Importance of the Autumn School Census
The census is a key source of data used to calculate schools' funding. It is essential that all schools complete the census accurately and in a timely manner to ensure they are funded correctly. Failure to do so could result in a school missing out on funding to which it is entitled or receiving more funding than it is due and having to repay any overpayment.
Assistance with your census return
To assist schools with using the COLLECT system to make a successful school census return the DfE have published a number of guides. These can be found here
COLLECT Funding reports
Funding reports showing pupil numbers for both the early years block of dedicated schools grant and pupil premium allocations (including the early years pupil premium) are available via the reports section in COLLECT. It is essential that these funding reports are checked and verified in conjunction with LA Finance Officers in advance of the spring school census database closing to amendments from schools and local authorities on 12 March. Amendments to the database will not be possible after this date and, consequently, this will be your only opportunity to contest your funding pupil numbers.
To assist with using and interpreting these funding reports, funding report user guides have been published on the School Census website
COLLECT duplicate reports
There are 2 different duplicate reports which are available for schools and local authorities to run in COLLECT and a separate guidance document has been published for each report. These guides are available on the School Census website:
- duplicate report – Same UPN
- duplicate report – Same Person Different UPN
COLLECT report query and DupUPNRprt Error
The report query and the DupUPNRprt Error report were introduced as part of Autumn 2024 census and will remain in place for the Spring 2025 census and all those thereafter.
Report query will trigger if the relevant reports for your school phase or type have not been run. The query will trigger until all relevant reports have been run however, this will not prevent the return from being authorised.
DupUPNRprt Error - this error will trigger if the return has unresolved duplicates which impact funding allocations. The return will not be authorised until the error has been resolved.
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