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 17 January 2025)
• Summer 2025: Census Date: 15 May 2025 (submit by 16 May 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, 522 KB)
• DfE website

Important Dates:

LA Maintained Schools must upload and submit to COLLECT no later than Friday 17 January 2025. Any LA Maintained school that cannot meet this deadline must email the Intelligence & Analytics Team (I&A) at cs.schooldata@norfolk.gov.uk. It is requested that schools submit their data as soon as they can after the Census day on 16 January 2025 so we can begin work on any errors or queries to resolve in time for the approvals deadline on 12 February 2025. 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 email edd.helpdesk@education.gsi.gov.uk  

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

The 'School Childcare' module has been updated to record if:

• a childcare place is available for every parent who wants one
• the childcare provision is open from 8am or earlier (if before school)
• the childcare provision offers childcare covering 8am to 6pm
• the childcare provision is open to at least 6pm (if after school)
• the holiday childcare provider is open from 8am or earlier and to at least 6pm

Existing data items

• The learner funding and monitoring (FAM code) associated code set has been updated to cover pupils in receipt of 'tutoring' following the conclusion of the National Tutoring Programme and 16 to 19 Tuition Fund. Code 01 has been extended to include all schools except nurseries, pupils in years 1 to 14 and enrolment statuses. Code 21 has been removed.
• Pupil SEN type code has been updated to include Down Syndrome.
• Expanded hours has been extended to record up to 15 hours for children from 9 months old with working parents.
• For early years pupil premium receipt, the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
• For early years pupil premium basis for funding, the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
• The disability access fund indicator has been extended to children from 9 months old.
• Attendance reason associated code set has been updated to include new codes effective from 19 August 2024.
• References to T Level transition programme have been changed to T Level foundation year.  
• Signposting to offsite childcare, the response code 'YF' has been updated from 'including transport' to 'including escort'.
• The ethnicity code set (CS080) has been amended to align with the ONS 2021 census by including ABRI (Asian - British), AWEL (Asian - Welsh), BBRI (Black - British), BWEL (Black - Welsh), and ORAB (Arab). All are main codes except ORAB which is an extended code and covered by the main code of OOTH (Any other ethnic group). The description of WIRT has been updated to 'Irish Traveller'.

Deleted data items

• Learner funding and monitoring (FAM) hours will be discontinued from autumn 2024. 
• Work placement employer ID will be discontinued from autumn 2024.
• Sessions missed for Authorised, Unauthorised, Educational and 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 the day following submission and checked to ensure that data submitted is correct,the query will clear the day following all reports being run.

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, 211 KB)