Inventory of Data Sources

April 2008

INVENTORY OF DATA SOURCES

This document contains a matrix of educational data sources which are available from the Department of Education and Science and the agencies under its aegis. This document is a working document which will be updated and expanded periodically as new data sources become available.

Sources are listed under the following broad categories.

Participation: / Data on all participants in education and lifelong learning.
Teaching\Staffing: / Data on teachers, lecturers and other staff working in the educational sector.
Outcomes: / Exam statistics, graduate data, student achievement.
Social Inclusion: / Participant and outcome data
Special Educational Needs: / Participant data
Other data sources: / Miscellaneous sources of education-related data.

Queries on this document should be directed to the Department’s Statistics section

Phone: (01) 8892404

Email:

PARTICIPATION
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Unit\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Annual Census of Primary Schools / Statistics Section. / Gather enrolment data for the purposes of grant payments and teacher allocations / 1850s / Annual / All Ordinary and special Primary Schools funded by the Department of Education and Science, some private coverage / Pupils by age, gender, standard, medium of instruction, teacher size of school. Class size information / Data are stored at school and class level. Database is not individualised
Post-Primary Pupils "October Returns" / Post-Primary Data Section. / Gather enrolment data for the purposes of grant payments, teacher allocations and examinations. Track pupils for the purpose of calculating retention rates. / 1991 / Annual / All Post Primary schools funded by the Department of Education and Science. Some private coverage / Pupils by age, gender,sector of provision. Subject provision and take-up. / Data are stored at individual pupil level
Post Leaving Certificate Course Participants / Post-Primary Data Section / Gather information on Post Leaving Certificate course participants. / 1991 / Annual / All providers of PLC courses funded by the Department of Education / Participants by age, gender, course.
Annual Census of Third Level Institutions / Statistics section for IoTs (discontinued after 2006/2007 academic year), Higher Education Authority (Including IoTs from 2007\2008 academic year) / Obtain statistical information on students enrolled in 3rd level courses. / 1982 / Annual / All third level institutions aided by the Department of education and Science and administered by HEA. Some coverage of private institutions / Students by age, gender, field of education, domiciliary origin. From 2007/2008 individual information is collected using the Student Record System (SRS)
Second-chance education-participant data collections / Further Education Section / Collect statistical information on participants in further and second-chance education programmes, including VTOS, Youthreach, Senior Traveller Training, Literacy programmes and Community education. / 2000 (Adult Literacy, 1998; no data collected for Community Education) / Annual / All Vocational Education Committees / Participants by age and gender.
Second-level part-time census for vocational, community and comprehensive schools / Statistics Section. / Collect data on students in part-time education in apprentice courses, adult education and vocational/professional/training courses / 1982 / Annual / Schools / Educational Out centres / Student numbers in part-time courses in second level institutions, classified by type of course.
PARTICIPATION
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Unit\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Third-level part-time census for IoT's DIT, Tipperary Institute and Killybegs HTC / Statistics Section / Collect data on students in part-time education in apprentice courses, adult education and vocational/professional/training courses / 1982 / Annual / College / Numbers of students in part-time courses in third level institutions, classified by type of course. / Discontinued from 2007, now carried out by the HEA.
Data Collection on Back to Education Initiative participants / Further Education Development Unit / Completion and certification statistics for those who participate in the Back to Education Initiative / 2002 / Annual / All Vocational Education Committees / Participants by age, funding category, target group, economic\social welfare status, educational level.
TEACHING\STAFFING
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Post-Primary Teacher Payroll / Payroll Division / Payment of teachers in secondary, community and comprehensive schools. Used for determination of service history and calculation of public sector numbers. / 1989 / Continuous / 410 schools, approx. 18,000 teachers / Summary data on post-primary teachers.
Primary Teachers Payroll / Primary Branch & Payroll Division / Payment of teachers in primary schools. Used for determination of service history and calculation of public sector numbers. / 1972 / Continuous / 3,400 schools, approx. 30,000 teachers / Summary data on primary teachers
Non-Teaching Staff Payroll / Payroll Division / Payment of Non-Teaching Staff in primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools. Used for determination of service history and calculation of public sector numbers. / 2001 / Continuous / All non-teaching staff paid directly by the Department of Education. Approx. 3,800 schools and 10,000 non-teaching staff / Summary data on non-teaching staff.
TEACHING\STAFFING
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Post Primary Schools Timetabling returns. / Teacher Allocations Section. / Gather information on teachers and timetabled teaching and non-teaching hours. / 1991 / Annual / All Post Primary schools funded by the Department of Education and Science. / Teacher teaching hours, timetabled instruction time for second level students. / Data are stored at school level.
Retired Teaching and Non Teaching Staff Payroll / Payroll Division / Payment of retired teaching and non-teaching staff in primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools. / 1995 / Continuous / Retired teaching and non-teaching staff on the Department's payroll / Summary data on retired teaching and non-teaching staff
Teacher registrations and qualifications / Teaching Council / Maintain a register of teachers and the subjects they are qualified to teach / 2006 / Annual / All qualified teachers / No of registered teachers at primary and post primary levels. No's of teachers qualified to teach each subject on the curriculum (post primary level). / The Department of Education holds registration data for years previous to 2006
Staffing returns for second-chance education initiatives. / Further Education / Maintain staffing statistics in the area of second-chance education (VTOS, Senior traveller Training, Youthreach) / 1998 / Annual / All Vocational Education Committees / No of staff places and hours allocated to instruction and coordination.
National Development Plan In-Career Development Unit / Teacher Education Section / Statistics for courses provided under the National Development Plan / 2000 / Quarterly / 30 Schools / Individual programmes, e.g. Leaving Certificate Applied
Staff returns for third level Higher Education Institutions / Recurrent Grants & Institutes of Technology Sections, Higher Education Authority (HEA collecting data from IoTs from 2006/07) / Report on staffing levels in third level institutions / 1980 / Quarterly / Universities and Institutes of Technology / Staff in third level institutions by mode of employment, gender.
OUTCOMES
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
State Examination Statistics / State Exams Commission, Athlone / Maintain database of exam results / not known / Annual / All examination candidates / Examination results in the Junior and Leaving Certificate, classified by grade, subject and level taken.
Suirbhé Náisiúnta Inniúlachta sa Ghaeilge I Rang a Sé / ERC and Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann, on behalf of DES / Survey of achievement in the Irish language of pupils in sixth class in primary school / 2002 / Not less than every 7 years / Approx. 4,250 pupils in 219 schools / Pupil, class group, family, school / Decisions about future surveys to be made.
National Assessment of English Reading / Educational Resreach Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / To describe standards of reading among pupils at first and fifth class, to inform policy by identifying areas of strengths and weakness in pupils' reading and school and pupil level factors associated with reading achievement. / 1972 / Every 4 years - next survey due 2009 / 152 schools in 2004 / Pupil reading scores. / Next NAER in 2009 to assess pupils in second and sixth classes, and repeat the fifith class assessment. Future surveys in second and sixth classes every four years.
National Assessment of Mathematics Achievement (1999) / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / To describe the mathematics achievements of pupils in fourth class and to identify associated variables. To provide benchmark data against which the outcomes of future surveys may be compared. / 1999 / Every 4 years - next survey due 2009 / 126 schools in 2004 / Pupil, class group, family, school. / Next NAMA in 2009 to assess pupils in second and sixth classes, and repeat the fourth class assessment. Future surveys in second and sixth classes every four years.
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Develop indicators of student performance at the end of compulsory schooling and collect background data to provide a context for the performance indicators to inform policy. / 2000 / Every 3 years, next survey due 2009 / 3,854 pupils in 138 schools in 2000 (86% response rate) / Scores of 15 year old pupils in reading, mathematics and science. Socioeconomic and attitudinal data on participants.
AnnualSchool Leavers Survey / Statistics Section / Monitor school leaving patterns, entry to further education/training and early labour market careers / 1975 / Annual / 2,500 students annually / Pupils Leaving second level, classified by socio-economic group, qualification earned, destination
OUTCOMES
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Higher education graduate returns. / Higher Education Authority, HETAC / Collect information on the flow of graduates from higher education. / 1980 / Annual / All graduates from Universities, Institutes of Technology and private educational institutions whose awards are accredited by HETAC / Graduates by age, gender and field of education.
First Destination Report (Now the "What do graduates do?" series of reports) / HEA / Report on first destination of award recipients / 1982/83 / Every 2 years / Approx 35000 students surveyed, approx 80% response rate / Award recipients classified by sector of employment in first year of leaving college, further study, salaries
IEA Civic and Citizenship Study / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Survey of knowledge of and attitudes towards civics and citizenship of Second year (post-primary) pupils / 2009 / Not decided / Approximately 150 schools, and one or two second-year classes in each school. Principal and class teachers also included. / Test and questionnaire data in respect of students. Questionnaire data in respect of subject teachers and principals. . / Ireland last participated in an international study of civics in 1971.
International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS, 1994) / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Survey of the literacy skills of adults and analysis of variables associated with literacy in the adult population / 1994 / One-off. / 2,174 adults in Ireland / Individual / The next international survey in adult competencies, scheduled for 2011, will include assessment of literacy.
SOCIAL INCLUSION
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
DEIS Survey of Primary Schools / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Allocate additional resources to schools identified as having concentrations of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds / 2005, similar survey performed in 2000 under "Giving Children an Even Break" scheme / The next identification process will be in 2009/2010 and thereafter on a 3 year cycle. / All primary schools aided by the Department of Education and Science / Percentages of pupils in the school in various socioeconomic categories (e.g., living in Local Authority housing) / Future identification processes may not rely on surveys of schools (e.g., planned Primary Pupil Database may be used)
Assessment of levels of disadvantage in posprimary schools using centrally held data / Educational Research Centre on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Allocate additional resources to schools identified as having high concentrations of disadvantage / 2005 / The next process will be in 2009/2010 and thereafter on a 3 year cycle / All post-primary schools except those that charge fees / Percentage of students from families with medical cards, retention rates, average Junior Cert. performance
Survey of Reading Literacy in Designated Disadvantaged Schools (2003) / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Survey literacy levels in a sample of designated disadvantaged primary schools in 2003 and 2006. Monitor literacy targets developed by the NAPS / 2003 / Amalgamated into evaluation of DEIS from 2007 / Approx. 1,200 pupils in 70 schools / Pupil, class group, family, school / In Spring 2007, pupils in the Second, Third and Sixth classes in 120 urban DEIS schools, and pupils in Third and Fifth classes in 257 rural DEIS schools were assessed.
Annual Report of Visiting Teacher Service for Travellers / Inspectorate / To compile details on traveller education in terms of access, participation and attainments at preschool, first and second level / 2001 / Continuous / 40 visiting teachers, covering preschool, first and second level education / Individual travellers, school levels attended, teachers and case load.
SOCIAL INCLUSION
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Annual Attendance Return / National Educational Welfare Board. / Collect attendance details from each school, in order to capture rates on non-attendance and analyse attendance trends. / 2004 / Annual / All schools aided by the Department of education and Science. / Percentage attendance by primary and post-primary categorisation. Number missing school for more than 20 days and number of expulsions and suspensions. National and county level data.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Unit\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
Annual Census of Primary Schools / Statistics section / Allocate additional resources to schools according to the number of traveller pupils and pupils with special educational needs. / 1995 / Annual / All primary schools / Pupils with special educational needs in ordinary schools and special schools, classified by type of special educational need. Numbers of traveller pupils in primary schools.
Special Education Administration System (SEAS) / National Council for Special Education / Assess applications and allocate resources to pupils with special educational needs. / 2007 / Continuous / All students with special educational needs that apply for extra resources. / Numbers of students with Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) or other resource types (assistive technology etc). / Data are sensitive and confidential, only anonymised summary information is provided by NCSE
Case Tracking System / National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) / Provide details of each client referred to NEPS / 2002 / Continuous / All clients of NEPS / Individual NEPS cases. / Data are sensitive and confidential
OTHER DATA SOURCES
Title of Data Source / Name of Responsible Section\Agency / Purpose\Data Needs met / Start year / Frequency. / Coverage / Type of data / Comments
National Contributor to Eurostudent Survey - Social and Economic conditions of student life in Europe / Co-ordinated by statistics sections of HEA and DES - survey and report conducted by independent agency / Comparative report on the social and living conditions of higher education students - includes travel, accomodation, income, expenditure, workload, welfare. / 2000 / Eurostudent II conducted in 2003/2004. Results published 2006. Eurostudent III due for publication 2008. / 3,900 completed questionnaires in Eurostudent II survey / Student
SOCRATES - ERASMUS in Ireland / HEA / HEA acts as national agency for Socrates programme - role is to disseminate information, provide assistance in partner selection, advise and guide on applications, provide feedback on programme, distribute grants, monitor finances / 1987 / Socrates II covers the period 2000-2006 / 24 reports in respect of student mobility 2000/01 and 26 reports in respect of teacher mobility 2000/01 / Student/teacher
OECD Teaching and Learning Survey 2008 / Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra on behalf of the Department of Education and Science / Gather internationally comparable data on teaching
practices, attitudes and beliefs; recognition, reward and
appraisal of teachers; teachers’ professional development;
/ 2008 / Not yet determined. / Subject teachers of Junior Cycle students in post-primary schools; principal teachers. / Questionnaire data. / Results in Autumn 2009
NCTE Census of Schools / National Centre for Technology Education / ICT Policy Unit / Survey of deployment and usage of ICT equipment in schools, teacher training and internet connectivity / 2000 / Every 2\3 years / All schools / Pupils

Department of Education and Science1