Template press releaseAbout: We’ve created the following press release template so you can shout about your school’s involvement in Let’s Count!. It’s a great opportunity for you to tell parents and your local community about Census 2021.

How to use this press release

You can update the following highlighted areas with the name of your school and other local information. We’ve also included an example quote but please do include your own information here about how your school is getting involved with Let’s Count! You can help spread the word and showcase your activities by emailing your edited release to local newspapers, radio and TV outlets.

We’d recommend sending any relevant photos alongside the release when you contact print and online media. This will make your story more likely to be featured. We also find that calling to follow up after sending a release through often proves very effective.

[Enter School Name] takes part in the Census 2021 schools programme, Let’s Count!

[Enter School Name] is taking part in Let’s Count!, an exciting new schools programme about Census 2021.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and resources centre, iChild, have developed Let’s Count! - a free education programme for primary schools to teach children about the census. The programme aims to improve children’s skills across a range of subjects including maths, English, history, geography and art.

The next census takes place on Sunday 21 March 2021. The census is a survey that happens every 10 years and gives us a picture of all the people and households in Wales and England. This helps to plan and fund public services in your local area. By taking part in the census, you can ensure that your family and community gets the services they need.

Find out more about Census 2021 and how to fill in your census questionnaire at www.census.gov.uk

[Enter School Name] has been using Let’s Count! to cover subjects supporting children’s learning throughout primary school. The programme includes video lessons by

Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), as well as an exclusive live video lesson from Professor David Olusoga on the subject of ‘Equality, representation and the census’.

The lesson plans feature the ‘Counter Cats’, who are fun cartoon characters to help the children learn. An engaging animation introduces the five cats and their favourite subject. Splotch loves art, Doc loves history, Digit loves maths, Scribble loves English and Scout loves geography.

[Enter school name] is taking part in Let’s Count! Day. Children will count things around their school or local area and collect data on any subject that matters to them. They will then use the information gathered to make a display to enter the Let’s Count! competition. Prizes will go to the best entries, with the winning school getting £1,000 worth of equipment. The winning school will also announce the Census 2021 population of Wales and England for the first time.

[Enter quote, for example:] “We are delighted to be participating in Let’s Count! and believe it will make a valuable contribution to our community. Children are learning about the importance of Census 2021, and how filling in the questionnaire helps local services such as the NHS, education and housing. It is helping children understand the real-life application of their learning in maths, geography, history, PSHCE and is helping us to deepen our curriculum.”

All primary schools in [your area] can enter. Teachers can sign up at www.letscount.org.uk to receive a Let’s Count! resource pack, including stickers, certificates and lesson plan resources.

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About Census 2021

Everyone benefits from the census. It informs decisions across Wales and England and locally on vital services and issues like diversity. Ultimately it makes sure millions of pounds are invested in areas such as emergency services, mental healthcare, school places, hospital beds, houses, roads, GPs and dentists’ services based on the information people give. We’ve made it easier for people to complete the census online on any device, with help and paper questionnaires available for those that need them.

The next census will be held on Sunday 21 March 2021 in Wales and England. The results will be available the following year. However, anonymised records will be locked away for 100 years and kept safe for future generations.

About Let’s Count!

Let’s Count! has been developed by the ONS, Family & Education and their education resource centre, iChild. Let’s Count! is a free educational programme designed to teach children about the census and how it can benefit their local area. The programme was tested during the 2019 census rehearsal, which took place in four areas: Carlisle, Ceredigion, Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

Let’s Count! was developed to help boost awareness, understanding and trust in the census within schools and their communities to increase participation in Census 2021.

The programme is provided to schools completely free of charge and there’s a series of lesson plans and activities that will help children learn about the census. These will link to various areas of the curriculum. The lesson plans will offer ideas for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2) in England and will support the Welsh Curriculum with dual language resources for the first three Progression steps. There will be strong links to the Year 6 curriculum to support the end of Key Stage assessment (SATs) preparation in England.

Let’s Count! has been accredited by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE), and the Geographical Association. The programme includes video lessons by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), as well as an exclusive live video lesson from Professor David Olusoga on the subject of 'Equality, representation and the census'.

About the Office of National Statistics

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces the numbers that matter most – on the economy and business, people, population and communities. Operating impartially and free of political control, we’re mobilising the power of data to help Britain make better decisions and improve lives.