Arbor Spring Census 2025 Guidance
Would you like us to do your mandatory returns for you? See our MIS support >
It’s the 1st Census of the year!
January 16th 2025 is Spring Census day, the dry run is now open, so you can start fixing any issues ahead of the big day!
Start your Arbor Dry Run NOW!
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!
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 Spring 2024 Census collects information relating to the class activity that all pupils undertake at a selected time on Census Day. The selected time is based on the last digit of a school’s DfE number as follows:
| Last digit of the School DfE number | Selected time |
|---|---|
| 0, 1, or 5 | the selected time is one hour after the start of afternoon school |
| 2, 3 or 6 | the selected time is one hour after the start of morning school |
| 4, 7, 8 or 9 | 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 2nd January 2025 |
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Census Day is Thursday 16th January 2025 |
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Census Submission Deadline is Wednesday 12th February 2025 Unless told otherwise by your LA |
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Arbor HQ
To sign up for the Arbor Census webinar – you will need to register for Arbor HQ! Sign up here
Webinar: Census Dry Run – Wednesday 8th January 2025, 10:00am - Click here to watch recording
Webinar: Census Day - Thursday 16th January 2025, 10:00am - Click here to sign up
Main Changes to Spring Census 2025
School Childcare must now be updated and the below recorded - Click here for guidance
- B - Before School
- A - After School
- H - Holiday provision
- U - Nursery for ages 0-4 (for more than 9 hours/day, not a provision that is only available during school hours or where children can only attend for a morning or afternoon session)
*There is a known problem, with these bringing up errors Arbor is working on resolving this.
Useful Links
Below are some useful links for completing your Spring School Census
- School Census Overview
- School Census Guide
- Preparing for the school census
- School Census Preparation Checklist
- School Census
- Pupil Reconciliation for the Spring Census
- Upcoming Webinars
- School Census videos
- DFE Guidance
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!
