Check your data
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-18)

Information on validating your data, resolving errors and checking any funding reports that use your school census return.

When you submit your school census data on COLLECT, the system runs a number of validation checks against the data. It will highlight any errors or queries in red against the relevant data item.

You’ll get an error when data rules are broken - for example, when:
- the return contains an ‘illegal character’
- a value may be out of range
- data is missing
You must correct all errors.

You’ll get a query where the data is unusual or unexpected, which could mean an inaccuracy or omission in the data - for example, where:
- no pupils are reported as having special educational needs
- there is a probability of data being omitted, such as suspensions or permanent exclusions
You must investigate all queries and either:
- amend the data
- provide suitable notepad explanations in COLLECT
Your software may contain data checks, which will help you to identify and correct errors and inconsistencies in your data before it generates your school census return.

Along with the school summary, errors and queries, there are a number of reports in COLLECT that you should use to check your data.

Viewing your errors and queries

You can view the errors and queries from within (or once you’ve opened) the school census return in COLLECT.

Click on ‘all errors’ at the top of the screen to see a list of all errors and queries relating to your return.

Click on the details button to see which data items the validation is checking. If you click on one of the underlined fields, you’ll see the corresponding data item in the return.

There are 2 levels of errors, ‘return level’ and ‘data item level’. Return level errors relate to your whole return, rather than an individual data item.

Correcting errors

You can identify which data contains the incorrect value by clicking on the field value in the details section in COLLECT.

To resolve errors, we recommend that schools correct the data in their management information system (MIS), then reload their data collection file to COLLECT, overwriting the incorrect one.

Adding explanation notes for queries

You need to provide explanatory information for individual queries as a note on COLLECT. All queries need an explanation, but you can enter one note to cover numerous queries.

You can add notes in the ‘return level notes’ section. COLLECT guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collect-guides-for-schools-and-local-authorities) for schools and local authorities are available for assistance.

To add a return level note, double-click on the pen or notepad (where there is already a note present) icon in the return level notes section.

Click add new note.

Type the error or query number along with your explanation in the box provided, ensuring you provide an explanation for all of your unresolvable errors and queries.

Click create to save your notes. Once saved, you’re unable to edit the note - however, you can add further notes to supplement throughout the collection.

List of COLLECT queries and explanatory notes to help you complete the school census (ODS, 32KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5cd5822840f0b6604efa74e2/School_Census_Notepad_entries_2025_26_v.1.0.ods)

COLLECT reports

The school census data will be used to finalise funding allocations. It’s important that you check the accuracy of your school’s returns before you submit them.

There are a number of reports in COLLECT that you should use to check your data.

You can access your reports using the ‘launch reports’ button on the school ‘source page’ of COLLECT. Some reports only get updated overnight.

Find out how to run these reports in the COLLECT guides for schools and local authorities (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collect-guides-for-schools-and-local-authorities).

COLLECT reports used for funding

Pupil number report

This provides a headcount of your pupils by national curriculum year group, the headcount of your pupils minus subsidiary registrations and the number of pupils that will be used in numerous funding streams and therefore will account for funded and extended hours and unresolved duplicate UPNs.

Duplicate unique pupil number (UPN) and duplicate pupil report

The duplicate UPN report shows any pupils appearing on your census and that of another school where there is an invalid combination of enrolment statuses. Your funding may be affected if these remain unresolved at database closure.

The duplicate pupil report identifies pupils whose personal details are the same but the UPN differs.

Free school meals (FSM) report

Allows schools to check the FSM eligibility data submitted in their census return. This report only refers to FSM eligibility reported in the current census and not the FSM ever measure used to allocate the pupil premium.

Universal infant free school meals

Provides a breakdown of the infant pupils that we will use in the universal infant FSM funding calculation.

Zero funded hours

Highlights the number of early years pupils who have ‘zero’ funded hours recorded on the school census return. We use funded hours to calculate the early years block of the dedicated schools grant.

Pupil premium

Allows schools to check and verify the data in their autumn and spring school census, which will feed into the deprivation, service child and post looked-after children report elements of the pupil premium allocation.

Early years pupil premium

Allows schools to check and verify the data in their spring school census, which we use for the early years pupil premium allocations.

Learner funding and monitoring (FAM)

Allows schools to check and verify the data returned in each termly census on pupils in receipt of specific elements of the education recovery package.

Post-16 funding reports

Schools will also be able to access a series of funding reports in the autumn census. These reports show schools the data we will use for our post-16 funding calculations:
- funded student summary report
- student detail report
- 16 to 19 maths and English GCSE status by student
- T Level students report
Duplicate report guidance

Duplicate reports indicate pupils who are registered at more than one school.

These reports look for duplicates across all pupils on roll in the current school census only. Reports will not look for duplicates between the school census and any other pupil level collections, such as the alternative provision census and early years census.

Duplicate report: same UPN

A unique pupil number (UPN) identifies each individual learner in England. Learners’ UPNs are intended to remain with them throughout their school career, regardless of any change in school or local authority.

A duplicate UPN is one where more than one pupil registration shares the same UPN and the registrations sharing the UPN have an invalid combination of enrolment statuses.

Example

A pupil where the same UPN is recorded against 2 registrations with a main registration (‘M’) at one school and a subsidiary registration (‘S’) at another school is not a duplicate UPN. This is because it is a valid combination of enrolment status for dual-registered pupils.

‘M’ and ‘S’ is the only valid combinations of pupil enrolment status codes for pairs of duplicate UPNs.

As unresolved duplicates will impact on funding allocations such as the dedicated schools grant and pupil premium, we expect local authorities, non-maintained special schools, academies and city technology colleges (CTCs) to work together to determine whether the pupils identified in this report are indeed the same pupil.

Find a code to indicate pupil enrolment status (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-the-school-census/find-a-school-census-code#pupil-enrolment).

Reports available

Local authority reports

Local authorities can access reports through COLLECT showing:
- all pupils where a duplicate UPN has been identified within your own authority only
- all pupils where a duplicate UPN has been identified within your authority and also in another authority
School reports

Each individual school will be able to run a duplicate report showing all pupils within their school where a duplicate UPN has been identified looking across all other schools.

Identifying duplicates

For each on-roll pupil included within a return with a status of ‘loaded’ or above, the report will:
- check for another pupil record with the same UPN in the school census
- identify UPNs where there is an invalid combination of enrolment statuses
For each duplicate UPN identified, the report will contain:
- local authority number
- establishment number
- COLLECT blade (school census)
- school name
- UPN
- pupil’s surname, forename and date of birth
- enrolment status
- entry date
- school status
- error description
The error description in the report explains the reason the UPN has been flagged as a duplicate.

Correcting duplicates

To correct duplicates, schools should make the changes on their school management information system and re-submit. This makes sure the school’s system matches the position on COLLECT.

Changes could include:
- changing the pupil’s registration code to produce a valid combination of enrolment status (for dual-registered pupils, the only valid combination is M and S)
- deleting the pupil record (only do this if pupil has been entered in error)
- moving the pupil record to ‘NoLongerOnRoll’ adding a date of leaving
- if the pupil was permanently excluded, moving their record to ‘NoLongerOnRoll’, adding a date of leaving and creating an exclusion record
- changing the UPN (only do this if the pupil UPN has been entered incorrectly)
No longer on roll

If the pupil recorded on census left the school before the census date, it is important for attendance data requirements that the pupil is not deleted but moved to ‘NoLongerOnRoll’.

Pupil does not arrive on expected start date

Schools should follow this process when a pupil does not arrive on the expected start date and has started at another school.

1. Enrolment

School A (school expecting a pupil) enters pupil on admission register with enrolment status of C, F or O.

School B (school where pupil actually starts) enters pupil on admission register with enrolment status of C, F or O.

2. Attendance (prior to school A finding out where pupil is)

School A marks pupil as absent, no reason given (code N).

School B marks pupil as present or absent in the normal way.

3. Marking as a leaver

It is unlawful to backdate a leaving date. School A marks the pupil as a leaver from the date that the pupil is found registered at another school.

4. Enrolment (once school A finds where pupil is)

School A changes the enrolment status to S (dual subsidiary) (from the date of enrolment to the date of leaving).

School B changes the enrolment status to M (dual main) (from the date of enrolment to the date agreed with school A that the pupil will be made a leaver at school A). The enrolment status reverts to C, F or O from the date that the pupil is marked as a leaver from school A.

Step 4 is the procedural change that takes place, recognising that the pupil was registered at 2 establishments for the period in question.

5. Attendance (once school A establishes where pupil is)

School A marks any possible session as code D. The pupil would be shown as dual-registered with 0 possible sessions.

School B doesn’t need to make any more changes to the attendance register.

Schools, and their MIS systems, are not required to hold a ‘history’ for enrolment status. As a result, it may not be necessary for school B to make any change to the enrolment status for the period of the dual registration if that will not be stored in the MIS system. School B should keep a manual note to this effect.

Duplicate report: same person different UPN

The ‘duplicate report – same person different UPN’ report includes all cases where there appears to be duplication of a pupil based on the characteristics - for example, surname, forename, middle name, date of birth and gender - but where different UPNs are present.

Where the match is correct and it is the same pupil, they should have the same UPN.

All enrolment statuses and pupils on and off roll are included in this report.

Reports available

Local authority reports

Local authorities can access reports through COLLECT showing:
- all pupils where a duplicate pupil has been identified within your own authority
- all pupils where a duplicate pupil has been identified within your authority and also in another authority
School report

Each individual school is able to run a duplicate report showing all pupils within their school where a duplicate pupil has been identified, looking across all other schools.

Identifying duplicates

For each duplicate pupil identified, the report will contain:
- local authority number
- establishment number
- school name
- UPN
- Pupil’s surname, forename, middle names, date of birth and gender
- enrolment status
- entry date
- leaving date
- on/off roll
- school status
Correcting duplicates

To correct duplicates, schools should make the changes on their school management information system and re-submit. This ensures the school’s system matches the position on COLLECT.

Where it is the same pupil, they should have the same UPN and you will need to amend one record. The 2 records should also have the correct combination of enrolment statuses otherwise they will then appear on the duplicate UPN report, so if dual-registered, one registration should have a dual main registration (‘M’) and the other should have a dual subsidiary registration (‘S’).

Changes could include:
- same pupil: change one of the UPNs
- same pupil and pupil is dual-registered: change one of the UPNs and make sure the pupil is recorded as dual main at one registration and dual subsidiary at the other
- same pupil but pupil is off roll: one record to be moved to ‘NoLongerOnRoll’ with date of leaving provided and change one of the UPNs
- pupil was permanently excluded: pupil record to be moved to ‘NoLongerOnRoll’, date of leaving provided, create an exclusion record and change one of the UPNs
- one record is entered in error: delete one of the records
- different pupil: report back as false duplicate
False matches

If the 2 duplicate records are in fact different pupils and the match is incorrect, you can notify us of false matches and we will build these into COLLECT and take them into account for future reports and censuses. This will save you checking the same pupil every census.

To notify us of false duplicates, export your report and then simply put in ‘F’ after the last column on your duplicate pupils’ sheet after each pupil to indicate that the pair of duplicates is a false match and it is different pupils. Save the file and return to us using the S2S site at any time during a census. We will update the list in COLLECT once a week, so you may not notice a change on your report immediately.

To use the S2S website, you’ll need to follow this file-naming convention:
- local authorities: LALLLL_DFESXXX_DupPupils.ext - LA is your 3-digit local authority number and ext is the file extension - for example, xls, csv, txt
- schools: LASSSS_DFESXXX_DupPupils.ext - LASSSS is your 3-digit local authority number followed by your 4-digit DfE establishment number, and ext is the file extension - for example, xls, csv, txt
When uploading generic files to S2S, you should follow government security standards. If you need help transferring data using S2S, contact us using our data collections service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/en/AchieveForms/?form_uri=sandbox-publish://AF-Process-2b61dfcd-9296-4f6a-8a26-4671265cae67/AF-Stage-f3f5200e-e605-4a1b-ae6b-3536bc77305c/definition.json&redirectlink=%2Fen&cancelRedirectLink=%2Fen).

Local authority funding reports guidance - autumn 2025

The COLLECT funding report will contain a full breakdown of the pupil numbers from the autumn 2025 school census. We will use this in the calculation of the schools block element of your dedicated schools grant allocation for 2026 to 2027.

The funding reports should update daily and take into account the duplicates report. It reflects the position from COLLECT as at close the previous working day.

2026 to 2027 dedicated schools grant allocation: schools block

The funding methodology for 2026 to 2027 has not changed from 2025 to 2026. The schools block of the 2026 to 2027 dedicated schools grant allocation will again be calculated based on sole and dual main registered pupils attending local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and mainstream academies who are:
- aged 4 and above as at 31 August 2025 in national curriculum year group reception to year 11 at the time of the census
- aged 4 to 15 as at 31 August 2025 where national curriculum year groups do not apply (those in national curriculum year group X) at the time of the census
All pupils will be funded as one full-time equivalent irrespective of the full-time/part-time status or funded hours recorded on the census.

2026 to 2027 growth funding

Growth funding enables local authorities to support schools with significant in-year pupil growth that is not otherwise immediately recognised by the current lagged funding system. Local authorities may also retain a small fund to support schools with temporarily falling rolls. Local authorities will continue to manage their growth funding locally in 2026 to 2027 as they did in 2025 to 2026.

Although growth allocations for 2026 to 2027 will be based on pupil data from the autumn census, the pupil numbers that will be used in the calculation of this growth funding allocated are not included within the COLLECT funding report.

Technical details on the growth methodology are set out in annex B of the 2025 to 2026 schools national funding formula technical note (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs-2025-to-2026).

Reports available

There are 2 versions of this report available for local authorities to run.

Funding report run against approved data

This version of the funding report will include data from schools whose return status is ‘approved’ or above. It will reflect the data which we use in your dedicated schools grant allocation. We will only fund based on data which has been approved by local authorities.

Funding report run against all loaded data

This version of the funding report will be identical in format to the funding report run against ‘approved’ data but will include all loaded data from schools in your local authority.

As the data may change at the loaded and submitted stage, do not send queries about discrepancies in the data in your funding report until the returns are at the ‘approved’ stage.

How to use the local authority funding report

You should check and verify these funding reports with local authority finance officers before the autumn census database closes. It’s not possible to make amendments to your return after this date.

Queries about the funding report

If you have any queries about the use of school census data for school funding, complete a service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/Data-collections-service-request-form).

16 to 19 funding reports - autumn 2025

Providers should use the student detail report to check that they are applying the core aim flag correctly. Some providers have been making significant errors in this field, which can negatively effect funding. Further information can be found in the document Removing the core aim fix for 2027 to 2028 allocations (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b96185b0a373a01819fdfb/Core_aim_fix_removal.pdf).

We base post-16 funding allocations on census data from individual institutions, so returning accurate data is a key factor in ensuring that you receive the right allocation.

The reports are based on the data you submitted in your autumn census, and will help you check, validate and quality assure your submission. We have worked hard to ensure these reports reflect the 16 to 19 funding methodology as closely as possible. The categories and values shown in the reports are indicative and will not necessarily directly match those in your 16 to 19 allocation.

Each report is split into 2 sections:
- study programmes
- T Levels
We identify programmes with the programme type field (T Levels must have the technical qualification (TQ) as the core aim). The programme type field is not used to identify academic and vocational study programmes, for which we still use qualification type and core aim (for vocational programmes).

If you have questions about the reports or 16 to 19 funding policy and methodology, use the customer help portal (https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/).

You can also find further information in the:
- interactive post-16 school census tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-esfa-post-16-census-tool)
- post-16 funding rates and formula (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-rates-and-formula) guidance
- funding rules for post-16 provision (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-funding-regulations-for-post-16-provision)
- maths and English condition of funding (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding) guidance
- guidance on how T Levels are funded (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-funding/t-levels-funding-guide-2025-to-2026)
16 to 19 funded student summary reports

The 16 to 19 funded student summary reports show the number of students who are eligible for 16 to 19 funding, according to the data returned in the census. The students are grouped according to their funding line type and their funding band.

The reports only show students:
- whose enrolment status is current (C) or main (M) - students with dual subsidiary status (S) are funded through other institutions’ allocations and students with guest status (G) are excluded from the census return
- who have stayed on their study programmes long enough to count as valid starts - you can find more information on this in the ‘student numbers’ and ‘SN examples’ sections of the interactive post-16 school census tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-esfa-post-16-census-tool)
- who are recorded in national curriculum years 12, 13, or 14 in the relevant academic year
- who have learning aims in the relevant academic year
The reports split the number of students into 3 categories by funding line type. This allows you to make sure that students are correctly recorded in the census with regard to their age and special educational needs (SEN) provision.
- 16 to 19 students (including high-needs students). All 16- to 19-year-old students are included in this funding line type, regardless of their SEN provision indicator.
- 19 to 24 students with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. 19- to 24-year-old students not recorded as having an EHC plan will be placed in the ‘19+ continuing students’ funding line.
- 19+ continuing students (excluding students with an EHC plan). This category includes any 19- to 24-year-old students not recorded as having an EHC plan.
The reports also split students by funding band, within funding line types. This allows you to make sure that the student’s planned hours are correctly recorded in the census. Funding band is determined by the total of planned learning hours and planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours.

The report uses these fields from your census return:
- planned learning hours (previous year or current year)
- planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours (previous year or current year)
- T Level planned hours
- T Level planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours
- enrolment status
- learning start date
- learning planned end date
- learning actual end date
- pupil date of birth
- SEN provision
- top-up funding indicator
- actual national curriculum year
- programme type
16 to 19 student detail reports

The 16 to 19 student detail reports show all students who are recorded in the census with basic post 16 eligibility, regardless of whether they qualify as a start or not. This is different to the 16 to 19 funded student summary reports, which only show students who are valid starts.

The reports use the same other criteria as the 16 to 19 funded student summary report. They show students:
- whose enrolment status is current (C) or main (M)
- who are recorded in national curriculum years 12, 13, or 14 in the relevant academic year
- who have learning aims in the relevant academic year
They show information for each student, grouped according to their funding line type.

The reports show:
- unique pupil number (UPN)
- student’s surname, forename and date of birth
- planned learning hours or T Level planned hours
- planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours or T Level planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours
- total planned hours - planned learning hours plus planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours
- funding band, which is determined by the total planned hours or T Level planned learning hours plus T Level planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours
- whether the student qualifies for funding (students who qualify for funding are shown with the status of ‘1’, students who do not qualify are shown with the status of ‘0’)
- national curriculum year - we only include students in the reports when they are in years 12, 13, and 14
- any disadvantage block 1 funding - this field shows you the disadvantage uplift each student generates based on their home postcode
- any instances of disadvantage block 2 - this information is from the values you returned in the English and maths prior attainment year group fields
- programme type (academic or vocational) - if you think a student has an incorrect programme type in this field, you should review the recording of your core aims and learning aim status
- programme cost weighting - this field shows you the programme cost weighting uplift attracted by your students undertaking vocational study programmes
- retention - if you have students who are not retained whom you expected to be retained, you should check you have recorded a core aim for an academic programme, and that the student does not have a vocational core aim
- English and maths funding (instances) - shown only in the current year report. This is replacing the level 3 maths and English payment from 2024 to 2025 onwards. Each subject where the student does not have a GCSE grade of C/4 or higher counts as an instance and therefore the maximum number of instances is 2
You can find more information in the post-16 funding rates and formula (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-rates-and-formula) guidance.

The report uses these fields from your census return:
- unique learner number (ULN)
- unique pupil number (UPN)
- former UPN
- pupil surname
- pupil forename
- pupil date of birth
- planned learning hours (previous year or current year)
- planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours (previous year or current year)
- T Level planned hours
- T Level planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours
- SEN provision
- top-up funding indicator
- actual national curriculum year
- national curriculum year leaving
- pupil enrolment status
- qualification number
- learning aim start date
- learning aim planned end date
- learning aim actual end date
- learning aim status
- core aim
- postcode
- programme type
16 to 19 maths and English GCSE status by student

The 16 to 19 maths and English GCSE status by student reports show the maths and English statuses for individual students according to the condition of funding rules.

The reports show students:
- whose enrolment status is current (C) or main (M)
- who have stayed on their study programmes long enough to count as valid starts
- who are recorded in national curriculum years 12, 13, or 14 in the relevant academic year
- who have learning aims in the relevant academic year
They show information for each student, grouped according to their funding line type.

The report shows:
- unique pupil number (UPN)
- surname
- forename
- date of birth
- maths status
- English status
- GCSE maths prior attainment
- maths exemption
- maths minimum hours (code MMH) – a new field for autumn 2025 census, used in determining compliance with the condition
- GCSE English prior attainment
- English exemption
- English minimum hours (code EMH) – a new field for autumn 2025 census, used in determining compliance with the condition
The maths/English field of the reports will show one of the following statuses.
- Condition of funding does not apply - for students you record on small part-time study programmes (under 150 hours per year), and for students who are aged 15 or under.
- Exempt from the GCSE maths/English A* to C or 9-4 requirement - for students you record as being exempt from the condition of funding.
- Has maths/English, studying maths/English - the student has met the condition of funding through prior attainment, but is also studying for a valid qualification for the condition of funding. This status is most likely to show when a student is studying for an A level in maths or English, as these are valid qualifications for the condition of funding.
- Has maths/English, not studying maths/English - the student has met the condition of funding through prior attainment and is not undertaking a valid maths/English qualification.
- Has maths/English GCSE grade D/3, not studying GCSE maths/English - students who start a new full time programme who hold a grade D or grade 3 in the relevant subject must study for a valid GCSE qualification rather than a stepping stone qualification, such as functional skills. These students will not attract full funding when your allocation is calculated.
- Has English below GCSE grade D or grade 3, holds maths/English FSL2 pass - students who do not have a GCSE at grade C or grade 4 in maths or English meet the condition of funding if they have achieved a level 2 functional skill in the subject.
- Doesn’t have maths/English, studying maths/English - the student meets the condition of funding not through prior attainment but because they are studying a valid qualification for the condition of funding.
- Doesn’t have maths/English, not studying maths/English - students who do not have at least a GCSE grade C or grade 4 in the relevant subject and who are not studying for a valid condition of funding qualification do not meet the condition. These students will not attract full funding when your allocation is calculated.
We will use the new minimum hours funding and monitoring (FAM) codes when calculating the statuses. A student without a grade 4 or the equivalent in either subject must have the minimum hours FAM returned to confirm whether or not they have the required hours in their timetable. If they do not have the minimum hours for the subject, they will have one of the ‘not studying maths/English’ statuses even if they fulfil the other criteria to meet the condition.

The reports use these fields from your census return:
- unique learner number (ULN)
- unique pupil number (UPN)
- former UPN
- pupil surname
- pupil forename
- pupil date of birth
- planned learning hours (previous year or current year)
- planned employability, enrichment and pastoral hours (previous year or current year)
- SEN provision
- top-up funding indicator
- actual national curriculum year
- pupil enrolment status
- learning aim start date
- learning aim planned end date
- learning aim actual end date
- maths GCSE highest prior attainment (previous year or current year)
- maths GCSE funding exemption
- maths minimum hours funding and monitoring (FAM) code (MMH)
- English GCSE highest prior attainment (previous year or current year)
- English GCSE funding exemption
- English minimum hours funding and monitoring (FAM) code (EMH)
- qualification accreditation number
The report also uses qualification reference data to determine whether:
- the maths/English qualification is valid for the condition of funding or not
- the qualification is valid for the period during which the student is studying for it
- the qualification is a GCSE or equivalent, or a stepping stone
16 to 19 T Level student report

The 16 to 19 T Level student reports shows T level students grouped by their T Level technical qualification and occupational specialism, according to the data submitted in your census return.

If you do not have any T Level students, the report will still run, but it will not return any data.

The reports show students:
- their latest programme aim (ZPROG001) has the T Level programme type (code 31), and
- their latest core aim is a T level qualification (LARS learning aim ref type = 1468) and has the T Level programme type (code 31)
- whose enrolment status is current (C) or main (M)
- who are recorded in national curriculum years 12, 13, or 14 in the relevant academic year
- who have learning aims in the relevant academic year
Students will have their funding band highlighted in red when their T Level planned hours are lower than the minimum hours set for the T Level.

Students will have their planned end date highlighted in red when their programme is shorter than 18 months. Usually, a T Level programme lasts 2 years.

The reports show information for each student, grouped according to their T Level technical qualification and their T Level occupational specialism. Students who do not have an occupational specialism recorded will show with their T Level technical qualification and the note ‘No occupational specialism recorded’.

The report shows:
- unique pupil number (UPN)
- surname
- forename
- T Level total hours (T Level learning hours plus enrichment, employability and pastoral (EEP) hours)
- funding band
- programme start date
- programme planned end date
- programme actual end date
We only fund T Level students on the latest T Level programme recorded in the funding year. You can use this T Level report to ensure that each T Level student is recorded and being funded for the expected T Level programme, specialism and funding band.

Correcting data errors highlighted by the reports

Out-of-date qualification numbers

An out-of-date maths or English qualification will not count towards the condition of funding, so the student will not be compliant.

You should check:
- that all qualifications recorded using the correct qualification number for the course
- that all qualification numbers are in date by making sure the start date of the aim falls between the funding validity start and end dates – you can find these dates in QAN Web Services (QWS) (https://collectdata.education.gov.uk/qwsweb/(S(mdzfjbijwn3epz2i4uleir45))/default.aspx) and find a learning aim (https://submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk/find-a-learning-aim/)
Incorrectly recorded study programme planned hours

Your planned hours should reflect the planned activity for the academic year covering both qualification and non-qualification activity in the relevant fields.

If you do not return any planned hours for a student, that student won’t generate any funding.

Under-recording planned hours (often a result of recording qualification hours but not non-qualification hours) is likely to result in a student being funded at a lower level than they should be.

You should also check you have correctly recorded any high-needs students in receipt of element 3 top-up funding using the top-up funding indicator.

You should make sure that the hours recorded for both years are correct. We will use the information in the previous year fields to calculate the funding bands used for your 2022 to 2023 allocation. If the information is incorrect, this may have a negative effect on your allocation, as the calculation puts students in the wrong funding bands.

Incorrectly recorded start, planned end or actual end dates

You should check that you have:
- recorded the correct year for each date
- recorded any learning aims spanning more than one academic year with the start and end dates reflecting this multi-year delivery and not as separate learning aims for each year
Incorrect recording of or failure to record maths and English prior attainment grades

Prior attainment grades indicate whether or not a student needs to take approved maths and/or English qualifications to meet the condition of funding.

If the grade is missing, we assume the student does not hold the relevant qualification and has to take an approved qualification.

If the student is not enrolled on a suitable qualification or an incorrect prior attainment is recorded, they will not meet the condition of funding.

Incorrectly recording transfers

When a student transfers (for example, they stop studying one qualification and take up another in its place, while staying at the same institution), you must record them with learning aim status 4.

If you record them with status 3 (withdrawn), the elements that use the status may be incorrectly calculated.

Incorrectly recording core aims

We use the core aim to determine if a student’s programme is academic or vocational (those with a core aim are vocational and those without are academic), and which retention criteria we apply.

You must ensure only students who are following a vocational programme have a core aim and those on academic programmes do not have a core aim recorded. You can find more information on recording core aims in the interactive post-16 school census tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-esfa-post-16-census-tool).

Incorrectly recording programme type

We use the new programme type code to categorise all types of study programme. You must record the programme type for every learning aim, taking particular care with the core aim and the programme aim as these are key drivers for funding. It is also more likely for errors to occur when students do more than one programme.

You can find more details and examples of other errors in the interactive post-16 school census tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-esfa-post-16-census-tool).

Recording T Levels correctly

We have noted a higher than average number of errors in recording T Levels. We encourage schools to check T Level students’ information in the reports correctly, and to resolve validation errors that occur when submitting the census. Detailed information on recording T Levels (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-funding/record-your-t-level-data-correctly) is available.

Incorrectly recorded T Level hours

The hours in the T Level planned hours fields must cover the hours for the full T Level programme – that is, the hours planned for all years of the programme.

If you return study programme planned hours rather than T Level hours, the student cannot be funded in the higher T Level bands.

Omitting T Level components

You must record qualification numbers (QNs) for all the elements of a T Level:
- T Level qualification
- T Level occupational specialism (QN starting with ZTLOS)
- T Level industry placement
- T Level programme aim
The T Level qualification must be the core aim. If you do not record a QN for the occupational specialism, we cannot select the correct funding band and programme cost weighting and the student will generate less funding.

Incorrectly recording programme type

We use the new programme type code to identify T Levels. If the T Level technical qualification (TQ) is not the core aim and does not have the correct programme type code, a student will be counted as studying on a study programme and will not be funded in the higher T Level funding bands.

You can find more details and examples of other errors in the interactive post-16 school census tool (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-esfa-post-16-census-tool).

Local authority early years funding report guidance - spring 2026

The COLLECT funding report will contain a full breakdown of the pupil numbers from the 2026 spring school census. We will use this to calculate the early years block element of your dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocation for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.

The funding reports should update daily and take into account the duplicates report. It reflects the position from COLLECT as at close the previous working day.

School funding arrangements for 2026 to 2027

For the 2026 to 2027 financial year, the DSG will be split into 3 main blocks of funding:
- schools
- early years
- high needs
Only the early years’ block will be allocated based on the spring 2026 school census. The schools’ block has already been funded using the completed autumn 2025 census collection.

Funding calculations

Early years funding streams are calculated based on the numbers of pupils attending from:
- local-authority-maintained nurseries
- primary, secondary and all-through schools
- all mainstream academies (excluding special academies, AP academies and AP free schools)
The funding for all early years entitlements will be split between any unresolved duplicate UPNs.

Early years entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds

Data is used on pupils aged 2 at 31 December 2025 (born between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2024) in all year groups. The part-time equivalent number of pupils aged under 5 is based on the funded hours recorded on the autumn school census. It is not based on the full-time/part-time indicator.

Early years universal entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds

To calculate funding, we use your data on:
- pupils aged 3 at 31 December 2024 (born between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022) in all year groups
- pupils aged 3 at 31 August 2025, but 4 by 31 December 2025 (rising 4s) (born between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2021) in all year groups
- pupils aged 4 and above as at 31 August 2025 (born between 1 January 2021 and 31 August 2021) in national curriculum year group E1, E2, N1 and N2 at the time of the census
The part-time equivalent number of pupils aged under 5 is based on the funded hours recorded on the spring school census. It is not based on the full-time/part-time indicator.

Early years extended entitlement for 3- and 4-year-old children of eligible working parents

To calculate funding, we use your data on:
- pupils aged 3 at 31 December 2025 (born between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022) in all year groups
- pupils aged 3 at 31 August 2025, but 4 by 31 December 2025 (rising 4s) (born between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2021) in all year groups
- pupils aged 4 and above as at 31 August 2025 (born between 1 January 2021 and 31 August 2021) in national curriculum year group E1, E2, N1 and N2 at the time of the census
The part-time equivalent number of pupils aged under 5 is based on:
- the return of an eligibility code
- the extended hours recorded in the census
It is not based on the full-time/part-time indicator.

Early years expanded entitlement for 9 months to 2-year-old children

To calculate funding, we use your data on:
- pupils aged 9 months to 1-year-old (born between 1 January 2025 and 31 March 2026) in all year groups
- pupils aged 2 at 31 December 2025 (born between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023)
The part-time equivalent number of pupils aged under 5 is based on:
- the return of an eligibility code
- the expanded hours recorded in the census
It is not based on the full-time/part-time indicator.

Reports available

There are 2 versions of this report available for local authorities to run.

Funding report run against approved data

This version of the funding report will include data from schools whose return status is ‘approved’ or above. It will reflect the data which we use in your dedicated schools grant allocation. We will only fund based on data which has been approved by local authorities.

Funding report run against all loaded data

This version of the funding report will be identical in format to the funding report run against ‘approved’ data but will include all loaded data from schools in your local authority.

As the data may change at the loaded and submitted stage, do not send queries about discrepancies in the data in your funding report until the returns are at the ‘approved’ stage.

How to use the local authority funding report

You should check and verify these funding reports with local authority finance officers before the autumn census database closes. It will not be possible to make amendments to your return after this date.

Queries about the funding report

If you have any queries about the use of school census data for school funding, complete a service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/data-collections-service-request-form).

Early years pupil premium funding report guidance - spring 2026

The COLLECT funding reports will contain a summary of the numbers of pupils in receipt of the early years pupil premium as reported on the 2025 spring census.

The funding reports should update daily and take into account the duplicates report. It reflects the position from COLLECT as at close the previous working day.

Pupils eligible for the 2026 to 2027 early years pupil premium

To calculate funding, we look at the pupils you have recorded as eligible for the early years pupil premium, who are:
- aged 9 months to one year old (born between 1 January 2024 and 31 March 2025) in all national curriculum year groups
- aged 2 (born between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023) in all national curriculum year groups
- aged 3 (born between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2022) in all national curriculum year groups
- aged 4 (born between 1 January 2021 and 31 August 2021) in national curriculum year group E1, E2, N1 or N2
Pupil numbers are calculated based on the funded hours recorded on the spring school census. It is not based on the full-time/part-time indicator. We also take into account the duplicate report (funding for unresolved duplicate UPNs will be halved).

Reports available

Local authorities

There will be 2 reports available for each local authority:
- Local authority level funding report for early years pupil premium
- Local authority school level funding report for early years pupil premium (containing a list of all schools and PRUs in the local authority)
There are 2 versions of these reports available for local authorities to run.

Funding report run against approved data

This version of the funding report will include data from schools whose return status is ‘approved’ or above. It will reflect the data which we use in your early years pupil premium allocation. We will only fund based on data which has been approved by local authorities.

Funding report run against all loaded data

This version of the funding report will be identical in format to the funding report run against ‘approved’ data but will include all loaded data from schools in your local authority.

Schools

There will also be one report available for each individual school and PRU, which will be available as soon as the data has been loaded onto COLLECT.

As the data may change at the loaded and submitted stage, do not send queries about discrepancies in the data in your funding report until the returns are at the ‘approved’ stage.

How to use the local authority funding report

You should check and verify these funding reports with local authority finance officers before the spring census database closes. It will not be possible to make amendments to your return after this date.

Queries about the funding report

If you have any queries about the use of school census data for school funding, complete a data collections service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/en/AchieveForms/?form_uri=sandbox-publish://AF-Process-2b61dfcd-9296-4f6a-8a26-4671265cae67/AF-Stage-f3f5200e-e605-4a1b-ae6b-3536bc77305c/definition.json&redirectlink=%2Fen&cancelRedirectLink=%2Fen).

Pupil premium funding report guidance - autumn 2025

The COLLECT funding reports will contain a summary of the numbers of pupils reported on the 2025 autumn school census in maintained schools as well as mainstream and special academies and free schools with either:
- a period of FSM eligibility since the previous census
- recorded as a service child on census day
- code A: not looked after - adoption from England and Wales
- code G: not looked after - special guardianship order (SGO) from England and Wales
- code R: not looked after - residence order (RO) from England and Wales, residence orders were replaced by child arrangements orders in April 2014
- code C: not looked after - child arrangement order (CAO) from England and Wales
- code O: not looked after - adopted from state care outside of England and Wales
The funding reports should update daily and take into account the duplicates report. It reflects the position from COLLECT as at close the previous working day.

Eligible pupils

To calculate the numbers of pupils eligible for pupil premium, we look at pupils you have recorded on the school census as:
- service children
- eligible for FSM
- adopted from care or leaving care under a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangement order
Funding pupil numbers will be calculated on the same basis as those for the dedicated schools grant. The duplicate report will also be taken into account (funding for unresolved duplicate UPNs will be halved).

Pupils whose registration status is ‘C’, ‘M’, ‘F’ and ‘O’ from the school census are included (‘F’ and ‘O’ enrolment status are only relevant to PRUs). All pupils will be counted as one full-time equivalent irrespective of the full-time/part-time status or funded hours recorded on the census.

The funding will be split between any unresolved duplicate UPNs.

Deprivation pupil premium

The 2026 to 2027 deprivation pupil premium will be allocated to pupils on roll in autumn 2025 who have been eligible for free school meals on any pupil level census since spring 2020 (known as FSM ever 6).

It is not possible to provide a COLLECT report during the live census collection period containing details of these pupil numbers for a particular school or local authority. The COLLECT free school meals report will only include those pupils reported with a period of free school meal eligibility on the 2025 autumn school census.

Service child pupil premium

For 2026 to 2027, the service child pupil premium will be based on pupils recorded on roll in the autumn 2025 school census who are either:
- recorded as a service child at any point since spring 2020
- in receipt of a War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme pension from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as a result of injury, illness or death caused by service
We only expect you to return those pupils currently classed as service children as at census day. We will then use the information in the national pupil database and Ministry of Defence child pension data to determine the actual numbers of pupils eligible for the service child premium.

It is not possible to provide a COLLECT report during the live census collection period containing details of the service child ever pupil numbers for a particular school or local authority. The COLLECT service child report will only include pupils currently reported as a service child on the 2025 autumn school census. It will not include:
- pupils not currently service children, based on the autumn 2025 census, who have previously been in receipt of the service child premium
- pupils in receipt of a pension from the Ministry of Defence
Adopted from care pupil premium

The adopted from care pupil premium will be paid to those pupils on roll on the autumn school census who:
- were looked after immediately before adoption
- left care on a special guardianship order (SGO)
- left care on a residence order (RO)
- left care on a child arrangement order (CAO)
Reports available

Local authorities

There will be 4 reports available for each local authority:
- Local authority level funding report for deprivation pupil premium
- Local authority level funding report for service child pupil premium
- Local authority level funding report for adopted from care pupil premium
- Local authority school level funding report for pupil premium (containing a list of all schools in the local authority)
There are 2 versions of each report available for local authorities to run.

Funding report run against approved data

This version of the funding report will include data from schools whose return status is ‘approved’ or above. It will reflect the data we use in your pupil premium allocation. We will only fund based on data that has been approved by local authorities.

Funding report run against all loaded data

This version of the funding report will be identical in format to the funding report run against ‘approved’ data, but will include all loaded data from schools in your local authority.

Schools

There will also be one report available for each individual school, which will be available as soon as the data has been loaded onto COLLECT.

As the data may change at the loaded and submitted stage, do not send queries about discrepancies in the data in your funding report until the returns are at the ‘approved’ stage.

How to use the funding report

You should check and verify these funding reports with local authority finance officers before the autumn census database closes. It’s not possible to make amendments to your return after this date.

Queries about the funding report

If you have any queries about the use of school census data for school funding, complete a service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/Data-collections-service-request-form).

Pupil premium funding report guidance - spring 2026

The COLLECT funding reports will contain a summary of the numbers of pupils reported on the spring 2026 school census in pupil referral units (PRUs), alternative provision academies and free schools with either:
- a period of FSM eligibility since the previous census
- recorded as a service child on census day
- code A: not looked after - adoption from England and Wales
- code G: not looked after - special guardianship order (SGO) from England and Wales
- code R: not looked after - residence order (RO) from England and Wales, residence orders were replaced by child arrangements orders in April 2014
- code C: not looked after – child arrangement order (CAO) from England and Wales
- code O: not looked after – adopted from state care outside of England and Wales
The funding reports should update daily and take into account the duplicates report. It reflects the position from COLLECT as at close the previous working day.

Eligible pupils

To calculate the numbers of pupils eligible for pupil premium, we look at pupils you have recorded on the school census as:
- service children
- eligible for FSM
- adopted from care or leaving care under a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangement order
Funding pupil numbers will be calculated on the same basis as those for the dedicated schools grant. The duplicate report will also be taken into account (funding for unresolved duplicate UPNs will be halved).

Pupils whose registration status is ‘C’, ‘M’, ‘F’ and ‘O’ from the school census are included (‘F’ and ‘O’ enrolment status are only relevant to PRUs). All pupils will be counted as one full-time equivalent irrespective of the full-time/part-time status or funded hours recorded on the census.

The funding will be split between any unresolved duplicate UPNs.

Deprivation pupil premium

The 2026 to 2027 deprivation pupil premium will be allocated to pupils on roll in January 2026 who have been eligible for free school meals on any pupil level census since summer 2020 (known as FSM ever 6). The national pupil database will be used to map the history of FSM eligibility for each pupil on roll in the January collections. This will determine the actual numbers of ‘Ever FSM’ pupils eligible for the pupil premium.

It is not possible to provide a COLLECT report during the live census collection period containing details of these pupil numbers for a particular school or local authority. The COLLECT free school meals report will only include those pupils reported with a period of FSM eligibility on the 2026 spring school census.

Service child pupil premium

For 2026 to 2027, the service child pupil premium will be based on pupils recorded on roll in the spring 2026 school census who are either:
- recorded as a service child on any pupil level census since January 2020
- in receipt of a War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme pension from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as a result of injury, illness or death caused by service
We only expect you to return those pupils currently classed as service children as at census day. We will then use the information in the national pupil database and Ministry of Defence child pension data to determine the actual numbers of pupils eligible for the service child premium.

It is not possible to provide a COLLECT report during the live census collection period containing details of the service child ever pupil numbers for a particular school or local authority. The COLLECT service child report will only include pupils currently reported as a service child on the 2026 spring school census. It will not include:
- pupils not currently service children, based on the spring 2026 census, who have previously been in receipt of the service child premium
- pupils in receipt of a pension from the Ministry of Defence
Adopted from care pupil premium

The adopted from care pupil premium will be paid to those pupils on roll on the spring school census who:
- were looked after immediately before adoption
- left care on a special guardianship order (SGO)
- left care on a residence order (RO)
- left care on a child arrangement order (CAO)
Reports available

Local authorities

There will be 4 reports available for each local authority:
- Local authority level funding report for deprivation pupil premium
- Local authority level funding report for service child pupil premium
- Local authority level funding report for adopted from care pupil premium
- Local authority school level funding report for pupil premium (containing a list of all alternative provision providers in the local authority)
There are 2 versions of each report available for local authorities to run.

Funding report run against approved data

This version of the funding report will include data from schools whose return status is ‘approved’ or above. It will reflect the data which we use in your pupil premium allocation. We will only fund based on data which has been approved by local authorities.

Funding report run against all loaded data

This version of the funding report will be identical in format to the funding report run against ‘approved’ data, but will include all loaded data from schools in your local authority.

Schools

There will also be one report available for each individual school and PRU which will be available as soon as the data has been loaded onto COLLECT.

As the data may change at the loaded and submitted stage, do not send queries about discrepancies in the data in your funding report until the returns are at the ‘approved’ stage.

How to use the funding report

You should check and verify these funding reports with local authority finance officers before the spring census database closes. It’s not possible to make amendments to your return after this date.

Queries about the funding report

If you have any queries about the use of school census data for school funding, complete a service request form (https://form.education.gov.uk/service/Data-collections-service-request-form).

Term-on-term checks

Term-on-term checks are built into COLLECT and applied to several fields of data to check for substantial increases or decreases between the current collection and the previous collection.

Fields checked:
- headcount of pupils (all terms)
- % FSM for infant pupils (all terms)
- % FSM (all terms)
- % pupils with SEN with an EHC plan (all terms)
- % pupils with SEN without an EHC plan (all terms)
- % first language other than English (all terms)
- % service children (all terms)
- % ethnicity not obtained (spring only)
- % boarders (all terms)
- % overall absence (all terms)
- % overall absence summer half-term (autumn only)
- % school lunch taken (all terms)
- number of suspensions for the same reporting period
- number of permanent exclusions for the same reporting period
- % pupils with post-looked-after arrangements (PLAA) (all terms)
Where COLLECT has raised a query, we need an explanation for the increase or decrease in the notes field. Adding explanation notes for queries (#adding-explanation-notes-for-queries) explains how to add an explanation and lists acceptable notepad entries for queries.