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
School Census: Autumn 2025 Census Date
State-funded schools must submit a Headteacher authorised return to COLLECT by:
7 October 2025: Maintained schools & PRU deadline for submission to the Local Authority for validation.
29 October 2025: Maintained schools & PRU deadline for submission to be approved by the Local Authority.
29 October 2025: Academies and free schools deadline for validated and approved submission directly by the Department for Education (DfE).
Note: Following approval and final DfE checks, all state-funded school submissions must receive a final DfE ‘authorised’ status.
The school census is the DfE’s primary source of administrative data about pupils attending schools in England, and used for funds allocation. It is therefore essential that it is accurate.
There should be a Headteacher sign-off process within each school. Schools should use their school MIS reports to quality check the data before submission. Once submitted to COLLECT, to ensure that funding allocations are calculated correctly, schools should run the COLLECT funding reports and check for accuracy.
Local authority guidance (TBC)
Department for Education (DfE) guidance
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack MIS guidance.
School Workforce Census 2025: Census Deadline
The deadline for maintained schools and PRU to submit a return to the local authority via COLLECT is TBC.
Academies and Free schools must submit returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE) using COLLECT by DfE timescales.
School Workforce Census is an annual return, and 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 (TBC)
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.
School Census: Spring 2026 Census Date
State-funded schools must submit a Headteacher authorised return to COLLECT by:
TBC: Maintained schools & PRU deadline for submission to the Local Authority for validation.
11 February 2026: Maintained schools & PRU deadline for submission to be approved by the Local Authority.
11 February 2026: Academies and free schools deadline for validated and approved submission directly by the Department for Education (DfE).
Note: Following approval and final DfE checks, all state-funded school submissions must receive a final DfE ‘authorised’ status.
The school census is the DfE’s primary source of administrative data about pupils attending schools in England, and used for funds allocation. It is therefore essential that it is accurate.
There should be a Headteacher sign-off process within each school. Schools should use their school MIS reports to quality check the data before submission. Once submitted to COLLECT, to ensure that funding allocations are calculated correctly, schools should run the COLLECT funding reports and check for accuracy.
Local authority guidance (TBC)
Department for Education (DfE) guidance
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack MIS guidance.
School Census: Summer 2026 Census Date
School Census: Summer 2026 Census Date
State-funded schools must submit a Headteacher authorised return to COLLECT by:
TBC: Deadline for maintained schools and PRUs to submit data to the Local Authority for validation.
17 June 2026: Deadline for maintained schools and PRUs to have submissions approved by the Local Authority.
17 June 2026: Deadline for academies and free schools to submit validated and approved returns directly to the Department for Education (DfE).
Following approval and final DfE checks, all state-funded school submissions must receive a final DfE ‘authorised’ status.
Note: COLLECT familiarisation test period (Optional): Normally 4 weeks prior to the collection going 'live', a ‘beta’ release is available for testing purposes via COLLECT, and will remain available until 4pm on Friday 09 May 2025. The DfE strongly recommends, if possible, all schools use the period to upload a ‘test’ census XML return to COLLECT to check all required data is output correctly; and find out about any COLLECT validation errors or queries that can be resolved before the collection goes ‘live’.
The school census is the DfE’s primary source of administrative data about pupils attending schools in England. It is therefore essential that it is accurate.
There should be a Headteacher sign-off process within each school.
Schools should use their school MIS reports to quality check the data before submission. Once submitted to COLLECT, to ensure that funding allocations are calculated correctly, schools should run the COLLECT funding reports and check for accuracy.
Department for Education (DfE) guidance
Schools should contact their management information systems (MIS) support provider for specific guidance about producing the CTF/XML return.
Here are links to SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack MIS guidance.
Multiplication tables check (MTC): 2025 Administration period
Multiplication tables check (MTC): 2026 Administration period
Schools must administer the multiplication tables check within the 2-week period from Monday 1 June 2026.
Standards and Testing Agency (STA) MTC guidance
Key stage 2 assessment and reporting arrangements
Support:
If you are still unable to find an answer to your question, you can contact the national curriculum assessments helpline on 0300 303 3013, selecting the option for MTC.
Phonics Screening Check 2026: Submission deadline
Phonics Screening Check 2026: Submission deadline
Monday 8 June 2026 to Friday 12 June 2026: Schools administer the phonics screening check.
TBC: Deadline for state-funded schools Year 1 and Year 2 re-check results to be submitted to the Local Authority. (edu.performance@walthamforest.gov.uk) securely via Mimecast.
2026 Local Authority Guidance (TBC)
Phonics screening check: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA)
STA phonics screening check administration guidance
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.
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) 2026: Submission deadline
Deadline for state-funded schools and early years settings to submit statutory EYFSP assessments for funded children to the Local Authority (edu.performance@walthamforest.gov.uk) securely via Mimecast.
2026 Local Authority Guidance (TBC)
Early years foundation stage profile handbook (DfE)
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework
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) 2026: Submission deadline
TBC: ‘Submit TA data’ form is available on the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG).
TBC: Deadline for maintained schools, academies, special schools and participating independent schools must submit TA data for all pupils at the end of KS2, including those assessed using the pre-key stage standards and engagement model, directly to the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) via the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG).
STA Key stage 2 teacher assessment guidance
STA Key stage 2: submitting teacher assessment data guidance
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: SIMS, Arbor and ScholarPack.