Education Counts

Page navigation links

  • Education Counts Logo
  • Skip to Primary Navigation Menu
  • Skip to Secondary Navigation Menu
  • Skip to search
  • Skip to content

Site Search

Site Search

Site navigation menus

  • Know your Region
  • Communities of Learning
  • Find your nearest school
  • Early Learning Services
  • Directories
  • Publications
  • Indicators
  • Statistics
  • Topics
  • Data Services

Search the education counts website

Find pages with

Narrow results by:

School Roll Return Guidelines Data Services

These guidelines are for helping schools complete their school roll returns.

Latest Update: February 2022

Description

These guidelines are for all New Zealand schools including state schools, state-integrated schools and private schools.

Current Roll Return GuidelinesUpdated: Feb-2022

  • 2022 Roll Return Guidelines [PDF 996kB]
  • School Roll Return Data Quality Report Guide [PDF 251kB]

How to send the dataUpdated: Jun-2021

All approved Student Management Systems have an eReturns functionality, meaning you can send the Ministry your electronic roll return file directly from your SMS. Please contact your SMS vendor if you require any further assistance on how to do this.

Alternatively, roll return files can be submitted via the Ministry’s Secure Data Portal – just ensure that you select ‘School Roll Return’ when choosing the file type. The Secure Data Portal must be used by schools without an SMS submitting the Excel template roll return form.

  • Secure Data Portal Instructions [PDF 655kB]

Eligibility to Enrol in New Zealand SchoolsEducation Circular: Nov-2020

This circular is about the eligibility to enrol in New Zealand Schools

  • Circular 2020/08: Eligibility to Enrol in New Zealand Schools [Link]

Auditing of Roll ReturnsEducation Circular: Mar-2013

This circular is about the requirements schools need to take into account when preparing accurate roll returns for resourcing purposes and the documentation schools need to keep in order to provide a clear audit trail.

  • Circular 2013/07: Auditing of Roll Returns [PDF 106kB]
  • Circular 2013/07: Auditing of Roll Returns[Link]

Electronic Attendance RegistersEducation Circular: Dec-2012

This circular sets out the requirements for all schools using, or intending to use, an electronic attendance management system to manage student attendance and create electronic attendance registers.

  • Education Circular 2010/19: Electronic Attendance Registers (eAR)[Link]

Roll Returns 1 March and 1 July Education Circular: Dec-1998

This circular provides principals and Boards of Trustess with guidance in preparing accurate roll returns and in keeping documentionation which will provide a clear audit trail.

  • Circular 1998(48); Roll Returns 1 March and 1 July [PDF 1.7mB]
  • Circular 1998(48); Roll Returns 1 March and 1 July [MS Word 73kB]

Alternative Attendance RegistersEducation Circular: Mar-2003

This circular applies to those schools that have Ministry of Education approval to use an alternative attendance register it sets out the requirements for schools using computers to manage their attendance records and prepare their roll returns.

  • Circular 2003(01); Alternative Attendance Registers [PDF 1.4mB]
  • Circular 2003(01); Alternative Attendance Registers [MS Word 73kB]

Historical Roll Return Guidelines

2021 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2021 Roll Return Guidelines [PDF 994kB]

2020 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2020 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 1.2mB]

2019 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2019 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 2.0mB]

2018 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2018 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 1.3mB]

2017 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2017 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 873kB]

2016 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2016 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 711kB]

2015 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2015 Roll Return Guidelines[PDF 872kB]

2014 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2014 Roll Return Guidelines: All Schools[MS Word 872kB]

2013 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2013 Roll Return Guidelines: All Schools[MS Word 696kB]

2012 School Roll Return Guidelines

  • 2012 Roll Return Guidelines: All Schools[MS Word 1.0mB]

2011 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2011 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 515kB]
  • 2011 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 867kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2011 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 657kB]
  • 2011 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[MS Word 1.1mB]

2010 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2010 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 403kB]
  • 2010 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 855kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2010 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 484kB]
  • 2010 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools [MS Word 1.1mB]

2009 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 316kB]
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 729kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 365kB]
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools [MS Word 1.0mB]

2008 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2008 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 656kB]
  • 2008 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 736kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2008 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 656kB]
  • 2008 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[MS Word 993kB]

2007 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2007 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 565kB]
  • 2007 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 661kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 768kB]
  • 2007 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[MS Word 3.1mB]

2006 School Roll Return Guidelines

Primary and Intermediate Schools
  • 2006 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[PDF 571kB]
  • 2006 Roll Return Guidelines: Primary and Intermediate Schools[MS Word 633kB]
Secondary, Composite and Special Schools
  • 2006 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[PDF 768kB]
  • 2009 Roll Return Guidelines: Secondary, Composite and Special Schools[MS Word 898kB]

Navigation

  • Guidelines
  • School Roll Return Guidelines

Related pages

  • School Roll Return Forms
  • Code Sets & Classifications

Contact Us

Information Queries
For all queries related to the reporting, publication and use of data please email the:
Information  Mailbox

Home Close Menu
  • Know your Region Show submenu
  • Communities of Learning Show submenu
  • Find your nearest school Show submenu
  • Early Learning Services Show submenu
  • Directories Show submenu
  • Publications Show submenu
    • Early Childhood EducationShow submenu
      • Responding to diverse cultures: Good practice in home-based early childhood servicesShow submenu
    • MāoriShow submenu
    • SchoolingShow submenu
    • PacificShow submenu
    • Tertiary EducationShow submenu
    • Learning SupportShow submenu
      • Learning Support Coordinators Evaluation: Phase 2Show submenu
    • InternationalShow submenu
    • Publication SeriesShow submenu
  • Indicators Show submenu
  • Statistics Show submenu
    • Annual Monitoring Reading RecoveryShow submenu
    • Attainment of 18-year-oldsShow submenu
    • AttendanceShow submenu
    • Attendance under COVID-19Show submenu
    • Beyond StudyShow submenu
    • Early Learning ParticipationShow submenu
    • ECE FinancesShow submenu
    • ECE ServicesShow submenu
    • ECE StaffingShow submenu
    • Early Leaving ExemptionsShow submenu
    • Entering & leaving teachingShow submenu
    • Fees Free tertiary educationShow submenu
    • Financial Support for Tertiary StudentsShow submenu
    • Funding to SchoolsShow submenu
    • HomeschoolingShow submenu
    • Initial Teacher Education StatisticsShow submenu
    • International students in NZShow submenu
    • Language use in ECEShow submenu
    • Literacy & NumeracyShow submenu
    • Māori Language in SchoolingShow submenu
    • NZ's Workplace-based LearnersShow submenu
    • Number of SchoolsShow submenu
    • Ongoing Resourcing SchemeShow submenu
    • Pacific Language in SchoolingShow submenu
    • Per Student Funding for SchoolsShow submenu
    • Post-compulsory education & trainingShow submenu
    • School BoardsShow submenu
    • School Board RepresentationShow submenu
    • School Leaver DestinationsShow submenu
    • School Leaver's AttainmentShow submenu
    • School RollsShow submenu
    • School Subject EnrolmentShow submenu
    • Stand-downs, suspensions, exclusions & expulsionsShow submenu
    • Teacher NumbersShow submenu
      • 2020Show submenu
    • Teacher TurnoverShow submenu
    • Tertiary Financial PerformanceShow submenu
    • Tertiary ParticipationShow submenu
    • Tertiary Population DataShow submenu
    • Tertiary ResearchShow submenu
    • Tertiary ResourcingShow submenu
    • Tertiary Achievement & AttainmentShow submenu
    • Tertiary Summary TablesShow submenu
    • Total public expenditure on educationShow submenu
    • Transient StudentsShow submenu
    • Vocational Education & TrainingShow submenu
  • Topics Show submenu
  • Data Services Show submenu

Site information

  • Site map
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • About this site
  • Glossary
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright, Legal & Privacy
  • Links
  • © Education Counts 2022
  • Ministry of Education logo.
  • New Zealand Government logo.
Scroll to top of page