ is used as shorthand for ‘apprenticeships completed by, or 
expected to be completed by, learners’. An apprentice is included in the ‘cohort’ when it 
is: 
 
which is funded; 
 
where the apprentice has not transferred to a different programme with the same 
institution; 
 
where the apprentice has not transferred to another institution due to intervention 
by us or the Education Funding Agency; 
 
where the apprentice is not on a planned break; and 
 
where the apprentice has not withdrawn within the first 41 days of study. 
 
39. The ‘overall cohort’ column shows the number of apprenticeships that were planned to be 
completed, or have actually completed, within a given hybrid year.  
 
40. The ‘timely cohort’ column shows the number of apprenticeships that are expected to be 
completed by their planned end date, or within 90 days of their planned end date, within a 
given academic year.  
 
41. The number of apprentices in a sub-cohort (a distinct group of apprentices within a 
cohort) may not add up to the total number of apprentices in the cohort because: 
 
the number of apprentices is rounded to the nearest 10 at all levels; and 
 
small cohorts (fewer than five) are not included in the published tables.  
 
 
 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
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Section 5 – Exclusions from the national achievement rates tables  
 
42. The rules on excluding small cohorts, suppressing figures and rounding figures in the 
achievement rates worksheets are listed below:  
 
Cohorts with fewer than five apprentices are not shown on any worksheets. 
 
Cohorts with five or more apprentices but fewer than 30 are replaced with a dash (–).  
 
The cohort is rounded to the nearest 10. This prevents the possibility of individual 
apprentices being identified.  
 
43. Where individual framework qualification achievement rates are reported, if a framework 
is only delivered at a single institution, the framework is not included in the report. This 
affects the overall report (framework achievement rate worksheet) and the institution 
report (achievement rates for institutions by framework) worksheet for both the overall 
qualification achievement rates and timely qualification achievement rates.  
 
44. Any frameworks that are excluded are listed in the excluded frameworks report 
worksheets, together with the reasons why they are excluded.  
 
45. Where individual framework qualification achievement rates are reported, the exclusion 
rules mean that the total cohort for the individual institution types may be less than the 
number of apprentices for the 'all institution type' row.  
 
 
Section 6 – Choosing information on the national achievement rates 
tables   
 
46. The qualification achievement rate data is presented as a series of rows in Excel 
worksheets. Each row shows the qualification achievement rate of a specific cohort of 
apprentices. Summary information is shown at many levels (for example, all ages, all 
apprenticeship levels and all institution types). All the columns in the worksheets contain 
drop-down menus that allow you to choose the information you want. 
 
47. The screenshot below shows an example of how the information appears in the headline 
achievement rate worksheet.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Apprenticeships National Achievement Rates Tables 2014/2015 - Guidance Notes 
 
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48. The drop-down menus are used to choose the level of information. The screenshot below 
shows the effect of using the drop-down menus to choose achievement rates broken 
down by age for all apprenticeship levels for 2014/2015. 
 
 
 
 
Further information and help   
 
49. We produce apprenticeships national achievement rates tables in line with our 
apprenticeship qualification achievement rates business rules. The business rules and 
achievement rates dataset production specification are on the achievement rate pages of 
the gov.uk website (at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-qualification-
achievement-rate-2014-to-2015).  
 
50. If you need more information about the apprenticeship national achievement rates tables, 
please phone our service desk on xx-xxxx-xxxx or email xxx@xxx.xx. 
Please provide a detailed explanation of your query.   
 
 
 
Published by: 
Skills Funding Agency 
Version: 
1.0 
Date: 
10 May 2016