Population Forecasting

Predicting future demand for school places

Local authorities know how critical good planning is in ensuring there will be enough school places available for pre-school children starting school and for children as they progress through the various stages of their education.

One Population Forecasting helps ensure the complex task of planning for school places is made simpler for local authorities, saving time and money. By creating accurate school population forecasts, authority staff have the information they need to meet the future demand for school places and make sound decisions on new building proposals.

An accurate prediction of numbers on roll

With One Population Forecasting, the most up-to-date information on school numbers on roll is drawn directly from One or can be imported from health authority data. This data can be used to predict trends in child numbers so that reports on the future requirement for school places across the region are accurate. The system allows authority staff to design and run a range of forecasts based on children in individual or multiple catchment areas or from feeder schools, taking into account any schools which have a staggered intake to Reception throughout the year. The impact of negative or positive migration can be measured and their effect on numbers on roll anticipated. Integration with GIS mapping software means that children can be easily mapped to a catchment area by age to ensure accurate population forecasts.

Supports decisions on school Development

Using One Population Forecasting authorities have the power to create school place forecasts, the impact of which on budgets, staff numbers and equipment levels can be assessed.

Reduced workload

Analysing child and school information for predicting the future demand for school places is quick and easy for authority staff with One Population Forecasting. Time spent in administration is reduced as the data required to produce a forecast, such as school census information or the number of children born in each year, for example, are easily accessible from within One or can be imported from health authority records. All this information can be reused throughout the system, saving time for authority staff and reducing the risk of errors in multiple data-entry.

(click here for more information on Population Forecasting Functionality Sheet)