DCSF Data Collections How and why collections, and items, are agreed timescales and everything you e

1
DCSF Data CollectionsHow and why collections,
and items, are agreed timescales and everything
you ever wanted to know!

• Simon Grigor, DCSF Data Services Group

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The key players

• DCSF Data Services Group
• Prime Ministers, Ministers, DCSF policy
  colleagues
• The Star Chamber
• Local Authorities
• Schools
• Software Suppliers

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DCSF Data Services Group

• Specifying the collections
• Receiving the data
• Publishing the results
• Answering the questions (esp. in Parliament)

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Prime Ministers, Ministers, DCSF policy colleagues

• Policy constantly evolving
• Need to evaluate initiatives old and new
• Key question To approach all or some of those
  who use. Census? Sample? Research?

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Local Authorities

• Used by most schools to support them in data
  activity
• School Census routes through them
• DCSF communicates to them (150) as its
  impossible to talk to 23,000 schools
• Annual Census roadshows
• Termly meetings
• Monthly data bulletin

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Schools

• Without them, no data
• But their key role is developing young people
• So data burden must be minimised

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The Star Chamber

• School and LA representatives
• Meet monthly, consider new requests and wider
  issues
• Consideration areas
• Cost, burden, value for money
• Is anything similar already collected?
• Is it information that schools (or LAs) will find
  useful too? Any indications of support?

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Software Suppliers

• Free market in England
• Becta available to help schools in their
  purchasing
• Half a dozen significant players in the market
• Very good DCSF-Supplier communications
• DCSF Memorandum of Understanding in place with
  the major players

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The School Census

• Statutory, underpins funding and some policy
• Termly - but commissioning, specification and
  guidance are all annual
• Long lead-in time to allow for specification
  development, testing, release and training
• Early thinking for School Censuses in 2011 (first
  one in January) already underway

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Census timetable (2011 example)

• Around now possible changes list compiled
• Spring 2009 discussions with policy areas
• Early summer 09 formal business cases pulled
  together. Considered by Star Chamber
• July-October 09 Draft specification
• November 09 early 2010 Discuss draft

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Census timetable (2011 example) ctd.

• March 2010 Specification signed off
• Spring 10 Suppliers develop and amend software
• Summer 10 User testing
• Autumn 10 Release to LAs and schools
• October 10 DCSF workshops for LAs
• November December 10 LAs cascade to schools

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Census timetable (2011 example) ctd.

• January 2011 first collection

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Other DCSF collections

• Mixture of statutory and voluntary regular and
  one-off quantitative and qualitative across the
  board and sample
• All go through Star Chamber
• Data Collection Calendar updated monthly

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Other collectors

• Partner organisations
• Other Government Departments

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The future what might change

• Constant wish to collect new areas but controls
  in place
• RBTF another driver against
• One big new collection School Workforce
• Longer term SIF?

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Useful links

• Census documentation
• http//www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/dataco
  llections/
• Data collection calendar
• http//www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/dataco
  llections/scheduleofcollections0708/
• Enquiries
• IMS.MAILBOX_at_dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
• Me
• simon.grigor_at_dcsf.gsi.gov.uk

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Any Questions?

• Over to you