To think DfE won't get very accurate information and wonder what they are up to?

[wasonthelist]

Just had an email from DD's school (primary) to say they need to tell the DfE the Country of Origin of all Children and unless we tell them otherwise by noon tomorrow, they will assume it's UK. AIBU to think this return isn't going to be very accurate? (and to wonder what the hell the DfE thinks it is doing?)

I'd blame the school not the Dfe - the requirement for schools to ask was passed on weeks ago!

Yeah the school is a bit behind on this. Our school sent out letters the first week of term.

I am not "blaming" anyone. Why are the DfE demanding this?

We've all had letters. I don't know anyone who has filled it in and returned it. I certainly didn't.

They shouldn't be assuming it is UK. You have the right to refuse to provide the data and they should record it as refused or not yet collected. This has a bit more info on.

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-must-collect-data-on-immigrant-children-from-autumn/

They want to do some studies to find out how many immigrant children are in the education system and if we are failing them. It's also to correlate UK census data with schools census data as the national census asks for all this information already.

*A DfE spokesperson said: “The department will collect data on pupils’ country of birth, nationality and level of English proficiency through the school census in line with the national population census.

“The information will be used to help the DfE better understand how children with, for example, English as an additional language, perform in terms of broader learning.”*

Hope that helps. There are people shouting about how it's a disgrace but no one ever trusts the DfE these days. Personally I know they can get all this information from the national census so I don't see what the big deal is. I've given it for all my kids.

Just put 'Mars' or something

The government already has access to all this data by the way. Birth certificates at registry offices, data taken at the passport office, information collected by the UK census, information at the DVLA and that's before you consider that the school has already seen your kids birth certificate when they took up their place.

By not filling in the form you aren't doing anything really except making it harder for the DfE to identfy if there are pockets of immigrants with english as a second language being failed by our school system.

How can they get t all from the national census?

FWIW I am not being given a form to fill in, so can't write Mars or refuse (see op). If DD was born elsewhere (as it happens she wasn't) I am suppposed to tell school by noon tommorow. I suspect school may be gaming this as they don't agree with it - I know there are a lot of kids who were not born here as I know them and their parents. I haven't decided what I think about all this, but from press ( thanks for link BTW) DfE is being secretive and vague about what they are doing which makes me suspicious

There is a good chance the school gets additional funding for children born preside the UK. They certainly do for English as a second language.

School census day is Thursday when they'd submit the data so I strongly assume this is it.

You don't have to give this information unless you want to. I'm doing the census for our school and there is a 'Refused' and a 'Not Yet Obtained' option, which they are perfectly free to use. And yes they should not assume, that is very bad practice.

Youngest DC was born in Germany, and we speak Spanish as well as English at home as DP was brought up there and we thought it would be good for the DC to be fluent in another language. God knows what they'll make of us... We all have British passports.