It is important that you regularly check the status of your return in COLLECT as it impacts on whether we have access to it and are able to quality check your data. Please see examples below;
- Loaded and Validated – this is where you have uploaded the file but not yet submitted it. Please submit the return so the DfE can access it.
- Submitted – this is now ready for the DfE to check and approve/authorise.
- Approved – this is NOT authorised and sometimes will mean that there are still outstanding queries that need to be resolved. Devon LA cannot access your return at this stage so you need to check your return in COLLECT.
- Amended by collector – this means the DfE have unapproved or unauthorised the return and you will need to check the notes to see what is required.
- Amended by source – this is where you have made an amendment and therefore need to submit the return once you are ready to do so.
- Authorised – this means that the DfE have authorised your file and we can check some data against our central records – this will be items that the DfE are unable to check. We will contact you with any queries we have and how to resolve/confirm them.
There are several reasons why a return will not yet be authorised by the DfE, it could be that you need to;
- add a note to a query that meets the DfE’s requirements
- resolve an error in your return
- run your credibility report , or add another note if the query’s been generated as you have amended data direct in COLLECT or uploaded another return
- resolve any duplicate pupil queries, you’ll need to run the Duplicate Reports in COLLECT to identify the query (Duplicate Report Same Person Different UPN, Duplicate Report Same UPN Different Person reports).
Information on these reports can be found in the DfE guidance document and should be followed accordingly; DfE School Census Duplicate Reports Guidance. If you have any questions please let us know.
The school census date is the reference date for the data collected but the census collection is open for several weeks when files are uploaded and checked by the DfE. So please bear in mind that even if you upload your census return on census day, errors/queries including duplicate pupil conflicts can arise right up to the day the DfE COLLECT portal closes.
It is advisable to check the status of your return as well as run the Duplicate reports regularly during this time and if possible, the day before or the morning of closure.