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Revised: 11 June 2021 Page | 1
2021 Special Circumstances Handbook The Department of Education, Skills and Employment invites schools to submit Special Circumstances
Applications alongside the Non-Government Schools Census (the Census).
Where students did not attend during the Census Reference Period, but otherwise meet Census eligibility
requirements, they may still qualify due to their special circumstances. Schools may apply to have these
students individually considered for inclusion in the Census through a Special Circumstances Application.
More information about the Census is available on SchoolsHUB.
Due date
Applications must be emailed to [email protected] by Friday, 20 August 2021.
Finding the application form
The Special Circumstances Application is available to download on the Census Help and Support page on
SchoolsHUB.
Who should read this guide? This handbook is for schools and approved authorities who are completing a Special Circumstances
Application for the 2021 Non-Government Schools Census. This handbook will help you:
• complete the application
• understand the type of supporting documentation to include with your application
• submit your application.
Before you start Before making the application, check page 7 of the Census Requirements for the eligibility criteria for
reporting students in the Census. These are that the student:
• is enrolled at the school on Census Day (Friday, 6 August 2021)
• is enrolled in a year level the school is approved to provide at that location
• has a pattern of regular attendance at the school, or at school generally, during the year
• attends the school for at least one day during the Census Reference Period.
If the student meets all criteria, you do not need to complete a Special Circumstances Application. You
must instead report these students in the 2021 Census.
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Contents
2021 Special Circumstances Handbook ............................................................................................................. 1
Due date ........................................................................................................................................................ 1
Finding the application form ......................................................................................................................... 1
New to Special Circumstances 2021 .................................................................................................................. 3
Legal obligations ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Recordkeeping and Census Post Enumeration .............................................................................................. 3
Privacy Notice ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Which students should I include in my application? ......................................................................................... 4
Census Reference Period ............................................................................................................................... 4
Who to include in your application ............................................................................................................... 4
Who not to include in your application ......................................................................................................... 4
What happens if I make an application for an ineligible student? ................................................................ 4
Completing the application ............................................................................................................................... 5
Getting Started .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Contact Details .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Location AGEID lookup .................................................................................................................................. 5
Completing the application ............................................................................................................................... 6
Location AGEID .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Application details ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Student characteristics .................................................................................................................................. 9
Format checking .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Supporting documents and assessment.......................................................................................................... 11
Assessment overview .................................................................................................................................. 11
Suggestions on what to include in your application ................................................................................... 11
What not to include in your application ...................................................................................................... 12
Outcome and appeal process .......................................................................................................................... 13
For more information ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Version Date Revision
1.00 11 June 2021 2021 Special Circumstances Handbook published.
Revised: 11 June 2021 Page | 3
New to Special Circumstances 2021 Minor changes have been made to the application form and this handbook to provide greater clarity based
on feedback and frequently asked questions. These include:
• Updated wording in various sections of this handbook and the application form.
• Changed column 17 from “Boarding student?” to “Education Type” to align with the Census.
• Application form will now highlight cells which cause formatting errors to occur.
• Increased length of the application to 50 rows.
No changes have been made to the application eligibility requirements or assessment process for 2021.
Legal obligations
Providing false or misleading Census information to the Commonwealth is a serious offence and may result
in prosecution under Section 137.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
The basis for which the department assesses Special Circumstances Applications is section 9B of the
Australian Education Regulation 2013 (the Regulation).
Recordkeeping and Census Post Enumeration
Your approved authority must maintain records verifying the eligibility of all students reported in the
Census and approved through a Special Circumstances Application for a minimum of seven years. This is a
requirement under section 37 of the Regulation.
The Census Post Enumeration is a follow-up exercise to validate whether Census information provided by
schools is accurate, complete, and reliable. It forms part of the department’s Schools Funding Assurance
Framework.
The department visits a sample of non-government schools each year and verifies the accuracy of their
Census information by assessing their enrolment records. Based on these assessments, adjustments to
census information and funding are made, where applicable.
Participation for schools selected in the Census Post Enumeration is a requirement under the Regulation.
Privacy Notice
As you may be providing the department with personal information, you must provide parents or guardians
with a copy of the department’s privacy notice. The privacy notice provides information on how we will
handle the personal information collected in Special Circumstances Applications.
The department uses information collected in Special Circumstances Applications under our privacy policy.
We collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information for a lawful purpose that is reasonably necessary
or directly related to one or more of our functions or activities or where otherwise required or authorised
by law.
We will only use your personal information for secondary purposes where we are able to do so in
accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.
For queries or more information about privacy-related matters, please email [email protected].
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Which students should I include in my application?
Who to include in your application
You may submit applications for students who:
• are enrolled at the school location on Census Day (6 August 2021)
• are enrolled in a year level the school is approved to provide at that location
• have a regular pattern of attendance at the school location, or at school generally, during the year
or where steps were taken by the school to engage the student in the relevant level of education
• did not attend school for at least one day during the Census Reference Period.
See the supporting documentation and assessment section for how we determine a student as eligible.
Census Reference Period
The Census Reference Period for students is the 20 school days leading up to and including Census Day,
Friday, 6 August 2021.
School holidays, public holidays, and weekends are not part of the 20-day Census Reference Period. Pupil
free days within the Reference Period do count towards these 20 days.
If a student attends school during the Census Reference Period, they may be eligible to be reported in the
Census. See the Census Requirements for more information.
Who not to include in your application
Special Circumstances Applications are for students who did not attend school in the Census Reference
Period but are otherwise eligible for Census. Students not eligible for Census due to other criteria should
not be included in your application. This includes students who:
• are enrolled, but did not attend in the year leading up and including Census Day
• last attended the school location before Census Day and will not be returning until 2022 or later
• unenrolled or ceased attending the school location before Census Day
• are not eligible to enrol at a school location based on the relevant state and territory requirements
• did not study school subjects (from foundation (Year 1 minus 1) to year 12) in 2021
• either do not have a visa or are prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of a visa
• are on a visitor’s visa and in Australia for less than six months
• are on exchange and at the school location for a period shorter than six months
• are on exchange and have completed their formal schooling in their own country
• do not study any normal school subjects and only participate in apprenticeships, English as a
second language courses, TAFE courses, tertiary subjects, work placements, or a combination of
such activities.
What happens if I make an application for an ineligible student?
The department reviews each student as a separate application, with each student receiving their own
outcome. If one student is not accepted, this will not affect the outcome of any other students.
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Completing the application The Special Circumstances Application is multi-page Excel document that is available to download through
SchoolsHUB. The application form has five pages:
• getting started
• contact details
• location AGEID lookup
• Special Circumstances Form
• help and support
Getting Started
The first page of the application provides some basic instructions and useful links. You are not required to
enter any information onto this page.
Contact Details
Here you will enter the contact details for the most appropriate person the department may contact
regarding details within the application. Please include a:
• name
• phone number
• position title (optional)
Location AGEID lookup
You must use the AGEID of your location in your Special Circumstances Application. If you know your school
AGEID but not that of your location, use the Location AGEID Lookup page.
Entering your school’s AGIED will show up to 19 of your school's locations. If you have more than 19
locations, or you cannot find your AGEID, contact us for further assistance.
You do not need to enter anything into this page to submit your application. Once you’ve found your
location, proceed to the Special Circumstances Form page.
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Completing the application The Special Circumstances Form page is where you will complete your application. The page has two
sections, application details and student characteristics, which make up 22 columns. You must complete
each column.
Location AGEID
Enter your location’s AGEID number into this field. If the location has a match, the location name will show
up with a green tick on the right of the screen.
If your location does not match, you will get a this is not a valid AGEID message and a red cross. You cannot
submit the application if you do not get a match. Use the Location AGEID Lookup page to find your location,
or contact us for further assistance.
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Application details
The department uses the information in the Application Details sections to assess your application. You will
include information about the student’s absence, enrolment, and attendance throughout the year.
1. Privacy information
As you may potentially include personal information in your application, you must provide parents or
guardians with a copy of the department’s privacy notice. The notice will provide information about why
this data is collected and for what purpose it may be used.
You must answer “Y” (yes). The department will not be able to accept your application if you do not provide
privacy information to parents and guardians.
2. Student identifier
Each student in your application must have a unique identifier.
You do not need to provide the department with the names of any students. We strongly recommend
deidentifying any names, contact information, and addresses in your supporting documents before
submission. The identifier does not need to be an official student ID either (such as USI).
If you have multiple students in your application, please title or mark each document with the
corresponding student’s identifier. This ensures we can link each document with the student’s application.
3. Confirm the student is enrolled on Census Day; 6 August 2021
If a student is not enrolled, they are not eligible to be included the Special Circumstances Application or the
Census. In column 3 you confirm the student is enrolled at the school on Census Day (Friday, 6 August
2021).
You must answer “Y” (yes).
4. Date the student first attended school in 2021
Column 4 is the date the student first attended school this year. This date must be in 2021 and before
Census Day.
You must answer in a DD-MMM-YYYY format (for example, “28-Jan-2021”).
5. Date the student last attended school in 2021
Column 5 is the date the student last attended school prior to Census Day. This date must be before the
start of the Census reference period and after the date you provide in column 4.
You must answer in a DD-MMM-YYYY format (for example, “28-Apr-2021”).
6. Number of days the student was absent for between first and last attending
Column 6 records the number of school days the student was absent between the dates in columns 4 and
5. This does not include school holidays, public holidays, days absent prior to first attending school in 2021,
or days absent since last attending.
7. Date the student is expected to return to school in 2021
Column 7 records the first day the student is expected to attend school following their current period of
absence. This date must be after Census Day.
You must answer in a DD-MMM-YYYY format (for example, “17-Aug-2021”).
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8. Confirm you have supporting documents to include with your application
Supporting documents are required to corroborate the dates of attendance, expected return date, show
engagement between the school and student, and explain any prolonged absences.
When submitting your application, you must attach any documents to the same email. If you have multiple
students in your application, please ensure that the student’s identifier is clearly marked on the
documentation and in the file name.
You must answer “Y” (yes). We will not approve an application without any supporting documentation.
9. Is the student expected to attend another school during their absence?
This is for students that are attending another school registered for recurrent funding in Australia. Check
with the department if you are unsure whether a school is registered.
If a student regularly attends both schools, their combined Full Time Equivalent workload (FTE) must not
exceed 1.0 (Column 15).
Answer must be “Y” (yes) or “N” (no).
10. Confirm the “away school” did not report the student or that the combined FTE does not
exceed 1.0
If answering yes in column 9, you must provide documents about the student’s attendance at the other
school. These documents must clarify if the other school reported the student in the Census.
For students temporarily attending another school during the Reference Period
The student cannot be reported at both locations if the student is only temporarily attending. We expect
the schools to decide who reports the student. You must then provide documentation from the “away
school” confirming the student was not reported in their Census.
For students regularly attending multiple schools throughout the year
If a student regularly attends multiple schools throughout the year and is only attending the other school
during their absence over the Reference Period, you may include the student in your application. Your
supporting documents must confirm at what FTE the other school reported the student. This combined FTE
must not exceed 1.0.
The department will check Census information from both schools and may seek further confirmation.
If you answer no in column 9, enter “N/A”.
11. Confirm the student has been excluded from the 2021 Census
All students in your application must be excluded from the school’s Census. The department will not accept
an application or the school’s Census return if a student has not been excluded.
You must answer “Y” (yes). The department will not approve an application without this confirmation.
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Student characteristics
The student characteristics fields are also mandatory; however, they will not have an impact in assessing
the application. We require this information so we can add any approved students to your school location’s
Census return. More information about these characteristics is available in the 2021 Census Requirements.
12. Gender
This is the gender of which the student identifies with and is recognised within the community as.
Answer must be “M” (male), “F” (female), or “X” (Indeterminate / Intersex / Unspecified).
13. Age
This is the age of the student as on 1 July 2021.
This must be a whole number including only the year (e.g. “12”)
14. Year Level
The student’s year level at the school location. If a student is in foundation (the year level prior to Year 1),
enter “0”.
This must be a whole number between 0 and 12.
15. Workload
This measures the student’s full-time equivalent workload (FTE). Students attending school on a full-time
basis have an FTE of 1.0. Part time students have an FTE less than 1.0 which represents their regular weekly
workload (for example, a student attending four days a week has a 0.8 FTE).
This must be a number to one decimal place between “0.1” and “1.0”.
16. Indigenous
The Indigenous field is where you report students of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who self-
identify as and are acknowledged by the community in which they live as being of that descent.
Where parents have chosen not to identify a student as being Indigenous or non-Indigenous, you must
report the student as Indigenous non-stated.
Answer must be “Y” (yes), “N” (no), or “N/S” (non-stated)
17. Education Type
Education type is where you specify whether a student is either a Distance Education (DE), Boarding, or a
Day (D) student. See the Education Type section in the Census Requirements for more information.
Answer must be “D” (day), “B” (boarding), or “DE” (distance education).
18. NCCD student with disability level of adjustment
If the student has a disability, this measures the level of adjustment the school has made to address the
functional impact of the student’s disability. For more information on reporting students with disability,
please refer to the NCCD Guidelines.
Answer must be “QDTP”, “Supplementary”, “Substantial”, “Extensive”, or “None”. You may type out your
answer or select an option from the drop down list.
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19. NCCD student with disability categories
The category of disability is the main driver or focus of the adjustments being provided for the student to
support their learning. If you answered “None” in column 18, you must also answer “None” here. For more
information on reporting students with disability, please refer to the NCCD Guidelines.
Answer must be “Cognitive”, “Physical”, “Sensory”, “Social-Emotional”, or “None”. You may type out your
answer or select an option from the drop down list.
20. Student on visa
Any student not an Australian citizen is a student on visa. This includes both permanent residents and New
Zealand citizens.
Answer must be either “Y” (yes) or “N” (no).
21. Visa subclass
Visa subclass records the subclass number of a student’s visa in effect on Census Day.
Answer must be a whole number (for example “800”) if the student is on a visa. Answer “N/A” (not
applicable) if the student is an Australian citizen.
22. Overseas student
Overseas students are students who are on a visa that permits them to travel to Australia for the purpose
of undertaking education. All overseas students are students on visas. See the students on visa and
overseas student section of the Census Requirements for more information.
Answer must be “Y” (yes) or “N” (no). If the answer is “Y”, the Student on Visa field must also be “Y”
Format checking
In the final column of the spreadsheet, a red cross () appears once you begin entering data. This will turn
to a green tick () after you complete all columns in the required format.
If you have completed all columns and still have a red cross, double check your answers against the above
requirements. The column causing the formatting issue for any row will be highlighted in red. If there is still
a red cross and you have confirmed the above requirements are correct, please contact the department.
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Supporting documents and assessment One of the most important parts of each application is assembling the supporting documents. Supporting
documents are how you will demonstrate that it is appropriate for a student to be added to the school’s
Census.
As each student’s situation is different, there is no one answer to “what documents do I need?” The
following information will assist you in understanding what supporting evidence we are looking for.
Assessment overview
The supporting documents have two purposes.
The first purpose is to corroborate details in the application form. At minimum, each application should
include documents confirming the:
• student is enrolled at the school on Census Day and has been engaged in education in 2021
• date the student last attended school
• date the student is expected to return to school.
These do not necessarily need to be separate documents. For example, an authorised leave form clearly
showing dates of absence may satisfy all three criteria.
The second purpose is to assist the department in assessing whether special circumstances apply to that
student. In assessing each application, we must consider the following:
• the periods and pattern of attendance by the student at the school, or at school generally, during
the year
• whether the student is or will be included in the Census Day enrolment of another school for the
year
• for any period of non-attendance by the student – the steps taken by the school to engage the
student in the relevant level of education.
To consider these factors, the department is looking for any documents showing the student has and will
continue to engage in education at the school for the year. For students with a regular pattern of
attendance throughout 2021 (except for their absence over the Reference Period) this will generally be
more straightforward.
Where students do not have a regular pattern of attendance, we recommend you provide documents
demonstrating the school is engaging the student in education while they are absent. This could be records
showing regular schoolwork being provided (this does not need to be actual work packages) or a report
showing the student having passed classes.
Suggestions on what to include in your application
The table on the following page provides suggestions on what documents to provide for students with
common reasons for being absent.
Providing these documents will not guarantee the student is accepted, however it will allow the
department to make a more informed decision. If you believe there is additional documentation that will
assist your application, we recommend including it.
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Reason for student absence Suggested documents to provide
Student is on a family holiday over the Census Reference Period.
• authorised leave form
• records showing regular schoolwork being provided
• copy of travel itinerary showing leave and return dates
Student is temporarily attending another school in Australia for the duration of the Census Reference Period.
• authorised leave form
• notice from the “away” school declaring they have not reported the student in their own Census return
• communication with the student’s parent/guardian showing their clear intent for the student to return to the school in 2021
Student is absent during the Reference Period and had irregular attendance throughout the year due to a mental, physical, or medical issue.
• medical certificates covering periods of absence
• communication with the student’s parent/guardian showing their clear intent for the student to return to the school in 2021
• records showing regular schoolwork being provided
• attendance records
Student is absent while participating in sorry business or grief leave.
• communication with the student’s parent/guardian or a community representative confirming student will return to school in 2021
• copy of travel itinerary showing leave and return dates
Student is absent while participating in elite sport or the entertainment industry.
• authorised leave form
• communication with a parent/guardian showing their clear intent for the student to return to the school in 2021
• records showing regular schoolwork being provided
School refuser – Student is/has not attended school for prolonged period.
• Communication with a parent/guardian showing their clear intent for the student to return to the school in 2021
• records showing regular schoolwork being provided
• Return to school plan
What not to include in your application
In most cases, your application will be stronger the more supporting documents you provide. However,
there may be documents the department is unable to accept due to their sensitive nature. This can include:
• children’s court rulings
• domestic violence orders
• photographs
• any other sensitive or unrelated material
If we receive any sensitive material, the department will still assess your application. However, any
sensitive documents will immediately be deleted and not considered in the assessment process.
Revised: 11 June 2021 Page | 13
Outcome and appeal process We will send you an email confirming we have received your application. If you have not heard from us
within two business days, call us to ensure your application has been received.
The review process will normally take up to a month following the application deadline. The department
will provide an outcome for each individual student. There are three possible outcomes:
• Accepted: the department has determined that special circumstances apply, and the student is
eligible to be included in the Census. The department will update your Census with any accepted
students.
• Not Accepted: the department has refused to determine the student as eligible for inclusion in the
Census. A reason for not accepting the application will be provided.
• Eligible for Census: the department has determined that a Special Circumstances Application was
not required, as the student was initially eligible for inclusion in the Census. The department will
update the location’s Census with any eligible students.
Some of the most common reasons the department may not accept an application are:
• no supporting documentation provided
• it is unclear whether the student will return to the school
• no confirmation that the student’s “away” school did not report them in the Census
• student did not have a regular pattern of attendance throughout the year, and there was no
documentation showing the school is engaging the student in education while absent.
Under section 118 of the Australian Education Act 2013, you may appeal a decision to not accept a student
in your application. The department will provide instructions for starting this process within the outcome
notifications.
In your appeal, you will have the opportunity to provide additional supporting documents to demonstrate
the student should be accepted. For example, if the reason for not accepting the student was there was no
verifiable return date, but the student had since returned, you may provide new attendance records.
You must submit any appeals within 30 days of the date outcomes were sent.
For more information See the Help and Support sections of SchoolsHUB for more information on the Census and Special
Circumstances Applications. For any further queries:
• email at [email protected]
• phone on 1800 677 027 (option 3)
• or send us a support request through SchoolsHUB
