Synergetic have created a new report for the purpose of collating the information necessary to provide to the Australian government for the 2019 Non-Government Schools Census.
The Australian government's website detailing the census, definitions, rules and requirements, entry screens etc is available here: https://ssphelp.education.gov.au/census
How to access and run the report
- In Group/User Security Maintenance > provide permission for the report STUCENS3 (Student Census – Australian Non-Government Schools)
- When running the report, you will be presented with the following selection screen:
- Census Date:
- Set for the official date of the census.
- This is utilised for many of the date fields for inclusion/exclusion, e.g. Entry/Leaving date of students
- The Year part of this date is used for the Students File Year (as per Current Student Maintenance)
- Age at Date
- Specific date used to calculate age of students
- Defaults to 1 July which is currently the date required for ages of students on the August census
- Mode
- Summary (totals only; all sections)
- Ignores selections from the 'If using per-section options'
- Will show all sections of the report with totals only
- Detailed (totals and students; all sections)
- Ignores selections from the 'If using per-section options'
- All sections of the report will include totals as well as a list of the students that make up the figures
- If a section contains no students it will not show at all. For example, if there are no part-time students in year 10, the part-time year 10 section will not appear at all.
- Raw Data (student details; for export to Excel)
- Includes a record for each student in the file year in question, and columns covering the data used to build the census report. The final columns in the export are indicators of whether or not the student in question has been included in the census figures for each category.
- Intended to be exported to Excel - see below for recommended steps to export.
- Use Per-Section Options Below...
- Used in conjunction with 'If using per-section options'
- Allows for different modes for each section, including the ability to hide sections
- Provides ability to focus on a particular section to ensure data is correct
- When used, select from the following options per section
- Summary
- Section in question will show only the total figures
- Detailed
- Section in question will show totals as well as a list of the students that make up the figures
- If the section contains no students it will not show at all. For example, if there are no part-time students in year 10, the part-time year 10 section will not appear at all.
- None
- Section in question will not be shown at all
- Summary
- Summary (totals only; all sections)
Optional Selections
- Campus
- To filter students from that particular campus only
- Sub School
- To filter students from that particular sub school only
- Combine Campuses
- If you have the same year level across multiple campuses (e.g. Campus: North, Year Level: 7 AND Campus: South, Year Level: 7) these campuses will be combined together. Essentially assuming the students are in the same campus.
- Year Level
- To filter students from that particular year level only
- To filter students from that particular year level only
Tips for using the report and resolving discrepancies
Please note: While the report is checking/including a number of areas of Synergetic, not all eligibility criteria as determined by the Australian Government may be accounted for. It is therefore strongly recommended that users consider perform their own verification as desired, to look for students who may have been included (or excluded) due to rarer combinations and scenarios.
Global Census Criteria
All students in the file year in question are included in the census report, even if classified as 'Excluded'.
Any students not meeting all of the following criteria will be classified as 'Excluded'
- Year Level flagged as 'Include in Census'
- Entry Date on or before census date, or blank
- Leaving Date after census date or blank
- External Student flag un-ticked
- Status SynergyMeaning other than EXTERNAL or SHORTSTAY
- Gender of M or F; other values are not currently supported
The following criteria and scenarios are not applied or accounted for
- Students are not excluded based on lack of attendance data in the census reference period
- Exchange students are not excluded on the basis of being at the school for less than six months. If desired, exchange students at the school for less than six months can be excluded from the census by ticking the External Student flag.
- Indigenous Non-Stated is not included
- Genders other than M or F are not currently supported
- Distance Education Students are not identified in Synergetic and as such there is no Distance Education sections on the report
- Home Education students are not identified by Synergetic and as such are not excluded. If desired, Home Education students can be excluded from the census by ticking the External Student flag.
In addition to the above-mentioned global criteria, the following criteria applies to the specific categories within the report
1. Full Time Students
FTE greater than or equal to 1
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
2. Boarders
Boarder SynergyMeaning of BOARDER
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
3. Overseas Students
Full Fee flag ticked
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
4. Students on Visas
A Visa Subclasses record exists
Notes
- Only the top visa subclass record under the top passport record is used for each student
- If visa expiry date is on or prior to the census date, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If Visa Class or Subclass are blank, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If Visa Subclass 'Active' flag is un-ticked, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
5. Indigenous Students
Either TSI or Indigenous flags ticked
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
6. Indigenous Boarding Students
- Either TSI or Indigenous flags ticked
- Boarder SynergyMeaning of BOARDER
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
7. English Second Language
'English 2nd Language' ticked
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
8. Students with Disability (Full Time)
A disability record exists for the student with an expiry date within the calendar year in question or with a blank expiry date
Notes
- Only one disability record is used per-student, prioritised by 'Include in Export' being ticked, then by on-screen sort order
- If FTE is less than 1, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If 'Include in Export' is un-ticked, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If Category does not have a SynergyMeaning of Cognitive, Physical, Sensory or Social, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If Adjustment Level does not have a SynergyMeaning of Differentiated, Extensive, Substantial or Supplementary, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
- If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
9. Part Time Students
FTE less than 1
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
10. All Students
Meet global census criteria
Notes
If global criteria is not met, the student will be classified as 'Excluded'
'Excluded' (formerly 'Not on Census')
Each section includes a column called 'Excluded'. In detailed mode, students identified as 'Excluded' are listed at the end of the detailed list.
These students meet the core criteria to be included in the category in question, but do not meet some other criteria which is required to be included in the census figures. Specific criteria for each category is detailed above.
For example, a student with the Full Fee flag ticked will always be included in the Overseas Students section, however if they do not meet all the global criteria they will be categorised as 'Excluded.
'Excluded' students are included on the report for sanity/reasonableness checking. For example, including expired visas in the Students on Visas section under 'Excluded' may prompt chasing up updated expiry dates or new visas.
Export to Excel
On the Report selection screen, along with any other specific selections you make set the Mode to: Raw Data (student details; for export to Excel)
- Select the View... button
- On the report preview screen, select the Export button
- On the Export window, select
Format: Microsoft Excel 97-2000 - Data only (XLS) Ensure the Data only option is selected for best outcome
Destination: Can select either
- Application
- Will open excel directly with the data
- Disk file
- Will prompt you to save the file to open later
- Application
2. Press the OK button
3. On the Excel Format Options window
Excel Format: Custom
Options:
Column width: Column width based on objects in the: Details
Checkboxes
- Export page header and page footer
- Simplify page headers
4. Press the OK button
Depending on selected destination either Excel will open or a prompt to save the file to a location will appear