This statement addresses the quality of the NSSC dataset using the dimensions outlined in the NSW Department of Education's data quality management framework: institutional environment, relevance, timeliness, accuracy, coherence, interpretability and accessibility. It provides an overview of the dataset's quality and highlights any known data quality issues.
Institutional environment
Data for the Mid-year Census of Government school enrolments is collected from administrative school enrolment databases which are regularly maintained and updated. The collection is designed, conducted and quality checked by statistical production staff in the Education Statistics & Measurement in the NSW Department of Education (DoE).
The Census is used in DoE for state and federal planning and accountability. Data contributes to the National School Statistics Collection (NSSC) which is collated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from state and territory student, school and staffing data.
Data from this collection also contributes to reporting requirements under the NSW Education Act 1990 and the National School Reform Agreement 2019 (NSRA) - Federal Financial Relations Act.
Data collected in the Mid-year Census is also provided to the Australian Curriculum Assessment & Reporting Authority (ACARA) for My School and for the National Report on Schooling in Australia; the Productivity Commission for the Report on Government Services which reviews outputs and outcomes against the performance indicators; and reporting data in the National Education Agreement.
This census data is also submitted to the NSW Minister and NSW Parliament in the Annual Report of the Department of Education (DoE).
Relevance
Scope:
The Mid-year Census includes data on NSW Government schools (primary, secondary, central, schools for specific purposes), students (age at 1 July, grades, full time, part time, gender, and Aboriginality).
Standards:
Definitions and outputs use nationally agreed rules and methodology. These are determined by all states and territories and published annually by the ABS in the NSSC Data Collection Manual (DCM) and NSSC Notes, Instructions and Tabulations Manual (NIT).
Timeliness
The national school census date is on the first Friday in August each year. Summary information is provided to the ABS in November.
Information is disseminated to the public between January and May the following year, initially through the ABS website.
Accuracy
The accuracy of the census data is based on school staff review of aggregated data harvested from the enrolment records system (ERN). This is done through an on-line data verification and sign-off system.
The Census is preceded by a validation phase to ensure ERN system data is up to date prior to harvest on census day. Schools re-check and sign off data which is further cleaned and validated through systematic central checking of possible data anomalies.
The ERN system provides safeguards against enrolment duplication.
Coherence
The Mid–year Census data is based on each student’s enrolment at the time of the census. Data is nationally comparable, in that it is collected in accordance with the classifications as stated in the NIT and DCM coordinated each year by the ABS.
Interpretability
The ABS statistical product Schools Australia (previous releases used catalogue number ABS 4221.0) contains detailed Explanatory Notes, methodological information, and a Glossary that provide information on the data sources, counting rules, terminology, classifications and other technical aspects associated with the national collection.
Accessibility
In addition to the Annual Report of the Department of Education, the Department also publishes data tables and fact sheets: https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/statistics.