SCHOOL CENSUS: RECORDING OF PUPILS ENROLMENT STATUS:

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1 Document Title: SCHOOL CENSUS: RECORDING OF PUPILS ENROLMENT STATUS: Contact Details: Tony Verrier Information Officer Performance Management & Information Team Business Development Group Tel : tverrier@somerset.gov.uk Status: For Information Date of issue: 5 June 2014 This is an updated and revised version of a similar document which was originally issued in November 2010 (and updated in November 2011). COVERAGE AND PURPOSE: This circular is for the information of all schools, PRUs and academies regarding the recording of enrolment status which is included in the DFE School Census return. Except where stated, the guidance in this note applies to all types of establishment. This document is divided into two parts: Part A gives general guidance on the recording of Enrolment Status including good practice for schools to follow; whilst Part B gives some specific examples that may be encountered, (further examples will be added as they arise). PART A: DFE ENROLMENT STATUS - GENERAL GUIDANCE: A1. Enrolment Status: It is important that each pupil recorded on the Census is assigned the correct enrolment status as this ensures that they are correctly registered at a school in line with the Pupil Registration Regulations and ensures that funding is accurately targeted in line with published funding methodologies. There are three types of enrolment status which are available to all establishments: Current Single Registration (C): The vast majority of pupils are registered at one school only; such pupils will be recorded as the default value, code C. Dual Registration: A small number of pupils may be simultaneously on the roll of two establishments, in which case they are considered to be dual registered. A dually registered pupil will be included in the School Census return of both establishments, however they must be recorded with a valid enrolment status combination as follows. M - Main dual registration by the one base; and S - Subsidiary dual registration by the other base. The two establishments will need to liaise to agree which is the Main and which is the Subsidiary base, the Enrolment Status 'C' must not be recorded for a dually registered pupil. Please note that the definition of main or subsidiary is NOT determined simply by the amount of time spent at each school please see the examples in Part B. DFE funding arrangements are that they will only fund a pupil once: where a pupil is dual registered it is the Main registration that attracts the DFE formula budget share and any pupil premium money. Guest pupils (enrolment status G ) are those who attend an establishment regularly for some lessons, or else on a one-off or short-term basis but who remain

2 registered elsewhere. A guest registration is in addition to a Single Registration (C) at another school. These pupils do not feature in the Census of the guest school. Guest enrolment status enables establishments to enter details of the pupils on their computer system (eg to enable them to be timetabled and to provide emergency contact information). Where there is a need to hold details of guest pupils it is clearly good practice to enter complete and accurate data. Full details of these pupils, including a full attendance record, will be held by their regular school who will return all data to the DFE as part of the School Census return. In addition, to the three enrolment statuses above, PRUs are able to identify pupils who receive all or the majority of their education at an FE college or other alternative provider. In such cases, the pupil should be recorded with an Enrolment Status of O - Other Provider or F - FE College. NB: These codes cannot be used in place of one of the dual registration codes they are effectively a substitute for the code C (Single registration). A2. Recording Pupil Attendance and Absence: From September 2011 the way that schools record and report attendance data for Dually Registered pupils changed enabling the use of attendance code D (Dual registered at another educational establishment) to record all of the sessions that the pupils are scheduled to attend the other establishment. The significance of this being that Code D is no longer collected in the Census and does not count as a possible attendance or as an absence in the school total therefore. For pupils attending another establishment as a Guest Registration' it is essential that the holder of the guest registration reports any absences to the home school who must record these as part of their School Census. It is important that each of the establishments which a pupil attends agree to share relevant pupil attendance information. The onus is on both establishments to contact each other and establish these agreements. A3. Setting-up a Guest and Dual Registration: Schools will be familiar with the process of supplying a Common Transfer File (CTF) when a pupil transfers elsewhere, but a CTF is also the means by which data is exchanged to enable a school or PRU to set-up a dual or guest registration. A4. Recording and Reporting Statutory Attainment Data: It is the responsibility of the Main establishment to ensure that all statutory end of key stage assessments are undertaken and reported to parents, even if the assessment/test is undertaken elsewhere. For further information regarding participation in statutory end of key stage tests and teacher Assessments schools should refer to the relevant Assessment and Reporting Arrangements publication issued by DFE. A5. Good Practice: Any establishment which has a guest or dual registered pupil will need to liaise closely with the other establishments that are involved in providing the education to the child to agree the status of the pupil and to share relevant information on attendance and

3 attainment etc. When a dual registration is created the new establishment will need to request a CTF from the previous establishment; at this point it is essential that the establishments agree the enrolment status that each will record and arrangements for the future exchange of information. This will help ensure that the record keeping is consistent and that all un-explained and unexpected absences are followed-up. Establishments will also need to liaise when guest or dual registrations cease. A6. Missing Children: The guidance in this document relates to the recording of enrolment status. Nothing in this document should be taken as being contrary to schools' responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children. Pupils can only be removed from a school roll in accordance with strict criteria. Should a pupil fail to attend the Somerset LA Policy on Children Missing from Education provides important advice on the procedures to follow. PART B: DFE ENROLMENT STATUS SOME EXAMPLES B1. Dual Registration Pupils with SEN: In Somerset pupils with special educational needs may be formally dual registered following approval by the Complex Cases Panel and due notification to the schools concerned. This might apply as follows: A pupil registered at a mainstream school (main school) but considered to need specialist support by attending a special school or PRU (subsidiary school) on a regular basis and, therefore, also registered at the special school/pru. A pupil registered at a special school or PRU (main school) but also attending another mainstream school (subsidiary school) on a regular basis as part of preparation for return to the mainstream school. B2. Tuition at a Pupil Referral Unit: In addition to cases approved by Complex Cases Panel there may be pupils receiving all or some of their tuition at a PRU where arrangements have been set-up at the instigation of the school or local authority. If the pupil remains on the roll of a mainstream or special school: the ordinary school of attendance maintains the pupil s record with an Enrolment Status of M (Main dual-registration); whilst the PRU maintains the pupil s record with an Enrolment Status of S (Subsidiary dual-registration). If the pupil is no longer on the roll of a mainstream or special school, the PRU should record the pupil with an enrolment status of C - Current Single Registration. B3. Dual Registration Pupils from Traveller Families: To facilitate the education of pupils from legitimate traveller families who are forced to move around as part of the family trade or business a pupil may be dual registered when they attend another school. (This does not cover children who are on extended holidays or 'world tours'). For traveller pupils the school where the pupil ordinarily attended, during the immediately preceding 18 months when not travelling will

4 maintain the pupil s registration, even when they are accessing education elsewhere. Attendance at another school during the period of travelling therefore creates a dual registration. For the duration of the dual registration: the ordinary school of attendance maintains the pupil s record with an Enrolment Status of M (Main dual-registration), whilst a school receiving the pupil creates a record with an Enrolment Status of S (Subsidiary dual-registration). The dual registration ceases when a pupil leaves the subsidiary school either to return to their main school or to enrol elsewhere (even if they return at some point in the future). At this point the pupil is no longer on roll of the subsidiary school and should be recorded as a leaver. This would be recorded as follows: Where a pupil is dual registered and known to be attending a subsidiary school the Main school can enter an attendance code of D (Dual registered at another educational establishment). When the pupil is travelling but is not attending another educational establishment (ie no dual registration exists), the school which holds the registration should account for the pupil s absence reason (eg code T Traveller Absence). At all other times the appropriate attendance code eg I Illness should be recorded. A school holding a Subsidiary enrolment should record attendance in the normal way for the time that the pupil is on roll. Regardless of whether a dual registration exists schools will need to carefully record attendance of pupils from traveller families. This enables a school to demonstrate that it fulfils the criteria of being the Main school, as well as accurately recording the level of absence at the school. B4. External Examination Candidates: Schools may need to record student details in order for them to enter an examination as an external candidate - in such cases it is recommended that the providing school, records the student s record with an Enrolment Status of G (Guest registration). B5. Pupils Accessing Extended Services: If a school is offering extended services to pupils from other schools (eg after school childcare) they may wish to record students' details to provide emergency contact information etc. Again it is recommended that the providing school records the student s record with an Enrolment Status of G (Guest registration). B6. Purchased Tuition: In some schools external tuition may be purchased at another establishment for a registered pupil. Where the provider establishment is another maintained establishment please follow the guidance set out in paragraph B2. If the provider is a commercial organisation, or an organisation outside the maintained school sector, then the pupil should be recorded with an Enrolment Status of C (Current registration). B7. School-supervised off-site Education: Some schools have registered pupils who, for varying reasons, receive all or part of

5 their tuition off-site under the supervision of the school. The activity must be of an educational nature approved by, and under the supervision of, the school* 1. In such cases, the pupil should continue to be recorded with an Enrolment Status of C (Current registration). (Where tuition is provided, for example, by the one of the local authority's PRUs this will be considered to be dual registration see B2 above). B8. Pupils Receiving Education whilst in Hospital: Pupils who are receiving an education provision whilst in hospital may fall under the remit of a hospital tuition service. Where this is expected to be temporary measure a dual registration may be necessary (if the hospital service is a registered school or PRU) in which case the school of 'ordinary attendance' should be recorded as the 'main' registration with the hospital provider recording the subsidiary registration. This does not cover children: attending for 'hospital check ups', 'day surgery' or any other form of medical appointment or operation), who are not receiving education provision therefore; who need to attend hospital special school full time to meet a child s SEN. Such a permanent arrangement would probably mean that the child was regarded as a leaver from the mainstream roll. B9. Managed Transfers: Pupils who are undertaking a trial at a new school under the managed transfer process are considered to be a guest pupil at their new school for the duration of the trial period (normally 6 weeks). The 'Somerset Protocol on the Managed Transfer of Pupils Between Schools' requires that during the transition period the pupil remains on the roll of their original school (with an enrolment status code C ) and the pupil is regarded as a Guest at the new school. At the end of the trial period, if the move becomes permanent, the receiving school will need to change the enrolment status to C to coincide with the pupil's date of leaving their original school. The receiving school will also need to enter a new start date to reflect the fact that the pupil is now started on-roll. B10. Consortium Arrangements: A dual registration is NOT required for study which is provided in collaboration with other schools on a consortium basis (eg post-16 provision). Pupils need only be recorded at their main base (enrolment status C) with any registration for tuition at other consortium school(s) being regarded as a guest registration. (The financial arrangements between the establishments are considered to be a matter for their mutual agreement). SOURCES/FURTHER INFORMATION: The above guidance has been produced by reference to the following documents which can be used to obtain further information and supporting legal references: - DFE School Census Preparation & Guidance * 1 The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 SI 2006/1751

6 - Keeping Pupil Registers June 2008 (DFE) - Somerset Protocol on the Managed Transfer of Pupils Between Schools - School Attendance Departmental advice for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and local authorities November 2013 (DFE) For further advice on the recording of pupil enrolment status which is not covered in the above notes please contact me on the details at the top of this document. Tony Verrier Performance Management & Information Team PMIT_ACV/School Census Recording of Pupils Enrolment Status.docx 4 June 2014