School Database Advice

[nytmode]

Hi, I’m trying to make a small database for my school for making my students performance analysis easier. I’m doing all this manually in excel since the past 3 years but its getting more and more complicated and time consuming very year so I have thought of shifting to a database. I have a small background in software engineering but nothing at professional level. Just wanted some advice on the tables and relationships that I would need for this database to work. So my school has grades, then sections for these classes example Grade 7A, Grade 7B, and normal subjects like Science, Maths, English etc. I need to store marks for students for every subject for each year separated term-wise. 3 terms every year.

So this is what I have come up with but not sure if its correct. 3 tables for now. Student, Marks, Class. This is what the relationship looks like (attached image) I should be able to make reports on every student, every class, grade-wise, gender-wise, nationality-wise, term-wise etc etc. Then compare the same student with his last years marks and compare the different grades and sections etc etc. So how to do it? I’m trying it in Ms Access as making reports with the wizard is simpler.

P.S I will be importing all the data through excel sheets into this database.

[Bob Fitz]

My immediate observations:
I would have a table for subjects (Maths, Eng etc) so this data can be stored vertically rather than horizontally.
I don't see anywhere to store data about classes example Grade 7A, Grade 7B.
I don't see anywhere to store data about which term a mark is for.

[nytmode]

CSection is for sections like A, B, C, D. Example Class 7 Section A.
And if a table is called Maths, what field would it have? Marks?
and CTerm would have been for the term.

[Bob Fitz]

And if a table is called Maths, what field would it have? Marks?

As I said:

I would have a table for subjects (Maths, Eng etc) so this data can be stored vertically rather than horizontally.

So the table might be called tblSubjects.
Its fields might be:
SubID Auto-Number Type Primary Key
Subject ShortText Type
This would then be related to the Marks table with a field called SubID which would be the Foreign Key

[isladogs]

Cross posted at:
http://http://www.utteraccess.com/fo...wtopic=2044493
and
https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...d.php?t=294601

I had already written a lengthy response at Access World Forums before I realised this...

@nytmode
Whilst its fine to use more than one forum, you should always state you have done so & provide the links (as above).
Otherwise, people will waste time making the same points already covered elsewhere

[Uncle Gizmo]

I have covered moving data from Excel to access in my blog here:-


https://sites.google.com/site/msacce...xcel-in-access


One of the examples actually uses "students" to demonstrate the issues people face in moving from Excel to MS Access...

[orange]

There are several free, generic data models at databaseanswers.org under the Student topic.
Here is a typical one that may provide some insight and help with concepts.

Also there are links at the bottom of this page to related or similar posts.