School Census Dates 2025-2026
October: 2nd October 2025 – DEADLINE 6th October 2025
January: 8th January 2026 – DEADLINE 12th January 2026
May: 7th May 2026 – DEADLINE 11th May 2026
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Summer Census
The Autumn term census is taking place on Thursday 2nd October 2025, if you are going to struggle to make the deadline for the initial submission, which is Monday 6th October 2025, please let us know at school.census@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
The submission of the School Census returns, including a set of named pupil records, is a statutory requirement on schools under section 537A of the Education Act 1996
Please make sure you read all of the guidance below as the answer to your query may be in the information and may save you time at times when the helpdesk is busy.
School Census is collected three times a year for all from all Pupil Referral Units, maintained Nursery, Primary, Middle, Secondary and Special Schools, Direct Grant Nurseries, City Technology Colleges, Academies, Non-maintained Special Schools and Service Children’s Education establishments.
Important Notice: Pupil Premium Funding has moved to the October census from 2020.
New Data Items
There are no new data items for the October census
Changed Data Items
There are no changed data items for the October census
Deleted Data Items
There are no deleted data items for the October census
Reminders
EYPP Guidance: Pupils may qualify for EYPP from the term after their third birthday.
EYPP checking can be completed using the Early Years Portal as you complete your Headcount.
Hours at Setting: Additional Information for Hours at Setting
Duplicate UPNs: From now, to help ensure fair allocation of DSG/GAG funding, the DfE will no longer double fund unresolved duplicate Pupil records.
All duplicate pupil records will need to be resolved.
Duplicate pupils are where two or more schools make returns which contain the same pupil with incompatible enrolment statuses. There are numerous reasons why this occurs, but the main reasons are:
1. When a pupil moves schools and the school the pupil leaves doesn’t update their register and returns that pupil as still on roll.
2. When a pupil is dually registered between two schools and the schools use an incorrect combination of enrolment statuses.
If you have duplicate pupils on roll when you submit your census return the Information Management team will be in contact with you to resolve this matter, and in most cases it will involve the creation of a new census return.
Instructions
Click on the line below to take you to the relevant page;
Schools supported by Schools IT
Guidance from the DfE
Please see the ESS website for SIMS
Scholarpack guidance (requires login)
Bromcom guidance