The Autumn term census is taking place on Thursday 3rd October 2024, if you are going to struggle to make the deadline for the initial submission, which is Monday 7th October 2024, please let us know at [email protected]
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 Spcial Schools and Service Children’s Education establishments.
Important Notice: Pupil Premium Funding has moved to the October census from 2020.
School Census Dates 2024-2025
October: 3rd October 2024 – DEADLINE 7th October 2024
January: 16th January 2025 – DEADLINE 20th January 2025
May: 15th May 2025 – DEADLINE 19th May 2025
New Data Items
•Childcare places availability has been created to record if a childcare place is available for every parent who wants one.
•Childcare opening time has been created to record if the childcare provision is open from 8am or earlier (if before school).
•Childcare provider hours has been created to record if the childcare provision offers childcare covering 8am to 6pm.
•Childcare closing time has been created to record if the childcare provision is open to at least 6pm (if after school).
•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.
Changed Data Items
•Learner funding and monitoring (FAM) code – the associated code set 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.
•Pupil SEN type code – the code set has been updated to include Down Syndrome.
•Childcare provider – a new code set, has been created and updated.
•Expanded hours has been extended to record up to 15 hours for children from 9 months old with working parents.
•Early years pupil premium receipt – the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
•Early years pupil premium basis for funding – the frequency of collection has been increased to termly and extended to children from 9 months old.
•Disability access fund indicator has been extended to children from 9 months old.
•Programme type – the associated code set item, 30, has been changed to T Level foundation year.
•Type of childcare and signposting off-site – the subsequent question’s response code ‘YF’ has been updated from ‘including transport’ to ‘including escort’.
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.
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
SIMS Producing the census – Nursery Schools
SIMS Preparing Data Primary, Primary, Special and Nursery Settings
SIMS Producing the census – Primary Schools
SIMS Preparing Data Secondary Settings
SIMS Producing the census – Secondary Schools
SIMS Producing the census – PRU Settings
SIMS Producing the census – Special Schools
SIMS Producing the census – All Through Schools
Scholarpack guidance (requires login)
Bromcom guidance