Primary Online Database

The Department of Education has developed an electronic individualised database of primary school pupils, called the Primary Online Database (POD).

The Department of Education has developed an electronic individualised database of primary school pupils, called the Primary Online Database (POD). POD will collect individual information on each pupil, including their PPSN. This has been thoroughly piloted with a selection of schools and has been extensively discussed with the education partners and management bodies.

• Primary Online Database (POD)
• Software Providers
• Training Videos and Manuals

In the near future, POD will:

• replace the need for schools to complete the National School Annual Census,
• replace the need for schools to maintain the Clárleabhar,
• facilitate inter-school transfers,
• facilitate the transfer of data from primary to post-primary schools,
• identify pupils who do not make the transition from primary to post-primary,
• allow schools to update DES centrally-held, school-level data such as School Name, Address and Telephone Number. This will provide schools with one point to correct or amend contact details which will then be available to be accessed by all areas across the Department.

In the longer term it is proposed that POD will also share data with the Department of Social Protection, the HSE and the NCSE, and other bodies, eliminating the need for many of the current data requests to schools from these bodies, for example in relation to vaccination programmes, child benefit claims, application for special educational needs.

As part of the transition process schools will still be required to return the current National School Annual Census for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 academic years.

POD is a live Database, allowing for the updating of information throughout the year. We are aware that many schools have existing admin software in place. The Department is working with providers of school admin software in order for them to put in place processes which will allow their software to synchronise with POD.

The POD database is accessible through the ESInet portal. This is the same technology that is used for the Online Claim System (OLCS), the Summer Works scheme and other applications.

See more at: http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Primary-Online-Database-POD-/

Relevant Links:

• Updating and simplifying the manner in which schools can maintain pupil enrolment and attendance records following the introduction of the Primary Online Database (POD) (.pdf - 339 KB)
• FAQ on the POD for Schools