Census - England School: Autumn 2026 DfE Changes
Modules > Census > School
Changes have been implemented for all school types in England (excluding nursery where specified) to support new DfE Autumn Census 2026 requirements.
What's New
▶ Managed Move - except nursery
The XML and Data Check Reports include the following qualifying Managed Move information for leavers with a managed move start date from 1 August 2026 to the day before census day:
- Start Date
- Destination School URN
- Manage Move Reason
▶ Kinship Care - except nursery
The XML and Data Check Reports include a Kinship Care status for pupils on roll on the Autumn census day. The return uses ND when no Kinship Care status is active on census day.
▶ FSM
Qualifying FSM records in the Targeted and Expanded categories include the following information in the XML and Data Check Reports:
- FSM Start/End Date
- FSM Eligibility Verification Date
- UK Country
- FSM Category.
The Upcoming FSM Reviews widget previously displayed records where the FSM Review Date fell within the next seven days. This has now been updated to use the FSM Eligibility Verification Date instead.
▶ T Level Programme
The XML output has been updated for students with a T Level programme:
<QualHrs>and<Non_qualHrs>are not returned in the XML for students enrolled on a T Level programme.- When a student has a current T Level programme and a study programme that existed in the previous academic year,
<QualHrsPreviousYear>and<Non_qualHrsPreviousYear>are returned with the recorded values from that previous year. <TLevelQualHrs>and<TLevelNon_qualHrs>are now returned in the XML and contain the student's T Level qualification and non-qualification hours.
▶ Early Years (EY) Pupil Reconciliation Panel Update
Within the Pupil Reconciliation panel, the displayed minimum value for Hours at Setting has been updated from 0.01 to 0.00.
Note:
If a pupil's FSM records predate the ability to add verification dates, they will not appear on the widget.