School workforce census
The school workforce census collects data about teachers and support staff. It applies to primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units.
The Department for Education and the local authority use the data on school staff - such as age, gender and ethnicity - to inform strategies to support the school workforce.
It takes place annually in the autumn term.
Date of 2025 to 2026 census
Complete the school workforce census on 6 November 2025.
Staff changes and privacy notices
Remember to issue a privacy notice to new members of staff when they join your school.
If a member of staff left your school before they received the privacy notice and your return for the 2025 census will contain data about them, you need to send them a privacy notice.
If you do not send out a privacy notice to staff, you will not have cover under the Education Act 2005.
Guidance for completion
School workforce census guide | GOV.UK explains how to collect and submit data for the census.
Questions on recording data in the school MIS
Arbor
Please refer to the Arbor guidance as follows:
Arbor Preparing for your School Workforce Census
Arbor School Workforce Census Guide
Schools ICT MIS Updates – Arbor School Workforce Census Checklists (preparing and completing)
Bromcom
Please refer to the Bromcom guidance as follows:
Bromcom: How to generate a census
Additional support
If you buy in to Schools ICT MIS support and have a query about how to record the data in your MIS please contact support@schoolsict.services
Schools ICT also offer School Workforce Census Return consultancies, working on your 'live data'. For more information contact the Business Support Team on 01323 463133 or e-mail info@schoolsict.services
If your school does not buy in MIS support from the Council, please contact your own software supplier or support.
Staff to include in the workforce census
The school workforce census covers:
- teachers employed by the school, both with and without Qualified Teacher Status
- apprentice teachers
- support staff employed by the school
- teachers working at the school who have been supplied by an agency or a local
- authority if the local authority is acting like a supply agency
- staff on paid or unpaid absence, whether long or short term
- teachers on the School Direct programme and the Teach First programme
Teaching assistants include classroom-based support staff for learning and pupil support, such as:
- higher level teaching assistants
- special needs support staff
- nursery officers and assistants
- minority ethnic pupils’ support staff
- bilingual assistants
Other support staff include those that are not classroom-based, like:
- librarians, IT technicians and technicians
- administrative officers, secretaries, bursars, administration and clerical staff
- matrons, nurses and medical staff
- premises and catering staff
- cleaners
Include all staff whether they work before, after, or during the normal school day.
Staff not to include in the workforce census
Do not include the following people in your census data:
- Staff whose contracts were ended prior to 1 September 2025.
- Staff working in extended school service provision, such as breakfast and after-school clubs, and children’s centres.
- Governors and voluntary staff.
- Teachers only engaged in one to one tuition.
Temporary or casual staff
Do not include:
- temporary staff with less than 28 days service
- casual staff without contracts
Trainee teachers
- Trainee teachers on teaching practice
- Trainee teachers on a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme
Council employees who support schools
These include:
- Advisory teachers
- Peripatetic music teachers
- Educational psychologists
- Educational welfare officers
The local authority will submit these.
Staff with no role identifier code for their duties
These include:
- Clerk to governors
- School crossing patrol staff
