Automatic Data Collection

Where information already exists within the system, it is automatically included within the census return.

This removes the need for staff to re-enter information specifically for the census and helps maintain consistency between day-to-day school records and statutory reporting.

Relevant information is gathered from areas including:

Pupil Details
Names, dates of birth, gender, addresses, UPNs, admission details and pupil status.

Attendance
Attendance sessions, authorised and unauthorised absences, absence reasons and attendance totals.

Free School Meals
Current and historical eligibility periods are automatically assessed against the requirements of the census return.

Special Educational Needs
SEN provision, Education Health and Care Plans and other required SEN information.

Funding Information
Relevant pupil funding indicators and characteristics are included automatically where required.

Admissions and Leavers
Admission dates, leaving dates and destinations are included according to the requirements of the particular census.

Census Dashboard

Each census includes a dedicated dashboard showing the current state of the return.

Schools can immediately see:

• Number of pupils included
• Number of pupils excluded
• Missing information
• Validation errors
• Validation queries
• Outstanding actions
• Census status
• Previous validation results
• Date and time of the latest census generation

This allows administrators to identify issues before generating the final return.

Built-In Validation

The census is automatically checked before submission using validation rules aligned with the requirements of the Department for Education.

Validation identifies potential problems such as:

• Missing mandatory information
• Invalid dates
• Incorrect UPN formats
• Invalid pupil characteristics
• Conflicting pupil information
• Attendance inconsistencies
• Missing funding information
• Invalid SEN information
• Admission and leaving date conflicts
• Missing school information
• Invalid combinations of census fields

Errors and queries are displayed clearly against the relevant pupil or school record.

Staff can select an issue and move directly to the information that needs correcting.

Errors and Queries

Census issues are separated into Errors and Queries, allowing administrators to concentrate on the most important problems first.

Errors highlight information that must be corrected before the return can be successfully submitted.

Queries highlight information that may be unusual but could still be correct.

Where a query is legitimate, an explanation can be recorded against the census so there is a clear audit trail showing why the information was accepted.

Pupil Census View

Administrators can view exactly what information will be included for each pupil.

The pupil census view brings together all relevant census information in one place, including:

• Personal information
• UPN and identifiers
• Year group
• Registration status
• Address information
• Ethnicity
• Language
• Free School Meal eligibility
• SEN status
• Attendance
• Admissions
• Leaving information
• Funding indicators
• Service child information
• Looked-after status where applicable
• Early Years information where applicable

This makes it easy to investigate validation errors without having to navigate through numerous areas of the system.

Census Snapshot

When a census is generated, the system creates a snapshot of the information used for that return.

This ensures that administrators can see exactly what information was included at the point the census was prepared, even if pupil information is subsequently updated.

Previous census snapshots remain available for reference and auditing.

Census Comparison

Census returns can be compared with previous returns to help identify unexpected changes.

Administrators can review changes such as:

• Pupil numbers
• Year group totals
• Free School Meal numbers
• SEN numbers
• Attendance figures
• Pupil characteristics
• Funding indicators

Significant differences can therefore be investigated before the return is submitted.

Census Summary Reports

A range of summary reports is available to help schools check the accuracy of their census.

Reports include breakdowns by:

• Year group
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• First language
• SEN status
• Free School Meal eligibility
• Attendance
• Admission status
• Funding characteristics

Reports can be viewed on screen or exported for further analysis and record keeping.

XML Census File Generation

Once the census has passed validation, the system generates the required School Census XML return file ready for submission.

The XML file is produced using the required census structure and includes the school and pupil information contained within the validated census snapshot.

Before the file is generated, the system performs a final validation check to reduce the likelihood of submission errors.

Submission History

Every census return is retained within the system, providing a complete historical record.

The census history includes:

• Census period
• Census date
• Date generated
• Generated by
• Validation status
• Number of pupils
• Number of errors
• Number of queries
• XML generation date
• Submission status

Previous census returns and associated reports can be accessed whenever required.

Full Audit Trail

All changes relating to census preparation are recorded.

The audit trail identifies:

• What information was changed
• The previous value
• The new value
• Who made the change
• When the change was made
• Which census the change related to

This provides schools with a clear record of the work undertaken during census preparation and supports internal auditing and compliance requirements.