Unique Pupil Number (UPN) / Unique Learner Number (ULN)

In September each year the Department for Education (DfE) issues an Excel spreadsheet that creates Unique Pupil Numbers (UPNs) for new students for use during that academic year.

Medway schools can create their own UPNs from within SIMS. Independent schools will need to use the Unique Pupil Numbers spreadsheet on the DfE website.

Unique Learner Number (ULN)

This data item is needed for both on and off roll pupils. 

ULNs are mandatory for all pupils on roll aged 14 and over on Census Day, and for pupils no longer on roll who were aged 14 as at their leaving date. 

ULNs are assigned to pupils aged 14 or over in publicly funded education and training. 

The learning records service (LRS) allocates this number. 

If you need to get a ULN, verify a ULN or make minor updates to a student's data, you should send a partial CTF from your MIS to LRS using School to School (S2S). You will get a CTF back via S2S with the requested ULNs. 

Schools should check with their software supplier if their MIS interacts directly with the LRS system via its application-programming interface.