This field records the total planned timetabled hours for learning activities for the reporting year.

All instances at institutions in England where Instance.FESTUMK = 1, 3 or 4 and Instance.REDUCEDI = 00 or 01, and Instance.FUNDMODEL = 10, 25, 81, 82, 99 or (Instance.FUNDMODEL = 35 and LearningDeliveryFAM.LEARNDELFAMTYPE is not equal to WPL).

A value in the range 0 to 9999 hours (to the nearest whole hour) should be returned.

All learners

The hours collected in this field are the planned hours for the reporting year at the start of the programme. If a student is on a study programme that spans two or more reporting years, then this field must be returned in each year.

Education Funding Agency (EFA) funded learners

This field should be completed with the total planned timetabled hours, for the student for the reporting year, spent on Department for Education (DfE) approved qualifications only (see the EFA funding documentation for further information).

Other timetabled hours for non-qualification activity that make up a study programme for a student with learning aims funded by the EFA, should be recorded in the Instance.PLANEEPHOURS field. The total of both hours fields are used to determine the full or part time funding rate for the student.

Timetabled hours for learning aims that are not funded by the EFA must not be included in the total number of hours recorded in this field.

Where a learner progresses to subsequent learning in the same teaching year, after completing all the activities on their original learning agreement or plan, the EFA has set out in their funding regulations exceptional circumstances in which providers may change the planned hours to reflect this additional learning.

Skills Funding Agency funded learners / Non funded learners

This field should be completed with the total planned timetabled contact hours for the student for the year. This includes aims that are not accredited qualifications and aims that are financed by a 24+ Advanced learning loan.

Learners undertaking only workplace learning, including Apprenticeships or ESF funded learning do not need to complete this field.

To enable Education Funding Agency funding for students. To measure the number of full-time and part-time students in FE. To inform future policy development and funding.