National Pupil Database (NPD)

Measures describe a question asked to a participant during a survey or an item of information requested from a manager when they fill out a data return. For example, ‘Who do you live with?’ is a measure and the possible responses might be, mother, father, brother, sister etc.

Question/Data item wording	Response scale wording	Need OR provision OR receipt	Description of measure	Start Year	Age of interest	Age to	Informant	Multiple rater	Reporting term	Sweep title	Standard instrument	Dataset
Start date of child’s period of care. Relates to most recent period of continuous care.	Date	Receipt;	Start date of child's care	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children looked after	No	NPD
Has the child ever been in care while at this school.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child in care while at particular school	2003	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	School Census Pupil Level	No	NPD
Has the child ever been in care while at this school.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child in care while at particular school	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Absence	No	NPD
KS2 Identifies children who have ever been adopted from care	N -Not declared A -Ceased to be looked after through adoption G -Ceased to be looked after through a special guardianship order (SGO) R -Ceased to be looked after through a residence order (RO) C -Ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order (CAO)	Receipt;	KS2 child adopted from care	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Has the pupil ever been in care at this school?	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	KS2 child in care while at particular school	2006	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS3 Has the pupil ever been in care at this school?	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	KS3 child in care while at particular school	2006	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 3	No	NPD
KS4 Identifies children who have ever been adopted from care	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	KS4 child adopted from care	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
PRU Code of the ‘originating’ authority, where the child was originally placed in public care and which looks after the child for the purposes of the Children Act 1989.	Code of the ‘originating’ authority	Receipt;	PRU code from originating authority.	2009	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Census	No	NPD
PRU Has the child ever been in care while at this school.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child in care while at PRU	2009	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Census	No	NPD
KS2 The pupil is either been eligible for free school meals at some point on the last 6 years or has been looked after continuously for 6 months during the year and aged 4 – 15.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child free schools meals last 6 years	2012	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 years	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 The pupil is either eligible for free school meals or has been eligible for free school meals at some point in the last 6 years or has been looked after continuously for 6 months during the year + aged 5-15	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child free schools meals	2011	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 years	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil ever eligible for free school meals or has been looked after for a day or more or has been adopted from care	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child free schools meals looked after 1 day or more	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Indicates whether the pupil was ceased to be looked after through adoption, a guardianship order, child arrangement order or residence order	N -Not declared A -Ceased to be looked after through adoption G -Ceased to be looked after through a special guardianship order (SGO) R -Ceased to be looked after through a residence order (RO) C -Ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order (CAO)	Receipt;	KS2 child ceased to be looked after	2016	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS4 Pupil looked after continuously for last 12 months up to 31 March i.e. since 1 April	1 = True 0 = False Null = child not looked after at 31 March	Receipt;	KS4 child continuously looked after last year	2011	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 Pupil looked after continuously for last 6 months i.e. since 1 Octobe	1 = True 0 = False Null = child not looked after at 31 March	Receipt;	KS4 child continuously looked after last 6 months	2011	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 months	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 Pupil looked after for 1 day or more during the year ending 31 March and aged 4 – 15	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS4 child looked after 1 day or more	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 Pupil looked after continuously for 6 months during the year and aged 4 – 15	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS4 child continuously looked after last 6 months (4-15 yrs)	2010	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 The pupil is either eligible for free school meals or has been looked after continuously for 6 months during the year and aged 5 – 15.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS4 child free school meals/looked after	2010	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 months	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 The pupil has either been eligible for free school meals on Census day at some point in the last 6 years or has been looked after continuously for 6 months during the year or has been adopted from care (from 2015/16) and aged 4 – 15 (5 – 15 up to 2011/12)	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS4 child free school meals/looked after for 6 months	2011	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 years	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 Pupil ever eligible for free school meals or has been looked after for a day or more or has been adopted from care and aged 5-15	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS4 child free school meals/looked after one day or more	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS4 Looked after at census.	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	KS4 child looked after	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
KS5 Pupil identified as disadvantaged at end of KS4 studies, ie pupil was eligible for FSM at any time during the previous 6 years or was a child looked after continuously for 6 months during their final year of KS4 study.	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	KS5 young person disadvantaged/looked after	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 years	Key Stage 4	No	NPD
Post looked after arrangements – indicates whether the pupil was ceased to be looked after through adoption, a guardianship order, child arrangement order or residence order	N = Not declared A = Ever ceased to be looked after through adoption G = Ever ceased to be looked after through a special guardianship order (SGO) R = Ever ceased to be looked after through a residence order (RO) C = Ever ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order (CAO)	Receipt;	Post looked after arrangements	2017	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Exclusions 2005-06 onwards	No	NPD
This is the date that the care episode finished or closed	Date	Receipt;	Date care episode finished	2008	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children in need	No	NPD
The date the episode of care started. Relating to most recent episode during processing year.	Date	Receipt;	Date care episode started	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil looked after continuously for 6 months during the year and aged 4 – 15.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child looked after continuously for 6 months (4-15 yrs)	2012	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil looked after for 1 day or more during the year ending 31 March and aged 4 – 15	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child looked after 1 day or more	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil looked after continuously for 6 months during the year and aged 5 – 15.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	KS2 child looked after continuously for 6 months (5-15yrs)	2010	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 months	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil looked after continuously for last 6 months i.e. since 1 October	1 = True 0 = False Null = child not looked after at 31 March	Receipt;	KS2 child looked after continuously for 6 months	2010	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 months	Key Stage 2	No	NPD
Child’s category of need – main reason child became looked after. Based on need at start of period of care.	N1=Abuse or neglect N2=Child’s Disability N3=Parental illness or disability N4=Family in acute stress N5=Family dysfunction N6=Socially Unacceptable Behaviour N7=Low income N8=Absent Parenting	Need;	Reason child in care	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children looked after	No	NPD
Child in Need Primary Need Code – The main need which the episode is taking care of.	N1 = Abuse or neglect N2 = Child’s disability/illness N3 = Parental Disability/illness N4 = Family in acute stress N5 = Family dysfunction N6 = Socially unacceptable N7 = Low income N8 = Absent parenting N9 = Cases other than Children in Need N0 = Not stated	Need;	Main need of child in care	2008	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children in need	No	NPD
Indicates whether the pupil was ever ceased to be looked after through adoption, a guardianship order or residence order	N = Not declared A = Ever ceased to be looked after through adoption G = Ever ceased to be looked after through a special guardianship order (SGO) R = Ever ceased to be looked after through a residence order (RO) C = Ever ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order (CAO)	Receipt;	Child ceased to be looked after	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	School Census Pupil Level	No	NPD
Indicates those children on roll on census day who were looked after immediately before adoption or prior to being subject of a residence or special guardianship order	N = Not declared A = Ceased to be looked after through adoption G = Ceased to be looked after through a special guardianship order (SGO) R = Ceased to be looked after through a residence order (RO) C = Ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order(CAO)	Receipt;	Child looked after before adoption or prior to being subject to order	2014	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Alternative Provision Census	No	NPD
Indicates whether the pupil was ceased to be looked after through adoption, a guardianship order or residence order	N = Not declared A = Ceased to be looked after through adoption G = Ceased to be looked after through special guardianship R = Ceased to be looked after through a residence order C = Ceased to be looked after through a child arrangement order	Receipt;	Child ceased to be looked after	2016	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Alternative Provision Census	No	NPD
Used to indicate if a looked after child is adopted	0 = false 1 = true	Receipt;	Is looked after child adopted	2008	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children in need	No	NPD
Child is looked after for at least 1 day during the year and aged 4-15 as at 31 August. Excludes children looked after under an agreed series of short placements and also those who were on remand/committed for trial or sentence and accommodated by the local authority.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child looked after 1 or more days in year	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
Child looked after continuously for 6 months (>=183 days) during the year and aged 4-15. Excluding children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child looked after for 6+ months	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
Is the child within the OC3 cohort? i.e. looked after on 1st April 20xx and aged 16. Excluding children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Looked after child in OC3 cohort	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children looked after	No	NPD
Reason why placement changes for children whose placements end after 1 April 2015, but they remain looked after (collected at end of episode)	CARPL = Change to/Implementation of Care Plan CLOSE = Resignation/closure of provision ALLEG = Allegation (s47) STAND = Standards of Care concern APPRR = Approval removed CREQB = Carer requests placement end due to child’s behaviour CREQO = Carer requests placement end other than due to child’s behaviour CHILD = Child requests placement end LAREQ = Responsible/Area authority requests placement end PLACE = Change in the status of a placement only CUSTOD = Custody arrangement OTHER = Other	Receipt;	Reason care placement changes	2011	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Children looked after	No	NPD
If the child is looked after on 31 March – has the child been looked after continuously for the last 12 months, i.e. since at least 1 April?	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child looked after continuously for 12 months	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
Is child looked after at 31 March in the current processing year?	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child looked after in current processing year	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
If the child is looked after on 31 March – has the child been looked after continuously for the last 6 months, i.e. since at least 1 October?	1 = True 0 = False	Receipt;	Child looked after continuously for 6 months	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past 6 months	Children looked after	No	NPD
The date the episode of care ended. If date is beyond the 31 March in the processing year then the child is looked after at 31 March.	Date	Receipt;	Date episode of care ended	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
Legal Status of looked after child’s most recent episode during processing year.	C1 = Interim care order C2 = Full care order D1 = Freeing order granted E1 = Placement order granted V2 = Single period of accommodation under section 20 V3 = Accommodated under an agreed series of short-term breaks, when individual episodes of care are recorded V4 = Accommodated under an agreed series of short-term breaks, when agreements are recorded (i.e. NOT individual episodes of care) L1 = Under police protection and in local authority accommodation L2 = Emergency protection order L3 = Under child assessment order and in local authority accommodation J1 = On remand, or committed for trial or sentence, and accommodated by Local Authority J2 = Detained in Local Authority accommodation under PACE J3 = Sentenced to CYPA 1969 Supervision Order with residence requirement	Receipt;	Legal status of looked after child	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
Length of period of care in months. If child looked after at 31 March in processing year, length based on end of that financial year.	Length of time in months	Receipt;	Length of time in care	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
The reason why the episode of care ended. Relating to most recent episode during processing year. If reason episode ceased is equal to -10 then the child is looked after at 31 March.	E11 = Adopted – Application unopposed E12 = Adopted – consent dispensed with by court E13 – Left care to live with parents, relatives, or other person with no parental responsibility E14 – Accommodation on remand ended E15 – Age assessment determined child is aged 18 or over and E5, E6 and E7 do not apply eg an unaccompanied asylum seeking child whose age has been disputed E16 – Moved abroad E2 = Died E3 = Care taken over by another LA E4 = Returned home to live with parents or relatives or other person with parental responsibility (up to 2014) E4A = Return home to live with parents, relatives, or other person with parental responsibility as part of the care planning process (not under a special guardianship order or residence order or (from 22 April 2014) a child arrangements order) E4B = Return home to live with parents, relatives, or other person with parental responsibility which was not part of the current care planning process (not under a special guardianship order or residence order or (from 22 April 2014) a child arrangements order) E41 = Residence order granted E43 = Special guardianship made to former foster carers (up to 2018) E44 = Special guardianship made to carers other than foster carers (up to 2018) E45 Special guardianship order made to former foster carer(s), who was/are a relative(s) or friend(s) (from 2019) E46 Special guardianship order made to former foster carer(s), other than relative(s) or friend(s) (from 2019) E47 Special guardianship order made to carer(s), other than former foster carer(s), who was/are a relative(s) or friend(s)(from 2019) E48 Special guardianship order made to carer(s), other than former foster carer(s), other than relative(s) or friend(s) (from 2019 E5 = Moved into independent living arrangement and no longer looked after: supportive accommodation providing formalised advice/support arrangements (such aslike most hostels, YMCAs, foyers, and care leavers projects) E6 = Moved into independent living arrangement and no longer looked after : accommodation providing no formalised advice/support arrangements (such aslike a bedsit, own flat, living with friends) E7 = Transferred to residential care funded by adult social services E8 = Period of being looked after ceased for any other reason E9 = Sentenced to custody X1 = Episode ceases, and new episode begins on same day, for any other reason -10 = Child looked after at 31 March	Receipt;	Reason episode of care ended	2005	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Children looked after	No	NPD
The basis on which a 2 year old has been funded for an early education place. LAA = Looked after or adopted from care	LAA or blank	Receipt;	Basis 2 year old funded for early education	2013	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	Early years census	No	NPD
Indicates whether a 2 year old is funded on looked after or adopted basis	0 = No 1 = Yes	Receipt;	2 year old looked after or adopted	2017	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Current	School Census Pupil Level	No	NPD
KS2 Pupil looked after continuously for last 12 months up to 31 March i.e. since 1 April	1 = True 0 = False Null = child not looked after at 31 March	Receipt;	KS2 child looked after continuously for 12 months	2010	0-16	16	Education professional	No	Past year	Key Stage 2	No	NPD

England

Aims

The National Pupil Database collects data on children and young people aged 2-21 in state funded education and higher education. Data are matched using pupil names, dates of birth and other personal and school characteristics, including special educational needs, disability, and indicators for free school meals, a child in care, and families in the armed forces. Schools use Management Information Systems to collect and analyse pupil-level information at local level. Data from these systems are used to complete the termly school census returns provided to Local Authorities (regional) or directly to the Department for Education (national) three times a year. The database is used to assess school funding and performance and supports policy making as well as further research.

Institution

Department for Education

Geographic coverage - Nations

England;

Start date

2004

Minimum age at recruitment

Sample Size

21,000,000

Sample

Study design

Data return

Sample details

Roughly 21 million individual named pupil records and wider data on children and young people aged 2-21 in state funded education and higher education. The National Pupil Database contains identifiers, fixed pupil characteristics, time-varying pupil characteristics, key stage test results and other attainment data as well as school-type characteristics.

Sex

All

Sample Characteristics

Children and young people

Sample size at most recent sweep

Varied

Individual data available (e.g. upon special request)?

Yes

Data Access Level

Mixed - open source and restricted access (on application)

Data Access

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-department-for-education-dfe-personal-data

Regional variable present?

Yes

Local Authority variable present?

Yes

Complementary Data

Genetic Data Collected

Linked Data

HDR UK Innovation Gateway

Website

find-npd-data.education.gov.uk

Notes

Related Measures

Study Code

NPD

Reference paper(s)

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/national-pupil-projections

Funders

Department for Education

Catalogue of Social Care Data

UNITING SOCIAL CARE DATA