The Department is conducting a root-and-branch review of all data collection requirements on schools (including the School Census) and putting in place a more robust scrutiny process to oversee data burdens in the future.

This review is aiming to identify measures to streamline the data returns completed by schools for central government, freeing up time for schools to focus on their core purpose of teaching and learning. It is looking at all central requests for data from schools and advising on how to reduce the associated burdens on schools in the future. A number of rationalisations have already taken place in the following areas:

  • Diploma Funding
  • Child Care: Extending the Two-Year Old Pilot
  • Healthy Schools
  • Improving Information Sharing and Management Programme benefits survey
  • Making Good Progress
  • One-to-One Tuition
  • PE and Sport
  • Priority Schools Absence data
  • Provision of Positive Activities for Young People
  • Youth Taskforce project monitoring.

Further rationalisations and removals are likely in the future.