School Census Summer 2026 - Bromcom

• Census date – Thursday 21st May 2026 "Snapshot date" 
• Dry run is open - Thursday 7th May 2026 (estimated date)
• Return date – Wednesday 17th June 2026
• Attendance collected from Spring term 2026 data - 01-01-2026 to Easter Sunday 05-04-2026
• Exclusion data - Suspensions from AM of the start of the autumn term to PM of the end of the spring term. Exclusions from AM of the start of the autumn term to the final governor review the day before School Census Summer 2026 reference day.
• Alternative Provision Placements collected from 15-01-2026 to 20-05-2026 
• Funding and Monitoring collected from 01-08-2025 to 21-05-2026
• Learner support date 01-08-2025 to 21-05-2026 (only relevant for pupils aged 16 or above on 31-08-2025)
• Free School Meal eligibility (eFSM) - Eligibilities that started on or before 21-05-2026, where the free school meals end date is either not present or between 16-01-2026 and 21-05-2026 (inclusive)
• DfE Guidance and full information can be found here

Bromcom Documentation & Help guides

• Preparing for the school census - This article serves as an introduction to administering the census,  including details on the necessary permissions, data verification, etc.
• Error Resolutions Guide - This article covers various errors and queries which can appear in the census return alongside solutions for those issues 
• School Census FAQ - This guide lists the most common questions that schools ask regarding the School Census.
• School Census Reporting- where to find all the reports necessary to check the census return.