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School Census |
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1. SCHOOL CENSUS and NATIONAL PUPIL DATABASE The 1996 Education Act (s537) empowered the government to collect information about pupils directly from schools; however, this specifically could not include the name of any pupil. Since then, a series of amendments and regulations has changed that situation to enable, since 2000, a regular ‘pupil level’ (ie. individual) census of every pupil in a state-maintained school. The range of information collected has also increased incrementally, and currently more than 40 individual-level data items are collected. Because the legislation says that schools must supply the data (a
‘statutory duty’ - which provides an exception to certain requirements of
the Data Protection Act) parents and children are nor asked for consent, nor
informed that it is taking place. Once collected, the information is held on
the National Pupil Database (NPD) and at the moment is principally used
statistically or for research. LEAs can also obtain information that relates
to pupils in their area. Capita, who carry out the census on behalf of the DfES, takes information directly from each school’s system on the dates prescribed by DfES. Until 2006, the census was held annually, but it is now termly, and collects more than 40 separate data items on each pupil. The census has been extended to include nurseries, playgroups and childminders. Those without Management Information Systems give the data directly to the local authority. More information is available on Teachernet
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