Data is collected three times a year:
- Autumn
- Spring
- Summer
The information collected is used by the Department for Education (DfE) in the calculation of the Dedicated Schools Grant and the Pupil Premium funding allocations.
Data collected includes general pupil characteristic information such as gender, free school meal eligibility, Special Needs, ethnicity and language. Termly absence and attendance data is also collected, contributing to the published School Performance tables.
Academies please note that the we are not able to see or assist with your School Census. Academies with any questions relating to completing the school census should contact the DfE by email edd.helpdesk@education.gsi.gov.uk or contact the DfE using the data collections service request form.
Census dates for the 2025/26 academic year
- Autumn - Thursday 2 October 2025
- Spring - Thursday 15 January 2026
- Summer - Thursday 21 May 2026
Census dates for the 2026/27 academic year
- Autumn - Thursday 1 October 2026
- Spring - Thursday 21 January 2027
- Summer - Thursday 20 May 2027
Upload your census by the deadline, the Wednesday after the above dates. This gives us time to meet the DfE deadline which follows.
However, for the Summer Census May 2026, the deadline occurs during the half-term. Please submit by 4 June 2026
DfE guidance
Returning the School Census via COLLECT:
Links
School to School (s2s): DfE’s secure data transfer system
- School to School log in page is via the DfE sign-in webpage
- Handbook for s2s for schools and FAQs
School workforce census
There is also a separate annual Schools workforce census.