Arbor Spring Census 2023 Guidance
Would you like us to do your mandatory returns for you? See our MIS support >
I know you’re on the count down to Christmas but here at SBS we’re already thinking of the other “C”……Census!
Simply click on the banner at the top of your Arbor screen or follow the route School > Data > Export > Data Returns. There you can click on School Census and generate Dry Run!
As soon as we come back the Dry Run opens.
For two weeks before the day specified by the DfE as Census day, Arbor allows you to carry out what we call a ‘dry run’. The dry run lets you generate a mock Census and work through clearing the errors and completing gaps in required data. The Census and dry runs can be generated as many times as you wish. When you do run your Census, Arbor will output data as if it were Census day. For example, students who have joined your school after census day would be excluded.
Unless specific instructions are given by your local authority, you do not have to submit the Census on census day. The DfE sets a Census deadline, which is visible on your Census page.
The ‘selected time’ is based on the last digit of a school’s departmental establishment number.
| Last digit of your departmental number | Selected time |
|---|---|
| 4, 7, 8 or 9 | the selected time is one hour after the start of afternoon school |
| 0, 1 or 5 | the selected time is one hour after the start of morning school |
| 2, 3 or 6 | the selected time is one hour before the end of morning school |
Important Key Dates
| Key Dates | What you need to do |
|---|---|
|
Census Dry run opens Thursday 5th January 2023 |
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Census Day is Thursday 19th January 2023 |
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Census Submission Deadline is Wednesday 15th February 2023 Unless told otherwise by your LA |
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Main Changes to Spring Census 2023
New Data Items:
- Young Carer Indicator - This data item records whether the pupil has been identified as a young carer and by whom.
- School Time - This optional data item records for each school, the total compulsory time pupils spend in school, in a typical 5 day week. For all schools except nursery.
- Alternative Provision Company Number - This data item records the Company House company number, where applicable, of the establishment within which the pupil has taken up an alternative provision placement.
- Alternative Provision Placement Postcode - This data item records the postcode, where applicable, of the establishment within which the pupil has taken up an alternative provision placement.
Deleted Items
- Sessions Coronavirus – no longer collected
- Attendance Code ‘X’ – no longer collected
Changes from Spring 2022
- Post looked after arrangements (PLAA) codeset - From autumn 2022, we have extended the codeset, to include ‘O - ceased to be looked after through adopted from state care outside of England and Wales’.
- Learner Funding and Monitoring Codes - From the start of the 2022 to 2023 academic year, code ‘01’ will include all aspects of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), rather than just school-led tutoring. Therefore, the description has been updated to reflect this. In addition, the description and eligible pupils for code ‘22’ have also been updated following the return to business as usual for repeating part or full year of post 16 students.
- Alternative provision (AP) placement modules - From spring 2023, the AP modules will become mandatory.
Useful Links
Below are some useful links for completing your Spring School Census
- Arbor School Census help and guidance - here >
- Arbor Preparing for the school census - here >
- Arbor School Census Preparation Checklist - here >
- Arbor School Census page - here >
- Sign up page for Arbor Webinars - here >
- Arbor Census Day Videos - here >
- DFE list of changes - here >
As always SBS are here and ready to help so please do drop us an email misservicedesk@schoolbusinessservices.co.uk or call 0345 222 1551 | Opt 3
Would you like us to do your Spring Census for you?
Let us take it off your to-do list this month by contacting us. Looking ahead, we can do ALL of this year's returns for you - whether you are already an SBS customer or not!
