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• Changes from previous year
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• Accessing the Census form
• Site details
  • Completing the Site details page
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• Appendix 1 - Further guidelines - distance education
• Appendix 2 - Further guidelines - attendance
• Appendix 3 - Further guidelines - English as a Second Language (ESL) tuition
• Appendix 4 - Glossary of terms

Relevant period

The relevant period starts on the first day that students are supposed to attend the school in a calendar year.

It ends on the last Friday in February of each year as per the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017, Part 4.

Student free days

A student free day is part of the relevant period. The day should be counted as an absence beyond the control (refer to Full-time students and Part-time students for more information regarding attendance requirements).

School holidays, public holidays and weekends

School holidays, public holidays, and weekends are not part of the relevant period.

Staggered starts

If the school has staggered starts for different years of schooling, provide the first day that a student was supposed to attend the school for the calendar year. For example, if the school starts with Year 7 and Year 12 on 28 January 2025 and then commences other years of schooling throughout the remainder of the week, enter 28 January 2025 as the start date. For any days that some students were not required to attend due to staggered starting dates, count them as absence beyond the control (‘Student free day’).

Staff professional development days

If the school has staff professional development days at the start of the school year where students do not attend the school, enter the first day that a student was supposed to attend the school for the calendar year. For example, if staff have to attend on Thursday, 23 January 2025 and Friday, 24 January 2025 but students start on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, enter 28 January 2025 as the start date.

New school or New site opening close to census day

If a school or school site has commenced operations less than 11 days prior to Census Day, please contact the NSSAB Secretariat for advice on how to proceed, on telephone (07) 3513 6773 or email nssab.admin@qed.qld.gov.au.

Students who have attended a temporary special assistance site from the start of the school year until the opening of a new permanent site, may be able to be counted towards attendance for the permanent site. In this instance, please also contact the NSSAB Secretariat for advice.

A school or site opening after Census Day cannot be included in the Census.

>> Completing the Relevant period page

Last updated 3 February, 2025

On this page

• Relevant period
• Student free days
• School holidays, public holidays and weekend
• Staggered starts
• Staff professional development days
• New school or New site opening close to census day

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