How local authorities should report data for the annual special educational needs survey, commonly known as SEN2.

The SEN2 survey is a statutory data collection that takes place every January. You must complete a statutory collection by law unless there’s a good reason not to.

The survey collects information on:

For 2022, the existing aggregated level SEN2 collection is compulsory for all local authorities. The person level SEN2 collection is voluntary and will run along side it.

This survey should not be confused with the annual school census, which also collects data on the number of pupils with SEN statements and EHC plans.

Important dates

The 2021 survey deadlines are:

  • survey day: Thursday 14 January 2021
  • deadline for submitting data: Thursday 11 February 2021

Submit your data

You’ll need to:

  • register and log in with DfE Sign-in
  • use COLLECT to submit your data

Please contact your school or local authority approver, if:

  • you want to request a DfE Sign-in username or password so you can access COLLECT
  • ‘special educational needs survey’ is not on the list of collections you can see in COLLECT

Get help using DfE Sign-in

If you do not know who your approver is, please use the DfE Sign-in request form.

If you’ve forgotten your password, use DfE Sign-in to reset it. You will need to click ‘Start now’ and then the ‘I’ve forgotten my password’ link.

Note that we’ll only be able to change the status of your data submission to ‘authorised’ once you’ve cleared all errors in the data in COLLECT.

Survey documents

The following documents will help you complete the 2021 and 2022 surveys:

The following documents will help you complete the 2022 person level survey:

Do you need help?

Submitting data

Please use the service request form if you have any questions about your data. We aim to answer your question within 5 working days.

Feedback

Please use the feedback form if you have any comments about our data collection service, including COLLECT and the helpdesk service.

Published 25 March 2014
Last updated 26 March 2021 + show all updates

  1. Added information on the special educational needs person level survey 2022.

  2. Added a link to the Special educational needs survey 2022: guide.

  3. Updated for 2021 survey deadlines.

  4. Added link to ‘Special educational needs survey 2021: guide’.

  5. Updated the deadline dates for 2020 and removed the 2018 guide.

  6. Updated ‘Submit your data section’ and DfE Sign-in help links.

  7. Updated COLLECT link from secure access to DfE sign in.

  8. Removed link to 2018 guidance and added link to the guide for 2020.

  9. Added a link to ‘Special educational needs survey 2019: guide’.

  10. Added links to new generic COLLECT guides for schools and local authorities.

  11. Added the ‘Special educational needs survey 2018: guide’.

  12. Added link to ‘Special educational needs survey 2016: COLLECT guide’.

  13. Added important dates for the 2017 survey and a link to the document ‘Special educational needs survey 2017: guide’.

  14. Added deadline for 2016 SEN2 survey and link to 2016 guide for local authorities.

  15. Added a link to the ‘Special educational needs survey (SEN2) 2015: COLLECT guide’ document.

  16. First published.

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