School census bulletin 1 – Spring 2021

PLEASE NOTE: We are currently awaiting further instructions from the DfE following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 4th January 2021.

We will be in touch if there are any changes to the process and with any further advice, however in the meantime you will need to prepare for the census and therefore the information below is relevant at this time.

DfE School Census Date: Thurs 21st January 2021 Return Date: Tues 26th January 2021

As you may be aware, the statutory School Census for the Spring Term takes place on Thu 21st January. We strongly recommend that schools begin to prepare for the School Census by ensuring that, so far as possible, pupil databases are up-to-date and the relevant systems / accesses are in place.

Changes to data items

Some of the changes listed below have been introduced as a result of COVID-19; the collection of COVID-19 related absences and new exclusion reason linked to breaching COVID-19 protective measures.

Termly Attendance

This census will collect attendance from the autumn term and for the first time will include categories of school attendance listed below, rather than just absence;

• Total number of sessions attending approved educational activity
• Total number of sessions unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances
• Total number of sessions not attending in circumstances relating to coronavirus (COVID-19)
  A full list of attendance codes is available on the government website here. The second set of codes relate to 2020/21.

If your school uses electronic attendance registers the information will automatically be generated within your MI system.

Sessions not attending due to coronavirus (COVID-19) – code X

The DfE have advised that code X should be used to record sessions where a pupil does not attend because their travel to, or attendance at, school would conflict with:

•  guidance relating to the incidence or transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) from Public Health England and/or the Department of Health and Social Care, or
•      any legislation (or instruments such as statutory directions) relating to the incidence or transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19)

please note: these sessions are not counted as an absence in the school census.

For further information, please refer to: school attendance guidance for schools and addendum: recording attendance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) during the 2020 to 2021 academic year.

SIMS users

Schools must have upgraded to version 7.196 or above and must have imported the most up to date fileset – 1704 at the time of publication. Please note: CAPITA are due to release another fileset in January which will include the latest DfE validation and summary report files needed for the census. If you are a hosted school, Scomis will apply filesets automatically for you. If you encounter any difficulties please contact Scomis on 01392 385300. Non hosted schools will need to download the filesets from the Scomis website and apply themselves.

For the latest SIMS census information please view the Scomis site

Further Guidance

Our School Census Quick Guide and Supporting Guide (indicating where census data items are held in sims) will shortly be available via our website.

CAPITA sims school census handbooks are available at the bottom of the Scomis school census webpage.

If you have any queries, or if this is your first school census, please email census@devon.gov.uk and someone from the Education Information Team will contact you to provide support and guidance.