GIAS Data Flows - Inbound

Scope: BAU current state. This document describes how external data enters GIAS. It covers active scheduled and batch import processes only; retired processes are noted at the end.

Audience: Technical stakeholders, architects and data owners.

Related documents:

Summary of Inbound Flows

Flow	Source	Mechanism	Frequency	Target tables
UKPRN sync - establishments	UKRLP web service	Java Quartz job	Nightly (no UKPRN) / Monthly (change check)	`dbo.Establishment`, `dbo.EstablishmentChangeHistory`
UKPRN sync - groups	UKRLP web service	Java Quartz job	Same cadence	`dbo.EstablishmentGroup`, `dbo.GroupChangeRequest`
Companies House (scheduled)	Companies House API	Java scheduled job	Scheduled	`dbo.CompaniesHouseDownloadHolder`, `dbo.GroupChangeRequest`, `dbo.CompaniesHouseUpdates`
Companies House (interactive)	Companies House API	C# web front end	On demand	In-session lookup only (read)
Geography / postcode (ONS)	ONS Postcode Directory	SQL stored procedure (SSIS load)	Periodic	`DataOpsJobs.GeoData_Import`, `dbo.GeoData`, `dbo.Establishment`, `DataOpsJobs.GeoData_AUD`
DfE Sign-in disabled account sync	DfE Sign-in REST API	Azure Data Factory pipeline	Daily	`DataOpsJobs.gias_dsi_account_sync`, `dbo.SystemUser`

All inbound flows are batch or scheduled. GIAS does not receive real-time event streams from any external source.

1. UKPRN Sync

UKPRN (UK Provider Reference Number) is issued by UKRLP and held on both establishment and group records in GIAS. A Java Quartz job (UkprnUpdateJob) calls the UKRLP web service and writes updated UKPRN values back to GIAS. The two paths use different match keys.

The UKPRN synchronisation behaviour is supported by the UKRLP integration, the core establishment ERD, the groups, trusts, federations and local authority ERD, and the establishment identifier lifecycle ERD.

1.1 Establishment Path

Establishments are matched to UKRLP provider records by URN. UKRLP returns a map of URN to UKPRN; the job compares these against current GIAS values and applies changed UKPRNs.

flowchart LR UKRLP["UKRLP\nweb service"] Pull["Pull provider UKPRNs\nUkrlpSinchronizationService"] Active["Read eligible active\nestablishments by URN"] Compare["Match by URN\ncompare UKPRN"] Core["Update\nEstablishment.UKPRN"] History["Record\nEstablishmentChangeHistory\nstatus = APPLIED"] Cache["Clear Java\nestablishment caches"] Process["Record UkprnUpdateProcess\nitem_type = establishment"] Sharing["gias_sharing cache\nupdated on next refresh"] UKRLP --> Pull Pull --> Compare Active --> Compare Compare --> Core Compare --> History Compare --> Cache Compare --> Process Core -.->|later| Sharing

Welsh establishments and non-live statuses (archived, closed, proposed to open, quarantine, rejected) are excluded from the comparison. UKPRN changes are recorded as applied EstablishmentChangeHistory rows with actor edubase.

1.2 Group Path

Establishment groups (SATs, MATs) are matched to UKRLP provider records by Companies House number. The job returns a map of Companies House number to UKPRN.

flowchart LR UKRLP["UKRLP\nweb service"] Pull["Pull provider UKPRNs\nUkrlpSinchronizationService"] Active["Read eligible active groups\nwith Companies House number"] Compare["Match by Companies House number\ncompare UKPRN"] Core["Update\nEstablishmentGroup.UKPRN"] History["Record\nGroupChangeRequest\nstatus = APPLIED"] Cache["Clear Java\ngroup caches"] Process["Record UkprnUpdateProcess\nitem_type = establishmentGroup"] Sharing["gias_sharing cache\nupdated on next refresh"] UKRLP --> Pull Pull --> Compare Active --> Compare Compare --> Core Compare --> History Compare --> Cache Compare --> Process Core -.->|later| Sharing

Only active trusts and children’s centre groups with a Companies House number are included.

2. Companies House Import

Companies House data is used to enrich and validate group/trust records. Two separate mechanisms exist: a Java scheduled job for batch import and a C# interactive lookup in the web front end.

Source evidence is in the Companies House and master provider imports ERD, the Companies House integration, and the companies-house-number front-end reference.

2.1 Java Scheduled Import

The Java CompaniesHouseUpdateJob refreshes CompaniesHouseDownloadHolder, which caches Companies House company profiles for groups of type_codes 06 (MAT), 10 (SAT) and 11 (Sponsor). It compares fetched company data against current EstablishmentGroup values and creates GroupChangeRequest rows for any differences found. It does not directly update EstablishmentGroup records - changes enter the governed change-request workflow.

flowchart LR CH["Companies House\nAPI"] Job["CompaniesHouseUpdateJob\nJava Quartz job"] Holder["Refresh\nCompaniesHouseDownloadHolder\n(type_codes 06, 10, 11)"] Groups["Read EstablishmentGroup\nfor relevant trust types"] Compare["Compare CH profiles\nto GIAS group values"] CR["Create GroupChangeRequest\nrows for differences"] Log["Record run outcome\nCompaniesHouseUpdates"] CH --> Job Job --> Holder Holder --> Compare Groups --> Compare Compare --> CR Job --> Log

CompaniesHouseUpdates records the run outcome for each job execution. June 2026 usage evidence shows active writes to CompaniesHouseDownloadHolder (54,893 rows) and CompaniesHouseUpdates (112 rows).

2.2 C# Interactive Lookup

The C# web front end provides an interactive Companies House lookup on the group editing screens. This calls the Companies House API on demand to look up a specific company number and return company details to the user interface. It is a read-only lookup and does not write to the database directly.

flowchart LR User["DfE staff\nweb browser"] FE["C# Web Front End\ngroup edit screen"] CH["Companies House\nAPI"] Display["Company details\ndisplayed to user"] User --> FE FE -->|company number lookup| CH CH -->|company profile| FE FE --> Display

3. Geography and Postcode Import (ONS)

ONS Postcode Directory data is imported periodically to maintain the postcode geography reference table (dbo.GeoData) and to update establishment geography fields (ward, LSOA, MSOA, parliamentary constituency, district, urban/rural).

Source evidence is in the geography and postcode imports ERD, the geography and administrative classifications ERD, and the Ordnance Survey integration.

3.1 Postcode Geography Import

The process has two stages: loading DataOpsJobs.GeoData_Import (currently via SSIS package, per procedure comments) and then running the SQL stored procedure ONSPostcodeDirectory_Load which applies the import.

flowchart LR ONS["ONS\nPostcode Directory"] SSIS["SSIS / load process\n(mechanism unconfirmed)"] Staging["DataOpsJobs.GeoData_Import\nstaged postcode geography"] Proc["ONSPostcodeDirectory_Load\nSQL stored procedure"] Exclusion["ONSPDURNExclusionList\nconsultation exclusion check"] GeoData["dbo.GeoData\ncurrent postcode geography"] Estab["dbo.Establishment\ngeography fields updated"] Audit["DataOpsJobs.GeoData_AUD\nold/new values before update"] History["ONSGeographyUpdate_\nPopulateEstablishmentChangeHistory\ncreates EstablishmentChangeHistory rows"] ONS --> SSIS SSIS --> Staging Staging --> Proc Exclusion --> Proc Proc --> GeoData Proc --> Estab Proc --> Audit Audit --> History

The procedure validates imported geography codes against reference tables before applying changes. The ONSPDURNExclusionList suppresses parliamentary constituency updates for specific establishments. After applying changes, GeoData_AUD rows are used to create establishment change-history records.

June 2026 usage evidence shows active reads and writes on DataOpsJobs.GeoData_Import and reads on ONSPDURNExclusionList.

3.2 Administrative Area Reference Import

Separate import tables stage reference-list updates for administrative wards, districts, LSOAs, MSOAs and parliamentary constituencies. These feed the corresponding reference tables (dbo.AdministrativeWard, dbo.DistrictAdministrative, dbo.LSOA, dbo.MSOA, dbo.ParliamentaryConstituency). No active procedure code path was found for these tables in the current investigation; treat as staging inputs to a reference-refresh process pending operational confirmation.

An Azure Data Factory pipeline (gias_dsi_account_sync_prod) runs daily to synchronise disabled user accounts from DfE Sign-in into GIAS. Any user disabled in DfE Sign-in is also disabled in GIAS if a matching active user is found by email address.

Source evidence is in the S158 Data Factory setup, the users and permissions overview ERD, and the production deployment architecture.

flowchart LR DSI["DfE Sign-in\nREST API\n(disabled users)"] ADF["ADF pipeline\ngias_dsi_account_sync_prod\ndaily schedule"] Copy["Copy activity\nDSIRest_To_GIASDB\nRFC5988 pagination"] Snapshot["DataOpsJobs.gias_dsi_account_sync\nraw JSON snapshot per page"] Proc["Stored procedure\nprocess_gias_dsi_accounts"] Match["Match by email\nto SystemUser"] Disable["UPDATE SystemUser\nSET enabled = 0\nwhere matched and currently active"] Log["DataOpsJobs.gias_dsi_account_sync_Log\nper-user audit row"] Cleanup["1-year retention\ndelete old snapshot and log rows"] DSI --> ADF ADF --> Copy Copy --> Snapshot Snapshot --> Proc Proc --> Match Match --> Disable Proc --> Log Proc --> Cleanup

Key design properties:

Disable-only: the pipeline never re-enables or creates user accounts.
Match is by email address only; collation-dependent comparison.
Full audit trail in gias_dsi_account_sync_Log at individual user level.
REST ingestion retries up to six times before failing.
SQL processing runs only after successful ingestion.

5. Retired Inbound Flows

5.1 Ofsted Inspection Data Import

The Ofsted and school-census import process previously documented during internal investigation is no longer in use. The captured DataOpsJobs.Ofsted_* staging table shapes are historical. Ofsted inspection grades and dates on establishment records now have a different provenance; the current update mechanism is not confirmed in the existing documentation.

5.2 School Census Import

The school census import staging tables (DataOpsJobs.GIAS_SchoolCensus, DataOpsJobs.GIAS_SchoolCensus_Updates, DataOpsJobs.GIAS_IEBTSchoolCensus, DataOpsJobs.GIAS_IEBTSchoolCensus_Updates) are documented in the same retired ERD. The census import process is no longer active.