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Their argument though is that is was the same this year. Those cut down definitions of Full Level 2 and 3 are in the 23/24 AEB guidance, just not in Annex D. The rules now won't allow it, so it's still the same question for 23/24. It was so much easier when each aim had a full level indicator in the LARS data. I honestly don't think ESFA really know what constitutes full level 2 and 3 when it comes to prior attainment, which is why I can never get a straight answer.
Ruth Canham-James
Prior Attainment and Legal Entitlements
Created
Since legal entitlements still exist for 24/25, I asked this question in a pile of queries about ASF, and got this non-answer.
1) What’s the purpose of the definitions of previous qualifications Full Level 2 and Full Level 3 in Annex D? They don’t match the definition of Prior Level in the ILR Spec, so does that mean we can we fund someone under legal entitlements where their ILR prior level is listed as Full Level 2, but DOESN'T meet the criteria of Full Level 2 in Annex D. For example, if they have 1 A Level, which is Full Level 2 in the ILR, but NOT mentioned in Annex D. That's what the new rules appear to say, but I’m pretty sure that would error.
Answer: The list of qualifications in Annex D has not changed from AEB to ASF, the ILR Specification you refer to is applicable to other funding stream including Apprenticeships, other Adult, Non funded, Skills Bootcamps. If you have any further enquiries regarding the specification you need to get in touch with the ILR team who will be able to advise. We have source this answer directly from the ILR team.
What do you think the answer is? Can we fully fund a student to do a Full Level 2, whose Prior Level is Full Level 2, but doesn't meet the Full Level 2 criteria in Annex D? ILR Validation rule LearnDelFAMType_65 says:
For starts after 31 July 2017, full funding cannot be claimed for learning aims that are level 2 or below if the learner is aged 19 to 23 at the start of the aim, has a prior attainment of level 2 or above, and is not unemployed as defined in the funding rules.
So it would error, which goes back to my question about what is the point of the definitions in the AEB/ASF if we can't use them to fully fund.
Also, not sure how I "get in touch with the ILR team". I put this through the new Customer Help Portal, and I assumed they'd send it to the right team. The menu options available are utterly impenetrable, so I probably picked the wrong one 🙄