What is the school census?

In England, the school census must be completed by maintained schools, academies and free schools, special schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision academies. Schools usually produce the return from their management information system (MIS) and submit it online. The data feeds into school funding, published statistics and the National Pupil Database.

Registered independent schools do not complete the school census. They complete the school level annual school census (SLASC) instead, which collects school-level figures rather than records for each pupil.

There is also a separate alternative provision (AP) census in England. It is completed by local authorities each January and covers children they place and fund in settings that are not state-maintained schools, such as independent providers and one-to-one tuition. If a local authority funds your pupils, it may ask you for information for this return.

England and Wales

Wales runs its own collection, the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), each January. A valid UPN is needed for every pupil included. The Welsh Government also collects information about learners educated other than at school (EOTAS).

Why it matters for your setting

• Local authorities may ask you for details about the pupils they place with you, so keep accurate, up-to-date records.
• Census data affects funding for the schools and authorities you work with.
• Consistent recording of needs and attendance makes these requests quicker to answer.

PupilDB does not produce census returns. You can export student updates as a CSV for commissioners, and census support is on our roadmap.