General guidance can be found on the DfE website Complete the school census - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
A full list of all of the information asked for and which census the data is relevant can be downloaded from the above link but we have summarised the information below.
Each census is built to collect only the information required.
Pupil Level data items
| Title | Primary autumn | Primary spring | Primary summer |
| Unique pupil number (UPN) | Both | Both | Both |
| ULN | |||
| Pupil's former UPN | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil surname | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil forename | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil middle names | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil preferred surname | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Pupil former surname | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil gender | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil date of birth | Both | Both | Both |
| Ethnicity | Both | ||
| Language code | Both | Both | Both |
| Free school meal eligibility start date | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Free school meal eligibility end date | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Country of UK | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| School lunch taken | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Youth support services agreement indicator | |||
| Service children in education indicator | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Funded free entitlement hours | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Extended entitlement hours | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| 30-hour code | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Disability access fund indicator | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Hours at setting | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| 2-year-old funding basis | On-roll | ||
| Unit contact time pupil | |||
| Early years pupil premium receipt | On-roll | ||
| Early years premium basis of funding | On-roll | ||
| Learner support code | |||
| Top-up funding indicator | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Post looked after arrangements | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Young carer indicator | On-roll | ||
| Learner Funding and Monitoring (FAM) Type | Both | Both | Both |
| Learner Funding and Monitoring (FAM) Code | Both | Both | Both |
| Learner Funding and Monitoring (FAM) Hours | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil enrolment status | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Class type | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Pupil date of entry | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil date of leaving | Off-roll | Off-roll | Off-roll |
| Pupil part-time indicator | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil boarder indicator | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil's actual national curriculum year group | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Pupil SEN provision (formerly stage) | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Pupil SEN type ranking | On-roll | ||
| Pupil SEN type | On-roll | ||
| Member of SEN unit (sometimes called special class) indicator | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Member of resourced provision indicator | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Exclusion or suspension category | Both | Both | Both |
| Exclusion or suspension reason | Both | Both | Both |
| Exclusion or suspension start date | Both | Both | Both |
| Suspension actual number of session | Both | Both | Both |
| Pupil SEN provision (formerly stage) | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement URN | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement UKPRN | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement setting type | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement company number | Both | Both | |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement Postcode | Both | Both | |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement reason | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement entry date | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement SEN provision at date of entry | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement leaving date | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement SEN provision at date of leaving | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement attendance pattern | Both | Both | Both |
| Alternative Provision (AP) placement sessions per week | Both | Both | Both |
| Postcode | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Unique property reference number | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Secondary address object number | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Primary address object number | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Street | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Locality | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Town | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Administrative area | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Post town | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Address line 1 | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Address line 2 | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Address line 3 | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Address line 4 | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Address line 5 | On-roll | On-roll | On-roll |
| Possible session | Both | Both | Both |
| Sessions missed due to authorised absence | Both | Both | Both |
| Sessions missed due to unauthorised absence | Both | Both | Both |
| Total number of sessions attending approved educational activity | Both | Both | Both |
| Total number of sessions unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances | Both | Both | Both |
| Total number of sessions not attending in circumstances in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) | Both | ||
| Attendance codes | Both | Both | Both |
| Number of sessions | Both | Both | Both |
| Possible sessions (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Sessions missed due to authorised absence (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Sessions missed due to unauthorised absence (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Total number of sessions attending approved educational activity (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Total number of sessions unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Total number of sessions not attending in circumstances in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19) (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Attendance codes (summer half term) | Both | ||
| Number of sessions (summer half term) | Both |
School level data items
| Title | Primary autumn | Primary spring | Primary summer |
| Local authority number | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Departmental establishment number | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| School name | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| School phase | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Type of school | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum year group | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum year group | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intake type | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Governance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| School email address | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| School telephone number | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| School Time | Yes | ||
| Primary admissions appeals lodged | Yes | ||
| Primary admissions appeals withdrawn | Yes | ||
| Primary admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee | Yes | ||
| Primary admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee – decided in parent’s favour | Yes | ||
| Primary admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee - rejected | Yes | ||
| Infant admissions appeals lodged | Yes | ||
| Infant admissions appeals withdrawn | Yes | ||
| Infant admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee | Yes | ||
| Infant admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee - decided in parent's favour | Yes | ||
| Infant admissions appeals heard by independent admissions committee - rejected | Yes | ||
| Part-time pupils not at school | Yes | ||
| Private study pupils | Yes | ||
| Pupils at another school | Yes | ||
| Class reference name | Yes | ||
| No. of teachers in the class | Yes | ||
| No. of adult non-teachers in the class | Yes | ||
| No. of teachers on PPA or LMT | Yes | ||
| Class year group | Yes | ||
| Class type | Yes | ||
| Class key stage | Yes | ||
| Class activity | Yes | ||
| No. of children admitted outside the normal admissions round with an EHC plan specifying a school | Yes | ||
| No. of looked after children and previously looked after children admitted outside the normal admissions round | Yes | ||
| No. of children admitted, after initial allocation of places, because of a procedural error made by the admission authority or local authority in the original application process | Yes | ||
| No. of children admitted after an independent appeals panel upholds an appeal | Yes | ||
| No. of children who move into the area outside the normal admissions round for whom there is no other available school within reasonable | Yes | ||
| No. of children of UK service personnel admitted outside the normal admissions round | Yes | ||
| No. of children whose twin or sibling from a multiple birth is admitted otherwise than as an excepted pupil | Yes | ||
| No. of children with SEN who are normally taught in an SEN unit attached to the school, or registered at a special school, who attend some infant classes within the mainstream school | Yes | ||
| No. of pupils from the host school in the class | Yes | ||
| No. of pupils from other schools in the class | Yes | ||
| Free school meals taken | Yes | ||
| Type of childcare | Yes | ||
| Childcare on site | Yes | ||
| Signposting off-site childcare provision | Yes | ||
| Opening time | Yes | ||
| Closing time | Yes | ||
| Childcare places | Yes | ||
| Childcare provider | Yes | ||
| Other schools | Yes | ||
| Childcare number of weeks open | Yes |
Updated