School and pupil census

The school census is a statutory return which takes place during each term and covers all maintained schools, academies, free schools and pupil referral units.

Census dates for 2024-2025

• Autumn 2024: Census Date: 3 October 2024 (submit by 4 October 2024)
• Spring 2025: Census Date: 16 January 2025 (submit by 12 February 2025)
• Summer 2025: Census Date: 15 May 2025 (submit by 11 June 2025)

Schools are required to upload, cleanse and submit their census return file directly onto the Department of Education COLLECT website on or before the above 'submit by' date. However, while the 'submit by' day is the final deadline, please can returns be uploaded as soon as possible after the census date.

If you are unable to submit your return by this date you must inform the intelligence and analytics team, email cs.schooldata@norfolk.gov.uk.

Important - errors and queries

Even though your management information system (MIS) indicates there are no errors or queries you may still have errors or queries in COLLECT. You should upload your file to COLLECT as early as possible and check for any unexpected errors or queries, to allow time to resolve them before the census approval deadline.

All errors must be resolved. All queries must be investigated and resolved with appropriate notepad entries where necessary. This is the area of Census where most problems occur, so please refer to the 'Dealing with errors and queries' section on the  page.

Guidance

• Preparation and readiness for school census 2024-2025 (PDF) [527KB]
• DfE website

Important Dates:

LA Maintained Schools must upload and submit to COLLECT no later than Friday 4^th October 2024. Any LA Maintained school that cannot meet this deadline must email the Intelligence & Analytics Team (I&A) cs.schooldata@norfolk.gov.uk. It is requested that schools submit their data as soon as they can after the Census Day on Thursday 3^rd October so we can begin work on any errors or queries to resolve in time for the Friday 4^th October deadline. As well as being the final submission deadline, this is also a deadline for us to get the data approved by.

Academies please note that the Local Authority (LA) is not able to see or assist with your School Census. Academies with any questions relating to completing the school census should contact the DfE (Department of Education) helpdesk via the Data Collections Service Request Form. 

Why is this Census Important?

The census is a key source of data used to calculate schools' funding. It is essential that all schools complete the census accurately and in a timely manner to ensure they are funded correctly. Failure to do so could result in a school missing out on funding to which it is entitled or receiving more funding than it is due and having to repay any overpayment.

DfE Sign in

Please remember to check you can login to COLLECT before Census day, using the following link: https://services.signin.education.gov.uk/

Help and guidance from Department of Education

The Department of Education (DfE) produce a comprehensive web-based manual for the school census. These web pages include general guidance, recommended notepad entries and technical specifications which are all located on their help pages here: Complete the school census (opens new window).

If you have a query about data collections, use the DfE data collections service request form (opens new window).

Management Information System (MIS)

Most software providers will have their own guidance documents to assist you in running the school census module and producing the XML file.

For any issues relating to your MIS, contact your provider directly as the census team can't provide support for your system.

Dealing with errors and queries

After uploading your return, you must check to see if there are any errors and queries on your return. This must be checked within COLLECT, even if your MIS does not show any errors or queries. To check for errors and queries you will need to open your return and select the 'all errors' button.

The DfE will not approve any returns where there are unresolved errors and queries.

The majority of errors require data to be amended and a new file uploaded. For queries, generally if correct, a notepad entry will need to be added. Both the DfE and the local authority produce documents advising the correct wording for each query. Use these documents as the DfE may reject notes without the correct wording.

Get guidance on checking your data (opens new window) on the DfE website.

DfE Sign-in (formerly Secure Access)

This is the same system used to access Get Information About Pupils (GIAP), Get Information About Schools (GIAS), and School to School (s2s) and you will now use this to access the COLLECT portal to submit your census file.

Further guidance

If you have referred to the DfE guidance documents and you still need help, email cs.schooldata@norfolk.gov.uk and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 New data items

• Data item N00799: childcare places availability has been created to record if a childcare place is available for every parent who wants one.
• Data item N00800: childcare opening time has been created to record if the childcare provision is open from 8am or earlier (if before school).
• Data item N00801: childcare provider hours has been created to record if the childcare provision offers childcare covering 8am to 6pm.
• Data item N00802: childcare closing time has been created to record if the Childcare provision is open to at least 6pm (if after school).
• Data item N00803: holiday childcare provider hours has been created to record if the holiday childcare provider is open from 8am or earlier and to at least 6pm.

Existing data items

• Data item N00764: learner funding and monitoring (FAM) code - the associated code set CS117 has been updated. Code 01 has been extended to include appropriate pupils and school types, and the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) has been replaced with tutoring. Code 21 has been removed.
• Data item N00166: pupil SEN type code - the code set CS071 has been updated to include Down Syndrome.
• Data item N00285: childcare provider - a new code set, CS125, has been created and updated.
• Data item N00787: expanded hours has been extended to record up to 15 hours for children from 9 months old with working parents.
• Data item N00639: early years pupil premium receipt - the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
• Data item N00174: early years pupil premium basis for funding - the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
• Data item N00203: disability access fund indicator has been extended to children from 9 months old.
• Data item N00674: programme type - the associated code set item, 30, has been changed to T Level foundation year.
• Data items N00288: type of childcare and N00294: signposting off-site - the subsequent question's response code 'YF' has been updated from 'including transport' to 'including escort'.

Deleted data items

• Data item N00765: learner funding and monitoring (FAM) hours will be discontinued from autumn 2024.
• Data item N00679: work placement employer ID will be discontinued from autumn 2024.
• Data items N00054 Authorised, N00055 Unauthorised, N00683 Educational and N000684 Exceptional: will be discontinued from spring 2025.

Further Changes

The DfE has advised that due to an increase in preventable mistakes which impact funding two new validation checks have been introduced.

Report Query

A new query will trigger if the relevant reports for your school phase or type have not been run, the query will trigger until all relevant reports have been run. These COLLECT reports should be run and checked to ensure that data submitted is correct.

DupUPNRprt Error

This error will trigger if the return has unresolved duplicates which impact funding allocations. The return will not be authorised until the error has been resolved. Please note if the return has been previously authorised and a duplicate UPN is introduced at any point during the 'live' collection the return status will revert to 'approved'

As these reports run overnight, the validation will also be run overnight and therefore the errors will not be apparent until the following day.

For extended checklist see separate document called Census Preparation Checklist (PDF) [207KB]