TweetAs part of the Government’s data opening process, the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) has launched its data website. With an “emphasis on transparency,” the site sets to publish all their public data on Academies, 16-19 year-olds and Further Education under one umbrella.
The website includes a Google publication calendar, reminders and yet-to-be-accessible visualisations, alongside its data sets. The data itself is separated into information on residents and information on institutions. So far the published data sets reveal analysis and reports filled under the following themes: the learning landscape; attainment and progression; progression and residency.
The YPLA Data site aims to reach the interest of students, parents, the general public, local authorities and providers (or learning establishments).
Young People's Learning Agency Data website aims
For local authorities, the website recommends usage alongside another YPLA tool, the Information Management portal (IM) which is private. It also adds that data will be “first published on the IM Portal for a given period prior to publication” which begs the question of the reasons behind releasing this website for local authorities, since, presumably, they already have access to it privately via the IM Portal.
As of April 2012 the website will go under the Department for Education (DfE). Since April is the first month of the financial year, the question of funding arises: Will the DfE be financing this website starting next year and who is paying for it at the minute?