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Student record 2015/16

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Notification log


This document summarises all communications associated with the 2015/16 Student collection, from first publication of known changes to the record through to collection closure in October 2016. Please refer to the Revision history document for full technical list of changes to the specifications.

HESA issue regular communications during the life of a collection:

  • Circulars: announcements to interested parties concerning or issues relating to the collection. Circulars are always made available on the HESA website for later reference, and emailed out to the mailgroup for the collection.
  • Coding manual release overviews: these document iterative changes to the technical documentation that define the form of the data to be submitted, as well as being a place to host resources associated with collecting that data.

2016-11-24 Coding manual release - version 1.11

Version 1.11 of the coding manual includes the first release of more file structures for downloadable files - the report structure and '.xsd' definition file for the PGR collaborative students transferred in expected instance population, and the '.xsd' structure definition for the Postgraduate research (PGR) student collaborative provision report. A minor, post-collection change has been made to the schema to correct the definition of Instance.NHSEMP.

2016-09-22 Coding manual release - version 1.10

Version 1.10 of the coding manual includes the first release of more file structures for downloadable files - specifically, those for the National Student Survey reports, and the corresponding Understanding the NSS reports document. We have also made two label changes to valid entry labels in EntryProfile.DOMICILE, Mobility.MOBLOCA and Student.NATION, reconciling the names of Suriname and Burkina Faso with the National Statistics Country Classification, and published additional guidance in Instance.FUNDCODE.

2016-09-01 Coding manual release - version 1.9

Version 1.9 of the coding manual includes the first release of more file structures for downloadable files - specifically, those for the Postgraduate research (PGR) student collaborative provision and those for Unistats. These may be found within the 'File structures for downloadable files' page under 'Submission process and quality assurance'. We have also published a guide to the FE fields required for the two types of degree apprenticeships, and made a minor guidance amendment to Instance.NETFEE.

2016-07-28 Coding manual release - version 1.8

Version 1.8 of the coding manual includes the first release of several file structures for downloadable files - specifically, those for the Postgraduate research (PGR) student collaborative provision. These may be found within the 'File structures for downloadable files' page under 'Submission process and quality assurance'. The processing field specifications for credibility reporting for this collection have also been included under the derived field specifications.

Also included is a new valid entry, Z, in QualificationsOnEntry.QUALGRADE.

A Credibility mapping document has been provided, tracking the changes to the presentation of quality assurance data for providers.

2016-07-07 Coding manual release - version 1.7

Version 1.7 of the coding manual includes the first release of file structures for downloadable files - specifically, those for the Data supply, Expected instance population, and Continuity reports for FE and HE data. These may all be found within the 'File structures for downloadable files' page under 'Submission process and quality assurance'.

Also included is a correction to the coverage statement for Instance.NOTACT and a minor guidance change to Instance.FUNDCOMP

References to the former Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland have been updated to the Department for the Economy, or DfE (NI), across all documentation and valid entry labels.

2015-07-07 Circular release 16/04 - Student preparation guide

This circular provides information on the 2015/16 Student record collection process.

2016-05-26 Coding manual release - version 1.6

Version 1.6 of the coding manual includes a number of minor guidance changes.

2016-04-28 Coding manual release - version 1.5

Version 1.5 of the coding manual includes the first release of the 'Derived field specifications' under the 'Data specification' section and 'Data collection schedule' under 'Submission process and quality assurance'.

The following documentation has been updated in the coding manual:

  • Instance.ENGGRADE and Instance.MATHGRADE have new valid entries added to align with the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) specification for 2015/16.
  • The coverage of the field Instance.INITIATIVES has increased to include Northern Ireland.
  • Instance.MODOUT guidance in the Notes section has been updated to highlight that 'APEL modules' should not be returned in the Student record for HEFCE funded providers.
  • Coverage of the record text has been updated to replace reference to valid entry 'F On study year abroad for the year as a whole' in Instance.LOCSDY with 'T Abroad for the whole year'
  • Instance.MSTUFEE guidance has been reorganised to better state the requirements for this field. No change to content has occurred.
  • Guidance has been removed from the Notes section of Instance.LearnerFAM, regarding the maximum number of Instance.LearnerFAM records that can be returned for each student.
  • The diagrams in the Further guidance on collaborative supervision arrangements document have been updated and the following steps have been removed “Is there a teaching element taught by another provider?” and the “Record in TINST/PCOLAB”.
  • FinancialSupport.FINTYPE guidance updated to replace the no longer existing 'ALF (Access to Learning Fund)', with 'HEFCE Student Opportunity allocations'.

2016-03-03 Coding manual release - version 1.4

Version 1.4 of the coding manual includes the release of the file structure for DLHE survey population file, which will shortly be available to download from the data collection system.

Two new valid entries have been added to the QualificationsOnEntry.QUALGRADE field, allowing for more complete coding qualifications. The entries have also been accomodated in the validation kit.

Following feedback from the sector, links to the following documents are now included under the 'Further guidance' section: 'Further guidance on reporting qualifications on entry' and 'DLHE - Coverage of the record'.

2016-01-28 Coding manual release - version 1.3

Version 1.3 of the coding manual includes the first release of ‘rolled on’ quality rules from the previous 2014/15 collection, along with a validation kit for you to check your data against locally. These rules have been updated to account for the moving or deletion of fields between the two reporting periods, but are otherwise unchanged. This gives you an initial opportunity to assess your 2015/16 data against the status quo.

We’ve added valid entries to QualificationsOnEntry.QUALGRADE to add new codes present in the UCAS Data for HESA (Star J) transaction: FF, PA, PB, PC, QA, QA*, QB and QC, all associated with QUALTYPE WE. We have also updated the valid entries in QualificationsOnEntry.QUALSBJ to accommodate 150 new valid entries in the UCAS coding frame.

A minor valid entry, SEM, has been added to the FE field EmploymentStatusMonitoring.ESMTYPE to align with the Individual Learner Record (ILR).

A valid entry, N, has been added to Instance.INITIATIVES field to allow for Q-Step programmes to be reported. Further information on the reporting of Q-Step programmes will follow in a Circular.

We have made a number of guidance updates to EntryProfile.CARELEAVER, Instance.COLFROMDATE, Instance.COLFROMPROV, Instance.DISALL, Instance.NUMHUSPREV, Instance.FinancialSupport, Module.TINST and the Reduced returns document.

2015-11-26 Coding manual release - version 1.2

Version 1.2 of the coding manual includes the release of a key collection document and a number of small changes to the technical specification released in version 1.1.

The schema data type AWARDBODRangeType has been amended in C15051DataTypes.xsd for Course.AWARDBOD to express the valid entry restriction more accurately. No change to permitted content.

The Specification of the UCAS data for HESA (*J) 2015/16 document has been added under 'UCAS data for HESA transaction' section of the manual. The specification describes the file sent to HE providers who subscribe to UCAS, which may be used to aid in the submission of their HESA return.

Coverage statements for Instance.GROSSFEE and Instance.NETFEE have been amended.  The coverage for providers in England includes a clause covering postgraduate research students. These were included in the coverage in previous years, but the move of the Student.SSN field requires that they be explicitly mentioned.  Also, the guidance notes have been amended to clarify that the amount returned for Instance.GROSSFEE and Instance.NETFEE should include VAT.

Additional unbanded grades have been added to Scottish Highers and Advance Higher qualifications in the 'Further guidance on reporting qualifications on entry' document, which are already reflected in the QualificationsOnEntry.QUALGRADE field. A minor label change has been made to the label of valid entry 'IO' in QualificationsOnEntry.QUALTYPE

A number of small guidance changes or coverage restatements have been made to the REFData.UOA2014, Instance.FWORKCODE, CourseSubject.SBJCA, and  Instance.FEEWAIVEAMT for clarity.

2015-09-24 Coding manual release - version 1.1

Version 1.1 of the coding manual includes the full technical specification of the record for the 2015/16 reporting period. The schema, field specifications, valid entries, and guidance are all now available.

The changes announced previously for this collection (the introduction of new fields, the moving of a field from one entity to another) have been implemented in the specification.  New entry qualification types have been added in line with those that can be passed on from UCAS. A number of small terminology updates have been applied across the documentation, and guidance updated where new information is available. As usual, we have also taken the opportunity to align the FE fields for providers in England with the latest specification from the SFA.

As previously announced, from 2015/16 onwards the REFData.COLPROV field has become compulsory for all relevant records within the coverage of the REFData entity. This field must be returned where the student is part of a formal collaborative arrangement for doctoral research training, and is jointly supervised by supervisors at other UK providers, in industry or at overseas partners. In addition, we have also implemented new fields to allow for the recording of collaborative supervision arrangements for postgraduate research students. These five fields - Instance.COLFROMDATE, Instance.COLFROMPROV, Instance.COLTODATE, Instance.COLTOPROV, and Instance.NUMHUSPREV - were implemented following the recommendations of a working group established earlier this year. A guidance document is also available.

Also new for this collection is this page itself - the Notification Log. This page replaces the previous coding manual 'Release Notes' functionality, highlighting the changes made in each successive documentation release. The Notification Log will also record all communications issued with regard to a particular collection, allowing you to see all key messages in one place. We have implemented it following positive feedback for the concept earlier this summer, and hope you find it useful. Further feedback is welcomed: please contact our Institutional Liaison team via email at [email protected], or call 01242 211144.

2015-03-26 Coding manual release - version 1.0

Version 1.0 of the coding manual publicises the known changes to the record since 2014/15. This includes additional information about data for postgraduate bursaries and the changes required for FE provision. The full technical specification will be published in September 2015.

2015-01-05 Circular release 15/01 - January

This circular providers information on the Student record changes for 2015/16. This includes collecting new data on Higher Apprenticeships, postgraduate bursaries, fee waivers and the Student Support Number field moving entity.


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Contact Liaison by email or on +44 (0)1242 388 531.