The instructions on this page were different in the following release(s):
3.87 | 3.86 | 3.84 | 3.80

Census Dates

Release Notes Spring 2026 (3.88)
Early Years Census

Every local authority is required to provide an individual child level early years census return in 2026 to the DfE.

Every funded EY setting in England is required to provide the necessary information to their local authority to enable them to complete this return. The EY Census is required from any PVI setting where one or more of their children are receiving early education that is funded by the department.

• Census day
  The census collects data on all children taking up free provision during census week.
• COLLECT deadline
  The deadline for loading data onto COLLECT. 
  Allows for error correction, credibility checking and authorisation to take place before the collection closes.
• Submission deadline
  The deadline for submission of data to the DfE.

Census date and deadlines prior to Summer 2026

• Census Day
  Thursday 15th January 2026
• COLLECT Deadline
  Friday 6th March 2026
• Submission Deadline
  Friday 10th April 2026

Census dates and deadlines from Summer 2026

From Summer 2026, the EY census will be collected termly over the financial year. The census dates are as follows:

Summer 2026 EY census

• Census day
  Thursday 21 May 2026
• COLLECT deadline
  Friday 19 June 2026
• Submission deadline
  Friday 17 July 2026

Autumn 2026 EY census

• Census day
  Thursday 1 October 2026
• COLLECT deadline
  Friday 6 November 2026
• Submission deadline
  Friday 4 December 2026

Spring 2027 EY census

• Census day
  Thursday 21 January 2027
• COLLECT deadline
  Friday 5 March 2027
• Submission deadline
  Friday 2 April 2027