Summer 2024 – School Census Bulletin

 Q&A – on Early Years, Filesets 2701, 2702 and census

ESS have supplied some answers to questions that have been asked regarding Early Years and the two Fileset 2701 and Fileset 2702

(Fileset 2702 is was released – Date 16.5.2024)

Question 10: Leavers who are guests on School Census Reference Day

What data, if any, should be collected in school census for pupils who left the school from on-roll before School Census Reference Day, but are guests at the school on School Census Reference Day.

Answer

This question could have been asked at any time since the DfE started to collect census data from schools, but it seems to be only recently that such a situation has become relevant to any school.

As I see it, the answer is slightly different for School Census Summer and Autumn compared to School Census Spring.

School Census Summer and School Census Autumn

In all respects the pupil should be regarded as a leaver and they should only be included in the Census where they have historical data that the DfE requires for leavers, e.g. attendance for the term preceding the School Census Reference Day.

School Census Spring

The same rule for leavers applies as applied for School Census Summer and School Census Autumn, but in addition the pupil may need to be included as a Guest for the collection of class size data.

Please note that the situations described above never arose when School Census was first envisaged, so please raise a case with your help desk if you come across an instance where the reasoning described above does not seem to have been applied.

Question 9: Errors and Solutions

When will the error and solutions Excel workbooks and PDF printouts be made available?

Answer

These workbooks and PDFs would have been more helpful if they had been provided before Census Reference Day, but this was not possible as our first priority had to be updating our census application to deal with the very late and very significant changes to the DfE specification for the School Census Summer 2024.

The two most significant errors and solutions files were provided on the 20th May and the remaining 17 files have been provided today (21st May).

You can click here to open the Errors and Solutions for School Census Summer 2024 newsfeed.

Question 8: Identifying the most recently applied consolidated workstation patch

The school census applications identify the most recently imported fileset and the most recently applied consolidated database patch. Could it also identify the most recently applied consolidated workstation patch?

Answer

Yes, this is likely to be technically feasible and we acknowledge the benefit from making this change. With this in mind we have added the identification of consolidated workstation patches to our backlog. However, given that we are likely to have to provide further changes to support schools in bringing down the rate of unauthorised absence, we may well have to delay implementation of such identification until some point in calendar year 2025.

Question 7: Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt table

SOLUS 3 has deployed Consolidated Workstation Patch 2, which is supposed to add the Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt table to the Early Years panel, but it hasn’t added the table. Is there a bug in this workstation patch?

Answer

No, we aren’t aware of any bug in Consolidated Workstation Patch 2. However, last week (week ending the 10th May) SOLUS 3 wasn’t deploying all aspects of the workstation patch in all circumstances. I understand that this SOLUS 3 deployment issue was resolved on Monday the 13th of May. So, if you now use SOLUS 3 to re-deploy the workstation patch, the deployment should be completely successful, and the Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt table should be included within the Early Years panel.

If you find that the SOLUS 3 re-deployment is unsuccessful, please raise a case with your help desk, which should be treated as a matter of the utmost urgency.

Question 6: Fileset 2702

Is the DfE insisting that all schools subject to School Census Summer 2024 must make use of version 23-24.1.8 of their validation and summary report, which SIMS will make available via Fileset 2702?

Answer

No, the DfE is not insisting on this, as version 23-24.1.7 (provided to SIMS schools via Fileset 2701) was the first baselined version of their validation and summary report and is therefore, by definition, suitable for upload to COLLECT, where their COLLECT version of their validation and summary will have been updated in line with version 23-24.1.8 of their school validation and summer report.

However, we understand that some school heads will be very reluctant to upload their return to COLLECT when they are receiving so many inappropriate validation messages. Hence, Fileset 2702 will be provided ASAP to allow schools to avoid incorrect DfE validation as a basis for uploading to COLLECT.

Question 5: Fileset 2701 and CWPsp (Consolidated Workstation Patch Spring Release) 2

Do all schools subject to School Census Summer 2024 need both the Fileset and the patch for providing the census return to the DfE?

Answer

Following substantiated reports from schools that confusing DfE validation messages can appear for non-early-years schools that import Fileset 2701 without also applying Consolidated Workstation Patch 2, I now recommend that all schools subject to School Census Summer 2024 apply both the workstation patch and Fileset 2701 (or Fileset 2702 when it becomes available).

Please note the following (particularly where a school caters for early years children)

• • It will avoid confusion if census returns aren’t created when only one of the two has been applied for the school.
  • Once the two have been applied, it is best to start a completely new census return, as returns created before application of CWPsp 2 will have a different structure to one created after application of the patch.

Question 4: Funding for 2-year-old children

Can a school receive funding for Funded Hours AND Expanded Hours for a 2-year-old child?

Answer

According to the latest DfE specification for School Census 2023/24 (version 1.5), where both apply for a child, the school can only indicate the Funded Hours. The following is the relevant note from the DfE specification.

Please note: In some circumstances, 2-year-olds may be eligible for both the 15-hour entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds and the expanded entitlement but can only take up one of these entitlements.  In those circumstances, children should be recorded against the disadvantaged entitlement.

This means that a 2-year-old child could have no more than 15 hours funded by the DfE.

We understand that this restriction will be lifted for School Census Autumn 2024 This means that a 2-year-old child could then have up to 30 hours funded by the DfE.

Question 3: Funded Hours

Is there a dependency between Funded Hours and the 2-Year-Old Basis for Funding?

Answer

Yes, the DfE would not expect Funded Hours to be included for 2-year-old children unless one or more of the following three is indicated for 2-year-Old Basis for Funding.

1. Economic criteria
2. High-level SEN or disability
3. Looked after or adopted from care

Question 2: Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt (EYPPR)

Is the collection of EYPPR new for School Census Summer 2024?

Answer

It is new in two ways.

1. It is new for School Census Summer 2024 in that it has only previously been collected for spring school censuses.
2. It is new for any school census in that it is collected for 2-year-old children for the first time in any school census.

Question 1: 2-Year-Old Basis for Funding

Is the collection of ‘2-year-old basis for funding’ new for School Census Summer 2024?

Answer

It is new for School Census Summer 2024 in that it has only previously been collected for spring school censuses.

Errors and Solutions guide

ESS have today released the new Summer Errors and Solutions guide which can be downloaded from the SIMS Census documentation and FAQ’s  below   (Click here.)

Error E3110 – Where DOB is 1st April 2021 

ESS have supplied from DfE Readiness Bulletin 2 the following information:

The following is an important excerpt from the DfE’s second bulletin. Please note that the issues described below are dealt with for SIMS,  if Consolidated Workstation Patch 2 has been applied (on the workstation where the census application is run) and Fileset 2702 has been imported.

The only exception which the DfE has is the fix for E3110 (** below) – Census may be uploaded to Collect with this error ONLY.

Early years funding

Following the extension of the early years funding entitlements to 2 year olds there will be COLLECT reports for the dedicated schools grant and early years pupil premium available for you to run in COLLECT during the live collection to check the number of pupils included for these entitlements. Please ensure that these reports are checked and verified in conjunction with LA Finance Officers in advance of the summer school census database closing to amendments from schools and local authorities on 3 July. Amendments to the database will not be possible after this date and, consequently, this will be your only opportunity to contest your funding pupil numbers. Further information on the new entitlements can be found here [external link].

Known issues

The following are issues which have been identified in the XSLT and though an updated version has been issued, software suppliers may not have had sufficient time to implement the changes into their systems:

[Validation]

E3031 if a pupil aged two does not qualify for expanded hours the field should be left ‘blank’, unfortunately the original validation rule specified that this field should be in the range 0-15. We had to update the validation to state that if the eligibility code has been provided then expanded hours should be in the range 0-15. Therefore, for schools who trigger E3031 who do not have expanded hours or an eligibility code, the error will disappear when the return is loaded onto COLLECT, only genuine errors will remain.

E3034 the amendment we made to E3031 has unfortunately impacted E3034 and therefore we had to make an amendment to this validation rule. This error will now trigger if the pupil is not aged 2, has an eligibility code and expanded hours are present. Previously the expanded hours had to be greater than ‘0’.

E3100 There was a spelling mistake in the XSLT which has caused this error to trigger for pupils aged 3 and those pupils aged 4 in nursery provision who have an eligibility code and extended hours. This error will disappear when uploaded onto COLLECT and only genuine errors will remain.

**  E3110 This error incorrectly triggers for pupils aged 2 with a date of birth of 2021-04-01. The error will disappear when the file is uploaded onto COLLECT and only genuine errors will remain; please note this amendment is not in the latest version of XSLT issued to software suppliers.

E3140 if a pupil aged 3 and those pupils aged 4 in nursery provision do not qualify for extended hours then the fields should be left ‘blank’, Unfortunately for such cases this error triggers incorrectly. The error will disappear when the file is uploaded onto COLLECT and only genuine errors will remain.

School summary Table 12

For the autumn term incorrectly displays the date as 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2023. The correct date range is 1 August 2023 – 31 December 2023. Please note the pupil numbers applied to the fields are based on the correct date range.

Fileset 2702

ESS have now released the Fileset 2702 for the known issues of incorrectly flagging codes.

The examples below illustrate the position where the known issues with earlier versions of the DfE validation have been dealt with by importing Fileset 2702. In all the examples below yellow is used to indicate the position for 2-year-olds and purple for 3- and 4-year-olds.

Example 1

This an example of entries that will not trigger DfE validation errors or queries.

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

The resolution for the Example 3 issue will trigger the issue for example 4.

Example 5

Example 6

Reports of an issue with the School Dinner Taken panel of our School Census Summer 2024 application

ESS have informed us of the following:

ESS have received some reports from Primary Schools that the table in the School Dinner Taken Panel of the School Census Summer 2024 is not being fully populated with all the pupils who are being taught in year R to Year 2 on the reference date and, in a few cases, is not being populated at all.

ESS have now received sufficient confirmation from support units to conclude that the problem is likely to be dealt with by ensuring that Consolidated Workstation Patch 2 has been applied to the workstation where the census application is being run.

As reported previously, the initial SOLUS 3 application of Consolidated Workstation Patch 2 is known to have been unreliable in this area until it was updated on the 13th of May 2024.

Please note that there are a relatively low number of cases for this issue.  Please let the helpdesk know if you have had this issue.

Wishing all our Schools a successful Census Day, if you need assistance do not hesitate to contact us.

We will let you know as soon as the Fileset 2702 is made available.

ESS have provided the following update:

The DfE has provided MIS suppliers with version 23-24.1.8 of its summary report and validation files to deal with the following bugs in version 23-24.1.7 of its files. The DfE is also providing bug fixes for the COLLECT version of its summary report and validation.

Given that version 23-24.1.7 of the DfE files was a baseline releases, it is quite legitimate for a school to ignore the results of the bugs in this first baseline release and rely instead on the COLLECT version. However, we understand that many schools are loath to take such an approach, so we are providing the updated version of the DfE files via Fileset 2702.

This new version of the DfE files has been provided too late for Fileset 2702 to be made available before the census reference data, but we will provide the fileset as soon as possible after the census reference date.

Version 23-24.1.8 of the DfE school census summary report files

DfE bug fix

Table 12: Number of suspensions and permanent exclusions by SEN provision…

Prevents the heading for the autumn term columns in this report from incorrectly indicating ’01 August 2023′ instead of ’01 September 2023′.

Version 23-24.1.8 of the DfE school census validation files

DfE bug fixes

Error 3031: Child’s expanded hours have not been provided or out of the range 0 to 15 to two decimal places.

Prevents this validation error being incorrectly triggered when Expanded Hours are not present or zero and the Eligibility Code is also not present.

Error 3034: An eligibility code has been entered where pupil is not in the eligible age range

Prevents this validation error being incorrectly triggered when the Expanded Hours data item is present and those Expanded Hours are zero.

Error 3100: Extended childcare hours have been entered where pupil is not in the eligible age range or year groups ‘E1’, ‘E2’, ‘N1’ or ‘N2’, or does not have a valid eligibility code.

Prevents this validation error being incorrectly triggered when the Eligibility Code is present.

Error 3140: Child’s extended hours not provided or out of the range of 0 to 15 hours.

Prevents this validation error being incorrectly triggered when the Eligibility Code is present.

Fileset 2701/Consolidated Workstation Patch 2

Fileset 2701 and CWP 2 were released by ESS yesterday (7/5/24) – ESS have recommended that fileset 2701 is not imported into SIMS until after CWP2 is applied.

The patch and fileset will be applied to hosted schools over the weekend and will be released to non hosted schools via SOLUS. Some locally hosted schools had issues with the patch after it was released – please see the following guide and information regarding this – SIMS – SOLUS 3 – Issues deploying SIMS Spring 2024 Consolidated Workstation Patch 2 (support-ess.com)

 Fileset 2701: Relevance to School Census Summer 2024 

ESS have informed us that when the Fileset 2701 is available (Date TBA) it will addressed the below errors and queries:

Version 23-24.1.7 of the DfE summary report files

List of changes provided by the DfE

1. 1. General Changes
      1.  Dated rolled forward compared to 2023 report.
      2. ‘Gender’ changed to ‘Sex’ throughout’.
   2. Table 6: Funded, extended and expanded childcare hours for pupils on roll aged 2, 3 and 4 years
      1.  Table description modified to take account of expanded childcare hours.
      2.  Three columns added to the table to take account of expanded childcare hours.
   3. Table 7: Early years pupil premium – nursery schools
      1.  Included in a summer school census for the first time.
   4. Table 8: Early years pupil premium – not nursery schools
      1.  Included in a summer school census for the first time.

Version 23-24.1.7 of the DfE validation files

List of changes provided by the DfE

1. 1. Pupil level errors amended: 3169, 3140, 3120, 3211, 5235, 3031, 3032, 3033, 3034, 3036, 3038, 3039, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1848, 1861, 1862, 3120, 5220, 6230, 1843, 1849, 1853, 3031, 3032, 3033, 3034 and 3036.
   2. Pupil level queries amended: 1849Q and 1853Q.

Version 23-24.1.7 of the SIMS School Census Summer errors and resolutions file

List of DfE changes to validations which have an impact on the SIMS errors and resolutions file

1. 1. Validation errors applied to the summer census for the time and will need a suitable SIMS error message: 3031, 3032, 3033, 3034, 3035, 2036, 3038 and 3039.
   2. Validation errors and queries that have previously applied to the summer census, but will need a revised error message: 1853Q, 3105, 3110 and 3160.

Table of what is included in School Census Summer 2024 for early years funding

ESS stated they the following table has now been corrected and should clarify what is required for early years funding in School Census Summer 2024.

DfE Date collection timetable and key dates

ESS have confirmed the dates for the Summer School Census as below:

The census date for the 2024 summer school census is Thursday 16 May with the deadline for approved submissions being Wednesday 12 June. The database will be closed to amendments from schools and local authorities on Wednesday 3 July.

 Early Years Q&A 

ESS have supplied some answers to questions that have been asked:

Question 5: Fileset 2701 and CWPsp (Consolidated Workstation Patch Spring Release) 2

(Details of release date for CWPsp2 or fileset will follow)

Do all schools subject to School Census Summer 2024 need both the Fileset and the patch for providing the census return to the DfE?

Answer

No, they aren’t both needed by all schools subject to School Census.

• • Fileset 2701 is need by all school subject to School Census.
  • CWPsp 2 is only need by schools subject to School Census who cater for early years children.

Please note the following where a school caters for early years children

• • It will avoid confusion for those schools if census returns aren’t created when only one of the two has been applied for the school.
  • Once the two have been applied, it is best to start a completely new census return, as returns created before application of CWPsp 2 will have a different structure to one created after application of the patch.

Question 4: Funding for 2-year-old children

Can a school receive funding for Funded Hours AND Expanded Hours for a 2-year-old child?

Answer

According to the latest DfE specification for School Census 2023/24 (version 1.5), where both apply for a child, the school can only indicate the Funded Hours. The following is the relevant note from the DfE specification.

Please note: In some circumstances, 2-year-olds may be eligible for both the 15-hour entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds and the expanded entitlement but can only take up one of these entitlements.  In those circumstances, children should be recorded against the disadvantaged entitlement.

This means that a 2-year-old child could have no more than 15 hours funded by the DfE.

We understand that this restriction will be lifted for School Census Autumn 2024 This means that a 2-year-old child could then have up to 30 hours funded by the DfE.

Question 3: Funded Hours

Is there a dependency between Funded Hours and the 2-Year-Old Basis for Funding?

Answer

Yes, the DfE would not expect Funded Hours to be included for 2-year-old children unless one or more of the following three is indicated for 2-year-Old Basis for Funding.

1. Economic criteria
2. High-level SEN or disability
3. Looked after or adopted from care

Question 2: Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt (EYPPR)

Is the collection of EYPPR new for School Census Summer 2024?

Answer

It is new in two ways.

1. It is new for School Census Summer 2024 in that it has only previously been collected for spring school censuses.
2. It is new for any school census in that it is collected for 2-year-old children for the first time in any school census.

Question 1: 2-Year-Old Basis for Funding

Is the collection of ‘2-year-old basis for funding’ new for School Census Summer 2024?

Answer

It is new for School Census Summer 2024 in that it has only previously been collected for spring school censuses.

Early years data required for 2023/24 and 2024/25 censuses

ESS has supplied a table below that may be of help in regard to the Early Years data required, specifically highlighting the Summer 2024 Census:

I hope that the following table will help with any confusion regarding what data the DfE requires for early years in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 school censuses. The table is based on version 1.5 of the DfE specification for 2023/24 school censuses and version 1.0 of the DfE specifications for 2024/25 school censuses. I will update the table to take account of any changes beyond these versions of the DfE specifications in this area.

Early years funding 

ESS has supplied further information regarding the Early years funding:

Except for the COVID-19 years, the summer term school census is normally the simplest school census of the academic year both for suppliers of MIS and for schools to deal with, as they don’t normally contain any new elements for the summer census that have not already been introduced for the preceding school censuses of the academic year. However, for schools that cater for early years children there are up to four important areas of change, each of which is related to DfE funding.

1. ‘Expanded’ DfE funding for early years 

School Census Summer 2024 will be the first school census where data will be collected that includes children receiving the ‘expanded’ DfE funding of early years.

We have partially redesigned Tools | Statutory Returns tools | Update Early Years and the Early Years panel of Routines | Statutory Returns | Schools so that Expanded Funded Hours can be entered for two-year-old children with an Eligibility Code (formally known as the 30 hour code). This partial redesign is suitable for School Census Summer 2024. However, a further redesign will be needed for School Census Autumn 2024 to take account of Expanded Funded Hours being further expanded to take account of children as young as 9 months.

Although a disadvantaged two-year-old child could be eligible for both Funded Hours and Expanded Funded Hours, up until the end of academic year 2024/25, the DfE will not accept the sum of the two sources of funded hours for the child to exceed 15. This restriction to 15 hours in total is expected to be lifted for academic year 2025/26 onwards, which means that total funded hours for two-year-old children could then be up to 30 hours.

2. Two-year-old basis for funding

Previously, two-year-old basis for funding was only collected on a yearly basis via School Census Spring. However, starting with School Census Summer 2024, two-year-old basis for funding will be collected on a termly basis via each of the three School Censuses of the academic year.

For School Census Summer 2024 there are two different ‘sources’ of two-year-old funded nursery hours, i.e. Funded Hours and Expanded Funded Hours. Schools will need to remember that the choice of ‘two-year-old basis for funding’ relates to Funded Hours and NOT to Expanded Funded Hours.

3. EYPPR (Early Years Pupil Premium Receipt)

Previously, EYPPR was only collected on a yearly basis via School Census Spring. However, starting with School Census Summer 2024, EYPPR will be collected on a termly basis via each of the three School Censuses of the academic year. Moreover, starting with School Census Summer 2024, it will be collected for two-year-old children, as well as continuing to be collected for three- and four-year-old children. CWPsp 2 or above is needed for this change to the DfE specification.

A further redesign will be needed for School Census Autumn 2024 to take account of the inclusion of EYPPR for children as young as 9 months.

4. DAF (Disability Access Fund) indicator

The DAF indicator continues to be collected for each of three school censuses of the academic year. However, starting with School Census Summer 2024, it will be collected for two-year-old children, as well as continuing to be collected for three- and four-year-old children. CWPsp 2 or above is needed for this change to the DfE specification.

A further redesign will be needed for School Census Autumn 2024 to take account of the inclusion of the DAF indicator for children as young as 9 months.

Late changes to the DfE specification

ESS have reported that they have checked through the DfE’s late changes to its specification for School Census 2023/24 and have determine that changes will be needed for the following two areas.

1. EYPP (Early Years Pupil Premium) Receipt

Until the most recent version of the DfE’s specifications for School Census 2023/24, the move from once-a-year collection of EYPP Receipt in the Spring Census to collection in all three termly censuses was to commence with School Census Autumn 2024. The late changes to the DfE specification brings this forward to commence with School Census Summer 2024.

Moreover, School Census Summer 2024 becomes the first school census to collect EYPP Receipt for 2 year old’s, i.e. inclusion of pupils who were two years of age on the 31/03/2024.

As well as the impact on the Early Years panel of the census, we will have to provide an EYPPR detail report.

2. DAF (Disability Access Fund) indicator

Until the most recent version of the DfE’s specification for School Census 2023/24, the extension of DAF to include 2-year old’s in the three school censuses of the academic year was to commence with School Census Autumn 2024. The late changes to the DfE specification brings this forward to commence with School Census Summer 2024, i.e. take account of pupils who were two years of age on the 31/03/2024.

As well as the impact on the Early Years panel of the census application, we will have to revise the Early Years detail report and the functionality provided via menu route Tools | Statutory Returns Tools | Update Early Years.

All the changes to SIMS stemming from the DfE’s very late change to its specifications will be provided via CWPsp (Consolidated Workstation Patch Spring Release) 2.

Problem with validation query 1881Q 

ESS have informed us of a know issue currently.

We believe that when validation 1881Q is applied to School Census Summer 2024 it is checking for attendance in 2023 (31/03/2023) when it should be checking for attendance in 2024 (31/03/2024). This means that it will incorrectly trigger for pupils who joined the school for academic year 2023/24, e.g. all pupils in year 7 in a secondary school.

We have reported our findings to the DfE.

Early years funding

ESS have informed the following in regard to Early years funding

Except for the COVID-19 years, the summer term school census is normally the simplest school census of the academic year both for suppliers of MIS and for schools to deal with, as they don’t normally contain any new elements for the summer census that have not already been introduced for the preceding school censuses of the academic year. However, for schools that cater for early years children there are two import changes related to DfE funding.

1. ‘Expanded’ DfE funding for early years 

School Census Summer 2024 is the first school census where data will be collected that includes children receiving the ‘expanded’ DfE funding of early years.

We have partially redesigned Tools | Statutory Returns tools | Update Early Years and the Early Years panel of Routines | Statutory Returns | Schools so that Expanded Funded Hours can be entered for two-year-old children with an Eligibility Code. This partial redesign is suitable for School Census Summer 2024. However, a further redesign will be needed for School Census Autumn 2024 to take account of Expanded Funded Hours being further expanded to take account of children as young as 9 months.

Although a two-year-old child could be eligible for both Funded Hours and Expanded Funded Hours, up until the end of academic year 2024/25, the DfE will not accept the sum of the two sources of funded hours for the child to exceed 15. This restriction to 15 hours in total is expected to be lifted for academic year 2025/26 onwards, which means that total funded hours for two-year-old children could then be up to 30 hours.

2. Two-year-old basis for funding

Previously, two-year-old basis for funding was only collected on a yearly basis via School Census Spring. However, starting with School Census Summer 2024, two-year-old basis for funding will be collected on a termly basis via each of the three School Censuses of the academic year.

Now that there are two different ‘sources’ of two-year-old funded nursery hours, i.e. Funded Hours and Expanded Funded Hours, schools will need to remember that the choice of ‘two-year-old basis for funding’ relates to Funded Hours and NOT to Expanded Funded Hours.

Table of what is included School Census Summer 2024 for early years funding 

ESS have supplied the following table and hope this will clarify what is required for early years funding in School Census Summer 2024.

Summary of data to be reported to the DfE by this summer census

Census reference day 

The census reference day for School Census Summer 2024 is Thursday the 16th of May 2024.