Statutory Returns

DfE statutory returns schedule 2016-17

Collections 2016-17	Census Day / Collection period	Submit by
Autumn School Census	6 October 2016	10 October 2016
School Workforce Census	3 November 2016	18 November 2016
January School Census	19 January 2017	23 January 2017
May School Census	18 May 2017	22 May 2017
EYFSP	June 2017	21 June 2017
Phonics	June 2017	28 June 2017
KS1	June 2017	21 June 2017
KS2 submitted directly to the STA (Standards & Testing Agency), not the LA.

School Census

General information

The School Census, a collection of data on pupils in state funded education in English schools, is undertaken three times a year:

• Autumn Census - every first Thursday in October
• Spring Census - every third Thursday in January
• Summer Census - every third Thursday in May

The DfE, and the LA, use the census data for a variety of purposes, including the allocation of school budgets and decision making in regards to education provision. The Census returns in Autumn and Spring carry more weight than the Summer Census. It is of great importance that these two returns are 100% accurate as more decisions are based on the data collected at those times.

DfE School Census Guide for Schools and LAs can be found at the following link:

• DfE School Census Guide for Schools and LAs

School Workforce Census

The School Workforce Census (SWF) is a statutory collection that takes place annually on the first Thursday in November.   This census collects data on all teaching and support staff in regular employment in schools.  It collects data on staff contracts/pay, absences, curriculum (secondary schools only) and qualifications.

The SWF data is the DfE’s main source of data on staff pay, turnover, absences and the monitoring of the effectiveness and diversity of the school workforce.  This data is also used by other government departments, LAs and educational researchers.  Accuracy of data is crucial.

DfE School Workforce Census Guide for Schools and LAs

SWF guidance is updated by the DfE each year before the census starts on the following link:

• http://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-workforce-census

EYFSP (Early Years Foundation Stage Profile)

The EYFSP data collection is a statutory assessment for all children in Reception. The assessment and reporting arrangements apply to all early years settings, including all providers registered with a child-minder agency, all providers on the early years register, maintained schools, including maintained special schools, academies, free schools, Service Children’s Education (SCE) schools, non-maintained schools and independent schools with early years provision, unless they have an exemption.

The main purpose of the EYFSP is to provide a reliable, valid and accurate assessment of individual pupils at the end of EYFS and will help Y1 teachers plan an effective, responsive and appropriate curriculum that will meet the needs of all pupils

The ‘EYFSP handbook’ guidance contains detailed information on the background and purpose of the EYFS profile and is updated each year before the collection starts (May/June).

The guidance for 2016 is available on the following link:

• http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook

Phonics

The phonics screening check is a statutory assessment for all children in Year 1, designed to confirm whether individual children have learnt phonic decoding to an appropriate standard. Children who do not achieve the appropriate standard in Year 1 should receive support from their school to ensure they can improve their phonic decoding skills. These children will then be expected to retake the check the following year (NC Year 2).

The phonics screening check data collection will provide information at school level via RAISEonline for schools to analyse their own performance; and at national and local authority level to allow schools to benchmark their children’s performance. National results will also be used to track standards over time.

The Phonics Screening Check guidance contains detailed information on the background and purpose of the Phonics screening check and is updated each year before the collection starts (May/June).

The guidance for 2016 is available on the following link:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-screening-check-data-collection-2016-guide

Key Stage 1 (KS1)

The Education Act 2002 places a duty on local authorities and schools to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Fulfilling this duty requires a broad and inclusive strategy, part of which focuses on ensuring that the provision of education and care is of the highest quality.

The KS1 data collection provides information at national, local authority and school level on attainment outcomes at the end of key stage 1. KS1 guidance is updated each year before the collection starts (April/May).

KS1 guidance for 2016 is available on the following link:

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/2016-key-stage-1-assessment-and-reporting-arrangements-ara

Last updated 1 September 2016