Census - Is it a NM responsibility?

[jcollings]

I do all our Census and Workforce Census returns as IT manager. To be honest I really don't mind it -it hardly takes any time and as long as your SIMS is well kept (our office manager does an excellent job of that) it's usually fairly quick and easy.

[OverWorked]

The best the NM could do is to run the report and send it off. They couldn't be responsible for the accuracy of the data.

 

If there's no Data Manager, then who is responsible for entering the data and ensuring accuracy? That person should be doing the census, with the NM's support of course.

[GeeHubb]

Here, both census returns are part of my role. I can't imagine how it can be done by anyone other than the person with overall responsibility for the integrity of the data. I am the Office Manager, we are a Primary of 320 children and don't have a Network Manager or tech support person anyway (other than me - which is a scary thought) and the Bursar only works with FMS.

 

So long as you have a good understanding of SIMS, your data, and the census process it should be a doddle! *laughs hysterically*

[Sivadam]

..... we are a Primary of 320 children and don't have a Network Manager or tech support person anyway (other than me - which is a scary thought) and....

It certainly is a scary thought Gill!

[RabbieBurns]

excuse my ignorance, but what is a cencus in regards to a school?

 

is it a SIMS only thing?

[LosOjos]

excuse my ignorance, but what is a cencus in regards to a school?

 

is it a SIMS only thing?

 

It's a legal requirement in the UK for all schools to complete a census on set dates (currently once per term for student data census, not sure about the regularity of the workforce census). It gathers a wide range of information on students, such as ethnicity, FSM entitlement, addresses and contact details etc. and is used by the government for analysis, but most importantly (to schools at least) to make sure they receive the proper funding they're entitled to.

 

There's more to it than that, but in a nutshell that's what it is.

 

EDIT: And it's not just a SIMS thing, most (if not all) MIS have the facility to produce the census, if they don't schools have to produce it manually.

[GeeHubb]

excuse my ignorance, but what is a cencus in regards to a school?

 

is it a SIMS only thing?

 

Any vacancies in your school???

 

Censuses are returns of children's and employee's information, such as inside leg measurement, to the DfE. We have School Census 3 x p.a. and School Workforce Census annually.

[GeeHubb]

It certainly is a scary thought Gill!

 

Oi! Watch it Mike, are you trying to lose on of those green squares again?

[Sivadam]

I wish! I've got two again now! Yuk!!

Do me a favour and complain about me!

Reporting me for abuse might work!

[RabbieBurns]

Ive only worked in private schools in Scotland which dont get any funding from the .gov, would they still have had to do it?

 

If so, it was certainly nothing that was even mentioned to us in IT.

[Butuz]

Simple answer is - no it is not a NM responsibility. It is a DM (Data Manager) responsibility.

 

It appears your school are dumping on you in an attempt to save some money. Trust me I know exactly what that feels like.

 

My advice would be to fight it.

 

Butuz

[Heggy]

just stepping away from the Admin vs Techie side of this, how do grades compare? Are you being given the work of a higher grade, same grade, or lower grade job?

We were on approx same grade. Although, my understanding is that if i take on MIS/Data-Manager duties, it's in a different (Admin) field, so my scale should be adjusted. Although i won't be asking/expecting that. Our bursar is on a higher grade, and head of admin.

 

 

I'm going to go to our Bursar, and have a discussion. Thanks for so many sensible suggestions, I'll go down the 'train someone else, but I'll co-pilot this time' route. wish me luck peeps

Edited January 17, 2011 by Heggy

[GrumbleDook]

For those who have said it is a simple answer ... it may be for you but not for others. It all depends on what folk mean by 'do the census'. For some schools this will mean that various members of office/administrative staff and various senior teachers/leaders will be put information into the MIS or putting it on paper ready for someone to input it into the MIS. The final pushing of the button is done once everything is checked, corrected, chased down and happy. I used to do this in my SLT role as it was my responsibility as SLT. The buck stopped with me. Most of the work was done by admin staff though (chasing down errors in the timetable was done by the asst timetabler, student information by student admin, workforce numbers by Office / Personnel, etc) but a school down the road from me had a dedicated MIS Manager who did this.

 

Whilst there is no consistency in job roles (and so many hate the idea of single status and all having defined job roles that are common in every school) then don't be surprised if it works for others.

 

My answer would be to say yes, you should do it ... but at the expense of dropping something else or perhaps more cash. It is an additional responsibility and depending on the amount of assistance you have (and the cleanliness of your data) it could be a pig!

Edited January 17, 2011 by GrumbleDook
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