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Headteacher, Data Manager, Administrators

Spring School Census Key dates and guidance

Spring School Census – Key Dates and Guidance

Dear Colleague

Spring School Census Day is Thursday 16 January 2026. Access to the COLLECT website will be available on that day.

The authorised file needs to be sent via the COLLECT website by the end of Wednesday 21 January 2026, ensuring all errors are addressed or explained via email to the Data Analysis Team so that the team can add notes and the errors can be authorised by the DfE.

The DfE’s deadline for approved submissions is Wednesday 11 February (for Academies and LAs). This gives the LAs time to ensure all errors are checked and notes added where necessary. Unfortunately, the team do not usually 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 headteacher is responsible for verifying the census summary and the reports. By uploading the return, it is being acknowledged that the headteacher is happy with the data in the return.

Complete the school census – Guidance – GOV.UK

To do:

  • Send the completed Census file to Oxfordshire LA via COLLECT (please make sure you upload the file with the XML suffix).
  • Run and check reports on COLLECT the day after submission; reports will also need to be run again the day after any amendments are made on COLLECT.
  • Send an email to the team email address (dataanalysisteam@oxfordshire.gov.uk) to explain any queries that you are happy are correct.

Many thanks
Margaret and Debbie
Data Analysis Team