Primary Online Database
6th October 2014
Dear Parent,
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.
In order to assist with the gathering of data please complete this form in CAPITAL LETTERS and return to the school. This form will be retained by the primary school.
Pupil Forename :
Pupil Surname:
Class:
Address:
Date of Birth :
Birth Certificate Forename (if different from above):
Birth Certificate Surname (if different from above) :
PPS Number:
Mothers Maiden name:
Nationality:
Gender:
Is one of the pupil’s mother tongues (i.e. language spoken at home) Irish or English? Yes/No
Please complete both sides of questionnaire
The Department has consulted with the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to the collection of individual pupil information for the Primary Online Database. Both religion and ethnic and cultural background are considered sensitive personal data categories under Data Protection legislation. Therefore, it is necessary for each pupil’s parent/guardian to identify their child’s religion and ethnic background, and to consent for this information to be transferred to the Department of Education and Skills. All other information held on POD was deemed by the Data Protection Commissioner as non-sensitive personal data.
Written parental consent to share level 2 data (Ethnic or cultural background and Religion) with DES: Yes/No –
To which ethnic or cultural background group does your child belong (please tick one):
Categories are taken from the Census of Population:
White Irish Irish Traveller Roma Any other White Background Black African Any other Black Background Chinese Any other Asian background Other (inc. mixed background)
No Consent
What is your child’s Religion:
Roman Catholic Church of Ireland (incl. Protestant) Presbyterian Methodist, Wesleyan Jewish Muslim (Islamic) Orthodox (Greek, Coptic, Russian) Apostolic or Pentecostal Hindu Buddhist Jehovahs Witness Lutheran Atheist Baptist Agnostic Other Religions No Religion
No Consent
I consent for this information to be stored on the Primary Online Database (POD) and transferred to the Department of Education and Skills and any other primary schools my child may transfer to during the course of their time in primary school.
Signed: ___________________________
Parent/Guardian
Date: ____________________________
Please complete this form and return to your primary school. For further information on POD please go to the Department of Education and Skills’ website www.education.ie