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How to upload your School Census return

Submit your school census return to LA using COLLECT portal

Please do not send a census return (or other pupil-level details) via email.

Your school census return must be uploaded via the COLLECT Portal, only as described:

1. Download school census data file from the MIS

The school census data return file will automatically be named 211xxxx_SC2_211LL22_nnn.xm (where xxxx is the school’s DfE number and nnn is the census file’s version number).

Save the file to a suitable folder in school, (unzipping it if necessary).

2. Login to the live version of COLLECT via the DfE Sign-in portal

DfE Sign-in portal link

For any issues logging in, please contact your in-school “approver” who may be able to help, but if the approver cannot help, please use the DfE service request on their online form, Note : this may take 5 working days.

3. Upload your data XML file onto COLLECT

After you have downloaded the census data return file from your MIS, (which may need unzipping) then you must upload that census return (‘.XML’) file into COLLECT.

  • When it finishes uploading and importing, go to the COLLECT page where the “upload return” button is, and look for the ‘status’, which should have immediately changed to say: “loaded and validated”.
  • Once “loaded and validated” the school must use the “Open Return” button, and then “All Errors” button, to see the list of COLLECT’s Errors and Queries.
  • Resolve all errors, and any queries that can be fixed, in your MIS, regenerating a new return file for uploading into COLLECT, until only any ‘unresolvable’ queries remain in COLLECT’s ‘All Errors’ list.

4. Check the “All Errors” List for COLLECT Errors and Queries

  • Once “loaded and validated” the school must use the “Open Return” button, ignore the count of ‘E’ and ‘Q’ and instead use the “All Errors” button, to see the list of COLLECT Errors and Queries.
  • Resolve all errors, and any queries that can be fixed, in your MIS, regenerating a new return file for uploading into COLLECT, until only any ‘unresolvable’ query remains in that ‘All Errors’ list.

5. Once no errors and only unresolvable queries remain in COLLECT’s All Errors list, generate and check the MIS School Summary

  • The details in that School Summary must be carefully checked by the school, for the Head Teacher’s ‘sign off’, being aware that school funding could be affected by any inaccuracy in some of these figures.
  • The DfE advise schools to compare this term’s summary to the report for the same term of the previous year, checking the figures are ‘as the school would expect’, in all tables, and ‘sense checking’ them too. We note this is not possible for this term, please check against figures against your Spring Census.

If there seems to be an issue with a figure in the report, first read the DfE definition for the data item(s) relevant to what is being counted and read about that table in the relevant report specification too.

  • The school must use the relevant data item definition(s), and the relevant School Summary Report Specification’s table definition and business rules sections, to establish if any further conditions impact on a count, leading to pupils being included/excluded from the figure.
  • If the school’s investigation of the School Summary leads to any data changes in the school MIS to fix data issues, then after the changes are saved, in the MIS, regenerate a new census return for COLLECT and repeat all COLLECT steps, including the ‘All Errors list’ checks.
  • The sooner this step is completed, ‘new’ errors and/or queries may be caused by any ‘new’ data that is naturally being added to the MIS, after census date.

6. Once the latest version of the data has been in COLLECT overnight, Launch and check COLLECT reports carefully

  • Launch each COLLECT report (only once your return has been in COLLECT overnight) and resolve any issues found, back in the school MIS, and then, if any issues are found, after these changes are saved, in the MIS, regenerate a new census file for COLLECT and repeat all COLLECT steps, including the ‘All Errors list’ checks.
  • Some of the COLLECT reports have ‘funding’ in their name. The Head must be involved in checking details on all funding related, affecting school funding.
  • If there are concerns about the funding report figures, and the school feels these need to be discussed with the LA, then these funding report enquiries would be directed to the LA’s School Finance team.

7. Only once no issues remain, in Collect’s ‘All Errors’ List, in the School Summary and in the overnight Reports – Add a single note containing explanations for all remaining queries

  • All remaining unresolvable queries must have one explanatory line each in your latest ‘Note’, which schools add in COLLECT, at return level: the screen immediately after you “open (the) return”. Start each query on a new line and start each line with that query’s code.

8. In COLLECT press ‘Submit Return’

  • Maintained schools must press the ‘Submit Return’ button by the school deadline, (indicates Headteacher’s sign off), so that the LA can ‘approve’ returns and work on any duplicates arising later. Academies do this for DfE directly. Until school presses ‘Submit Return’ button in COLLECT, the LA cannot work on a return and the DfE can see it is still ‘outstanding’ (not yet ‘signed off’) in the DfE’s view of COLLECT.
  • The school is responsible for ensuring the School Census data is accurate and submitted on time. Ensuring the DfE’s guidance has been followed regarding loading data into the MIS as well as GDPR and other regulations are followed, including a suitable privacy notice when pupils join school.

9. Immediately after May half term holiday, recheck both COLLECT ‘duplicates’ reports, again for any new cases

  • The schools must check the COLLECT ‘duplicates’ reports after May half-term, and if any new duplicates have arisen between schools, refer to our ‘Common COLLECT issues to avoid’ guidance document.

Useful Links

Common COLLECT issues to avoid

Please refer to our short Summer COLLECT issues document to avoid problems, each time that you upload your school census return into COLLECT.

Other data items

Please refer to the DfE link: Data items 2023 to 2024 - Complete the school census - Guidance and browse for the relevant school phase for further details of all data items.

DfE guidance on School Census

List of COLLECT queries and explanatory notes to help you complete the school census

Support

  • MIS enquiries should be referred to your software supplier/support helpline.
  • Any enquiries about COLLECT ‘funding related’ report figures to the School Finance Team