Spring School Census day is Thursday 3 October 2024

Dear Colleagues, Please be aware that the Spring School Census day is Thursday 3 October 2024. Oxfordshire schools will be given access to the COLLECT website on this day. 

The new data items: The ‘School Childcare’ module has been updated to record if: 

• A childcare place is available for every parent who wants one 
• The childcare provision is open from 8am or earlier (if before school) 
• The childcare provision offers childcare covering 8am to 6pm 
• The childcare provision is open to at least 6pm (if after school) 
• The holiday childcare provider is open from 8am or earlier and to at least 6pm.

The authorised file needs to be sent via the COLLECT website by the end of Wednesday 9 October 2024. Please endeavour to remove all the errors from your school's return. Only queries that are correct should remain. 

Please send the Data Analysis Team an email explaining why any queries are correct so that the team can add notes and the errors can be passed by the DfE. Unfortunately, the team do not see any notes added to your own system, only those added to COLLECT. 

If you are unsure about any of the errors and queries, we can help. As part of the authorisation process the head teacher is expected to check the census summary and the details reports. By uploading the return, it is being acknowledged that the head teacher is happy with the data in the return. 

To do: Send the completed Census File to Oxfordshire LA via COLLECT, (please make sure you upload the file with the XML suffix) Send an email to the team email address (dataanalysisteam@oxfordshire.gov.uk) to explain any queries that you are happy are correct.