The school census is a statutory census that takes place during the autumn, spring and summer terms.
The census collects information about individual pupils and about the schools themselves. Schools must complete statutory censuses by law unless there’s a good reason not to.
The calculation of pupil premium allocations for schools will be based on the 2019 spring census data. This makes it more important than ever that the census data for schools is submitted promptly and accurately for all data providers.
The following schools take part in the census:
- all local-authority-maintained schools, including:
- nursery schools
- primary schools, including middle-deemed-primary schools
- secondary schools, including middle-deemed-secondary schools
- special schools (for children with special educational needs or disabilities), including hospital schools
- pupil referral units (PRUs – for children who cannot go to a mainstream school)
- community, foundation, voluntary-aided and voluntary-controlled schools
- some schools, not maintained by the local authority, including:
- academies, including alternative provision (AP) academies (for children who cannot go to a mainstream school)
- free schools, including AP free schools
- studio schools
- university technical colleges (UTCs)
- non-maintained special schools (schools for children with special educational needs that the Secretary of State for Education has approved under section 342 of the Education Act 1996)
- Schools for service childrenoverseas take part in this census on a voluntary basis.
Spring 2019 census dates:
Census day: Thursday 17 January 2019
Deadline for submitting data: Wednesday 13 February 2019
