The Department of Education and Skills is developing an electronic database of primary school pupils called the Primary Online Database (POD) which will involve schools maintaining and returning data on pupils to the Department at individual pupil level on a live system. The database will allow the Department to evaluate progress and outcomes of pupils at primary level, to validate school enrolment returns for grant payment and teacher allocation purposes, to follow up on pupils who do not make the transfer from primary to post primary level and for statistical reporting.
The database will hold data on all primary school pupils including their PPSN, First Name, Surname, Name as per Birth Certificate, Mother’s Maiden Name, Address, Date of Birth, Gender, Nationality, whether one of the pupil’s mother tongues is English or Irish, whether the pupil is in receipt of an Exemption from Irish and if so the reason for same, whether the pupil is in receipt of Learning Support and if so the type of learning support, whether the pupil is in a Mainstream or Special Class. The database will record the class grouping and standard the pupil is enrolled in.
The database will also contain, on an optional basis, information on the pupil’s religion and on their ethnic or cultural background.
Please return the attached POD form to the school, if you have not done so already.
Scoil Cholmcille POD Consent Letter