October school census

The October school census is due on: Thursday 2 October 2025

Your return should be uploaded to Collect by:  Thursday 9 October 2025 

Preparing for Census Day

You need to ensure that you have the latest SIMS Version installed.  To check the version of SIMS installed, open SIMS then select Help/About SIMS.  

You also need the latest SIMS Fileset (to check the version number, go to Routines | Statutory Returns | School Census). 

(243 KB)

Newsletters:

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  1 Week to go Census Newsletter - Autumn 2025 (PDF, 270.5 KB)
  
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  2 Weeks to go Census Newsletter - Autumn 2025 (PDF, 268.99 KB)
  

Guidance notes for SIMS Schools

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  School census - Autumn 2025 - special schools and PRUs (PDF, 1.32 MB)
  
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  School census - Autumn 2025 - primary schools (PDF, 1.31 MB)
  
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  School Census - Autumn 2025 middle and high schools (PDF, 1.27 MB)
  
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  Acceptable Note Pad Entires (XLSX, 38.61 KB)
  

 Headteacher Declaration Form

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  Headteacher declaration form (PDF, 193.07 KB)
  

Additional guidance

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  Attendance Recording (PDF, 143.92 KB)
  
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  Alternative Provision Placements (PDF, 247.4 KB)
  
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  Carrying Out a School Census Dry Run (PDF, 274.13 KB)
  
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  Checking Your Data (PDF, 160.53 KB)
  
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  Copying and Resubmitting a School Census return (PDF, 434.49 KB)
  
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  Dual Registration (PDF, 109.47 KB)
  
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  Early Years (PDF, 192.27 KB)
  
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  Exclusions (PDF, 132.86 KB)
  
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  Free School Meal Eligibility (PDF, 215.02 KB)
  
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  Language Codes (PDF, 460.09 KB)
  
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  Learner Funding and Montioring (PDF, 179.91 KB)
  
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  Notepad entries (PDF, 167.85 KB)
  
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  Post-16 and Learning Aims (PDF, 201.83 KB)
  
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  Recording Pupil & Student Names (PDF, 110.11 KB)
  
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  Sex & Gender Identity (PDF, 120.63 KB)
  
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  Temporary UPNs (PDF, 156.81 KB)
  

DfE guidance

We incorporate the DfE guidance notes into our own guidance, so you should be able to find the majority of information in those. However, if you would like further guidance it is available online.