Student reports

[cookie_monster]

Does anyone here use specialist report writing software for student reports?

Currently we use Word but it's causing issues, SIMS offers a solution but it uses comment banks which the staff don't like.

What do you all do?

[DSapseid]

Is the statement bank thing Teachers Report Assistant? That is what all the staff use here and find it does the job quite nicelly.

[Domino]

You can use a mix of comment banks and free text in the SIMS profiles module.

Takes a bit of setting up, but we're using it quite successfully here

[elsiegee40]

We have a pre-formatted report in Word. the report is basically a word table.

Pupil details are then mail-merged into the appropriate parts to generate a single word document for the whole class - 1 page per child. We use folder permissions to ensure only the relevant teachers can view/edit the reports and Tools > Protect document to ensure that staff can only type in the boxes they're supposed to. (So the French teacher can't do the Maths bit, etc)

It works quite nicely for us - but then our maximum class size is 12!

[kiran]

The Sims.net Profiles module does allow free text... you don't have to you comment banks!!! Great system which links directly with assessment manager and lesson monitor as well!

[Oops_my_bad]

We use reportmaster, which is developed by chaps over at http://www.carnsoftware.com

Seems OK, links up with SIMS but uses comment banks (which staff seem to prefer as opposed to writing them in manually?)

[meastaugh1]

We currently use ReportMaster, but we're switching to SIMS Profiles next academic year. Carn's technical support is excellent.

[Oops_my_bad]

meastaugh - is there any particular reason why you're moving over to SIMS profiles?

[meastaugh1]

We want to consolidate our assessment data into one system, it's currently split over SIMS and ReportMaster.

It's a bit of a hassle come report season: exporting from SIMS, and updating the software. The biggest problem is usually needing to apply two or more patches during report season, which requires exclusive access (everyone out).

We also hope to expose assessment data to parents via a web interface, such as SIMS Parents/Learning Gateway, or RM Portal+.

Having said that, ReportMaster isn't bad, it does it's job well.

[Sylv3r]

We made an in-house system in .asp. It works very well as we can customise it exactly how we wan't + it allows our staff to be able to write their reports from home via the internet.

We don't use comment banks and use free text throughout.

[dave.81]

Ours are all handwritten....

[PEO]

http://www.rayslearning.com/report.htm some of our staff here use this

[sidewinder]

Off topic slightly...Ive never understood why there even are such things as comment banks?
I appreciate staff have to write a lot of reports but surely they can write the words themself??
Maybe Im missing something

[Geoff]

It's so staff can produce the maximum number of reports in the minimum amount of time.

[PEO]

Off topic slightly...Ive never understood why there even are such things as comment banks?
I appreciate staff have to write a lot of reports but surely they can write the words themself??
Maybe Im missing something

yep I totally agree. some staff here do 3 generic reports bad, good, super and then mail merge the kids name in to the report. IMO i think its bang out of order. Its not personalised well enough. Parents want to know more accurate information to how their kid(s) are doing and their not. Been saying this for years. The seniour staff agree with me where the new breed of teacher is using technology to there full potential, which in this case is unprofesional and plain lazzy.