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Census Readiness

The NCCD census falls on the first Friday of August each year. Schools that prepare well treat census day as a formality rather than a crisis.

The Census Period​

The NCCD review period runs from the previous August to the current census date — roughly 12 months. Evidence collected outside this window still has value for context, but the census submission covers this specific period.

Term-by-Term Preparation​

Term 1 (February–April)​

  • Audit your student list. Ensure all students receiving adjustments are enrolled in Junipa with the correct disability category and adjustment level.
  • Assign case managers. Every tracked student should have a named case manager responsible for coordinating evidence.
  • Check for leavers. Students who have left should be marked appropriately — they may still count for census if they received adjustments during the period.

Term 2 (April–June)​

  • Mid-year evidence review. Run the audit report for each student and check for gaps. Are there students with fewer than five entries? Are any categories underrepresented?
  • Adjustment level review. Has any student's level of need changed? Update their adjustment level in Junipa if so.
  • Specialist reports. Chase any outstanding specialist assessments and attach them to the relevant student profiles.

Term 3 (July–August, Census)​

  • Pre-census audit. In the first week of Term 3, run a full audit report. This gives you four weeks to address any gaps before census day.
  • Final evidence push. Ensure every tracked student has recent, quality evidence entries.
  • Generate census numbers. Use the NCCD overview dashboard to review your final counts by category and level.
  • Submit. On census day, your numbers should already be confirmed. No surprises.

Term 4 (October–December)​

  • Continue collecting. The next census period has already started. Evidence collected in Term 4 counts towards the following year's census.
  • Onboard new students. Any new enrolments receiving adjustments should be added to Junipa promptly.

Common Census Pitfalls​

PitfallPrevention
Students missing disability categoriesRun the audit report monthly — it flags incomplete profiles
Evidence gaps in the last two monthsSet calendar reminders for case managers in June and July
Incorrect adjustment levelsReview levels at the start of each term
Forgetting students who transferred outCheck the unenrolled students list before census
Only one evidence type per studentAim for a mix of consultation, teaching, and specialist evidence

Organisation-Level Census Preparation​

If your school is connected to an organisation portal, the organisation admin can:

  • View aggregated census numbers across all campuses
  • Identify schools with lower evidence density
  • Run cross-campus comparison reports
  • Generate organisation-level summaries for board reporting

See multi-campus governance for more on coordinating across campuses.

tip

The best census preparation is not a last-minute push — it is a consistent year-round practice. If your evidence collection rhythm is solid, census readiness takes care of itself.