Schools and Early Years providers are required to return various data to the DfE. The information on this page is to help you know when returns take place, what needs to be returned and how you can ensure data is as accurate as possible.
Contact: Business Intelligence Team
Reception baseline assessment (RBA) 2022 to 2023 academic year
First six weeks after pupils enter reception
Practitioners must administer the RBA to all applicable pupils in the first six weeks after they enter reception.
To do so, log in to the Baseline ePortal (BeP).
If your school is part of a multi-academy trust, please be aware that each school has unique log-in details.
All pupils must be uploaded to the BeP.
If your school decides that it is not appropriate for a pupil to take the assessment, this must be recorded by using the school’s headteacher account to set a pupil’s status to ‘disapplied’.
For more information, see the RBA assessment and reporting arrangements.
If you have any questions, contact the RBA helpline on 0330 088 4171 or email receptionbaseline@nfer.ac.uk
School Census: Autumn Census Date
The deadline for maintained schools and PRU to submit a return to the local authority via COLLECT is Tuesday 11 October 2022.
Academies and Free schools submit returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE) using COLLECT by DfE timescales.
School Census is a termly return from all state-funded primary, secondary, special and PRUs.
The DfE uses the data from the return to inform school budgets. It is therefore essential that it is accurate. Schools should use MIS reports and the Census Summary to quality check their data before submission. There should be a headteacher sign-off process within each school.
Local authority guidance is here.
DfE guidance is here.
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS handbook and Arbor’s support webpage and ScholarPack's webpage
School Workforce Census 2022: Census Deadline
Census date 3 November
The deadline for maintained schools and PRU to submit a return to the local authority via COLLECT is Tuesday 8 November
Academies and Free schools submit returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE) using COLLECT by DfE timescales.
School Workforce Census is an annual return from all state-funded primary, secondary, special and PRUs. Academies and Free schools submit a return directly to the Department for Education (DfE) for approval and authorisation.
The School Workforce Census is the primary source of data on school staff that the Department for Education (DfE) uses to inform policy on pay and the monitoring of the effectiveness and diversity of the school workforce.
Local authority guidance is here
The Department for Education (DfE)
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS handbook and Arbor’s support webpage and ScholarPack's webpage
Department for Education (DfE) Early Years Census 2023: Census Date
Providers of free early education in the private, voluntary and independent sectors, including childminders, must ensure child data is accurately maintained on Waltham Forest’s Early Years Provider Portal to reflect funded 2, 3 and 4-year-old children receiving free early education in their setting during census week
The deadline to complete the online DFE EY Census 2023 Provider Data Form on Waltham Forest’s Early Years Provider Portal is 31 January 2023. This will provide additional staffing and establishment information required for the statutory return.
The Early Years Census is a statutory census that takes place every January.
The EY census is required from any Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) setting where one or more of their children (aged 2, 3 and 4 years as at 31/12/2022) are receiving early education during census week that is funded by the department.
Any setting that has no children aged 2, 3 or 4 receiving funded early education during census week should not make an EY census (EYC) return. This census does not cover local authority maintained nursery or nursery classes in maintained schools and academies that are included as part of the School Census.
Information for the return will be collected from data recorded by providers of free early education in the private, voluntary and independent sectors to Waltham Forest’s Early Years Providers Portal.
Local authority guidance is on the Early Years Provider Portal users guide page.
School Census: Spring 2023 Census Date
The deadline for maintained schools and PRU to submit a return to the local authority via COLLECT is 24 January 2023
Academies and Free schools submit returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE) using COLLECT by DfE timescales and ensure that the return is “Authorised” by the DfE.
School Census is a termly return from all state-funded primary, secondary, special and PRUs. The DfE uses the data from the return to inform school budgets.
The DfE uses the data from the return to allocate funding. It is therefore essential that it is accurate. For relevant schools, all Early Years funded hours (& extended hours where appropriate) recorded in the school management information system (MIS) must reconcile with information posted to the Early Years Provider Portal.
Schools should use MIS reports and the Census Summary to quality check their data before submission. There should be a headteacher sign-off process within each school.
Local authority guidance is here
DfE guidance is available here.
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS handbook and Arbor’s support webpage.
School Census: Summer 2023 Census Date
The deadline for maintained schools and PRU to submit a return to the local authority via COLLECT is 23 May 2023
Academies and Free schools submit returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE) using COLLECT by DfE timescales.
School Census is a termly return from all state-funded primary, secondary, special and PRUs.
The DfE uses the data from the return to inform school budgets. It is therefore essential that it is accurate. Schools should use MIS reports and the Census Summary to quality check their data before submission. There should be a headteacher sign-off process within each school.
Local authority guidance is here.
DfE guidance is available here.
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS handbook, Arbor’s support webpage and ScholarPack’s webpage.
Multiplication tables check (MTC): Administration period
The multiplication tables check (MTC) is statutory for all year 4 pupils registered at state-funded maintained schools, special schools or academies (including free schools).
Monday 17 April 2023: Schools can access the MTC service to prepare for the check via DfE Sign-in from Monday 17 April 2023.
Monday 5 June 2023 and Friday 16 June 2023: Schools must administer the MTC to all eligible year 4 pupils.
Monday 19 June 2023 to Friday 23 June 2023: Schools can use this week to administer the check to any pupils who were absent during the first 2 weeks or in case of any delays to the administration of the check due to technical difficulties.
Friday 23 June 2023: Deadline for schools to ensure pupils have completed the MTC or have been recorded as not taking the check and submit their MTC HDF on the MTC service by 5pm.
Monday 26 June 2023: MTC results are released by the STA on the MTC service to schools.
Schools must provide a reason for any pupils who are not able to participate in the check within the MTC service.
Standards and Testing Agency (STA) guidance.
2023 key stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements.
The Standards & Testing Agency (STA) has produced a presentation to support schools throughout the process.
Support: For queries regarding the MTC, contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013 or email assessments@education.gov.uk.
Phonics Screening Check 2023: Submission deadline
Monday 12 June 2023 – Friday 16 June 2023: Year 1 and Year 2 re-check: Check week
Monday 19 June 2023 – Friday 23 June 2023: Timetable variation week for pupils who were absent for the phonics screening check week.
Tuesday 27 June 2023: Deadline for state-funded schools Year 1 and Year 2 re-check results to be submitted to the local authority via AnyComms+.
2023 STA key stage 1 assessment and reporting arrangements
2023 STA phonics screening check administration guidance
If a pupil was disapplied from the check in year 1?
If a pupil was disapplied from the check in year 1, Headteachers should consider if that disapplication is still relevant. If the disapplication remains relevant the pupil should be returned as disapplied again in year 2.
How schools can check which year 2 pupils should retake the check?
Schools must return check outcomes for all eligible year 2 pupils requiring a re-check, along with those for their year 1 cohort. Please note that you should only return data for year 2 pupils who are required to take the check in 2023. Do not resubmit marks and outcomes relating to previous years.
In most cases schools should be aware of which year 2 pupils need to take the check. If unsure, they can use the ‘Searchable data’ function of the Get Information About Pupils (GIAP) website to search for those pupils by their Unique Pupil Number (UPN). Pupils who do not need to take the check again will be indicated by a phonics outcome of ‘Wa’ (meaning they have demonstrated they are working at the expected standard).
Users wanting to access GIAP need to login to ‘DfE Sign-in’ and GIAP will appear as an option if you have been granted access. Contact your school’s Approver if the option is not available and you require access.
If a school is unsure if a pupil should take the check again and a search of GIAP finds no data for the pupil they may wish to contact the pupil’s previous school directly.
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Support links: Capita SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack.
Key stage 1 Teacher Assessment (TA) 2023: Submission deadline
Maintained schools, academies and participating independent schools must submit TA data for pupils at the end of KS1 to the Local Authority (even if they have an agreement with a different Local Authority for moderation) by Tuesday 27 June 2023. This must include pupils who are assessed using pre-key stage standards or the engagement model. Submissions are to be made via AnyComms+.
Schools must:
2023 STA Key stage 1 teacher assessment guidance
2023 key stage 1 assessment and reporting arrangements
Support links: Capita SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) 2023: Submission deadline
Deadline for state-funded schools and early years settings to submit statutory EYFSP assessments for funded children to the Local Authority via AnyComms+.
2023 Early years foundation stage profile handbook.
The Department for Education (DfE) have clarified that that the EYFS profile must be completed in all instances unless:
• an exemption has been granted by the secretary of state for the setting or an individual child.
• the child is continuing in EYFS provision beyond the year in which they turn 5. In these exceptional cases, the EYFS profile should be completed once only, at the end of the year before the child moves into KS1.
An ‘A’ should be recorded for every ELG within the profile only when an exemption has been granted. For further information about exemptions, practitioners should refer to section 3.2 of the EYFS profile 2023 handbook and for advice on completing the profile for children with SEND please refer to section 3.5.
For information on obtaining exemptions please refer to DfE guidance on exemptions for providers and exemptions for individual children.
The DfE have also published a new page on the Foundation Years website to provide teachers and schools with important information on completing the EYFSP.
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Support links: Capita SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack.
Key Stage 2 Teacher Assessment (TA) 2023: Submission deadline
Monday 15 May 2023: The ‘Submit teacher assessment’ form is available on the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG).
Friday 30 June 2023: Headteachers of maintained schools, academies (including free schools), special schools (including maintained special schools and special academies) and participating independent schools must submit Teacher Assessment (TA) data directly to the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) via the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG), for all pupils at the end of KS2, by Friday 30 June 2023.
Schools must:
2023 STA Key stage 2 teacher assessment guidance
2023 STA Key stage 2: submitting teacher assessment data guidance
2023 Key stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Support links: Capita SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack.