Data are collected annually through the School census exercise.
This takes place in early October when each school is required to submit a return detailing information about the numbers of pupils on their register.
Among the information collected are details on: year group, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, Special Educational Needs and on newcomer pupils.
Statistics produced from the school census exercise qualify as National Statistics.
Schools fall under various management types:
Controlled schools are managed by the Education Authority through Boards of Governors.
Primary and secondary school Boards of Governors consist of representatives of transferors (mainly the Protestant Churches) along with representatives of parents,
teachers and the Education Authority. Nursery, grammar and special school Boards of Governors consist of representatives of the latter 3 categories.
Within the controlled sector there is a small but growing number of controlled integrated schools.
Voluntary (maintained) schools are managed by Boards of Governors which consist of members nominated by trustees (mainly Roman Catholic),
along with representatives of parents, teachers and the Education Authority.
Voluntary schools vary in the rates of capital grant to which they are entitled, depending on the management structures they have adopted.
A majority are entitled to capital grants at 100%.
Voluntary: (Non-Maintained) schools are mainly voluntary grammar schools, managed by Boards of Governors
which consist of persons appointed as provided in each school's scheme of management along with representatives of parents and teachers and, in most cases,
members appointed by the Department or the Education Authority. Voluntary Grammar Schools are funded directly by the Department.
In recent years a number of grant-maintained integrated schools have been established at primary level and post-primary levels.
Such schools are funded directly by the Department.
The practical operation of all schools has increasingly become a matter for Boards of Governors. They are responsible
for the delivery of the curriculum, admission of pupils, and in the case of schools with delegated budgets, for the management of their own financial affairs,
including staffing matters.
Independent schools do not receive recurrent funding from the Dept Education.