Management Information Sheet
Summer 2017 School Census
This is a reminder that 2017 Summer Census day is Thursday 18 May 2017. Please ensure that your LA Maintained School's census files are uploaded and submitted to COLLECT no later than Friday 19 May 2017 to ensure that we can review and approve then before the Summer Half-term deadline.
If you are a LA maintained school and have any problems meeting this deadline please email the Business Intelligence and Performance Service (BIPS) at bi@norfolk.gov.uk explaining the problems you are having and when you expect to upload your census file.
Why is This Census Important?
Data provided in the Summer School Census is used by various organisations for many purposes and is used internally by Norfolk County Council to provide information which may link to planned initiatives within communities.
Therefore it is important that your return is completed accurately and on time.
Early checking
A 'familiarisation' release of the 2017 summer school census COLLECT blade is available now, until 4pm on Friday 12h May 2017, at which point the blade will be removed and cleared out ready for the live collection on Thursday 18 May 2017. We strongly recommend that all schools take the chance to load a file output from their management information system (MIS) into the COLLECT familiarisation blade in order to check for any unexpected errors or queries in their data when loaded into COLLECT.
Guidance
Guidance on submitting your school census and links to DfE support documents can be found at the Norfolk Schools website. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the guidance in advance of the collection date (18/05/17) so that you are able to resolve any data errors or queries as described above, in good time.
LA Maintained schools: If you have already referred to the available guidance but still require clarification on a complex issue, please email the BIPS team via bi@norfolk.gov.uk. A member of the BIPS team will respond to your email as soon as possible. Note that BIPS is not able to assist with queries relating to Secure Access or in respect of your MIS.
Important
Even though your Management Information System (MIS) indicates there are no errors or queries you may still have errors or queries in COLLECT. You are recommended to upload your file to COLLECT as early as possible and check for any unexpected errors or queries, using the ALL ERRORS button, to allow time to resolve them before the submission deadline.
All errors must be resolved. All queries must be investigated and resolved with appropriate Notepad Entries where necessary. This is the area of Census where most problems occur, so please study the "Collect Minimum Notepad Entries" section (including a Norfolk Common Queries guide) in the Help & DfE Guidance section in Norfolk Schools for more details.
Reminder
Academies are required to submit their returns via the COLLECT system also, in accordance with DfE requirements, but with any questions on errors and or queries highlighted or technical assistance being sorted via their own Academy Trust Census contact.