[sims] SIMS Spring 7.162 Release now available

[geekgirl]

Anyone going to attempt the SIMS Spring 7.162 Release? I'm going to read documentation and see if I have time during half term.

 

https://myaccount.capita-cs.co.uk/Notifications/SIMS-Spring-7162-Release/

 

FYI - when you click on the Document Links and the new page opens up scroll the the bottom of the page, then on the right hand side under Documents there should be a PDF link.

This confused me at first because it brings up "No Result for RESOUREID-1234".

[Sylv3r]

I've installed it today, can't really say whether everything works or not until the staff start using it once we return after the easter holidays but no issues with the install via the latest SOLUS 3 release.

[vikpaw]

I've installed it today, can't really say whether everything works or not until the staff start using it once we return after the easter holidays but no issues with the install via the latest SOLUS 3 release.

Brave man; the ill-fated Spring edition almost always comes in multiple releases

[Sylv3r]

Brave man; the ill-fated Spring edition almost always comes in multiple releases

 

It's all part of the fun

[clockend25]

Rolled it out on Monday and it's been a massive, massive, massive success.

 

That is, the data manager has used it for two days without issue.

[vikpaw]

It's all part of the fun

 

Rolled it out on Monday and it's been a massive, massive, massive success.

 

That is, the data manager has used it for two days without issue.

 

Okay guys, nice set-up, you got me, April Fool!!

[Griff]

All jokes aside do I deploy this or not? fingers on the trigger...coincides nicely with a new vDisk I am doing

[RogerCorrigan]

We rolled it out yesterday, and fortunately so far, we haven't had any problems.

[GRitchie]

Any more opinions on this so far guys?

[Griff]

I had to hold off as finance were doing critical work on FMS during the hols then our SIMS server actually fell over and had to be restored so I decided to give this a miss until later on this week

[winng]

I'm still watching and waiting - no rush to install the update yet.

[matt40k]

I'm still watching and waiting - no rush to install the update yet.

 

I thought the new programme of study looked pretty cool which deals with the assessments without levels (AWOL) stuff, or did David Pott just do a good job at selling it? - Introduction to Programme of Study marksheets | School Analytics Ltd

[QWERTY72]

matt40k

 

Our IT person has updated SIMS to the Spring version 7.162 over the Easter holidays and I have seen David Pott's introduction, but I cannot find it in my SIMS (neither as a icon button nor via Focus|Assessment). My understanding is that it is a free integral part of the spring update and therefore it should "appear" automatically, or am I wrong? Is there a special step during installation which our IT man has possibly missed? Any help greatly appreciated.

[vikpaw]

It's free as part of the Assessment Manager suite, so you'd have to have that. There is an import process that needs to be followed for the templates, but i'd have thought the icon would appear. Check the upgrade guidance on MyAccount. It's worth checking your permissions, as if you use custom permission groups, it's possible the new permissions to view those areas aren't being applied.

[howartp]

Programmes of Study is only currently available to Primaries and all-through schools.

 

I asked Capita last week and got a nice blunt pointer to the release notes explaining how to read before asking stupid questions.

[minimoo]

It's free as part of the Assessment Manager suite, so you'd have to have that. There is an import process that needs to be followed for the templates, but i'd have thought the icon would appear. Check the upgrade guidance on MyAccount. It's worth checking your permissions, as if you use custom permission groups, it's possible the new permissions to view those areas aren't being applied.

 

is it primary's only? or secondary's too?

[howartp]

is it primary's only? or secondary's too?

 

Programmes of Study is only currently available to Primaries and all-through schools.

 

Only primaries and all-through schools. (Those with kids from year 1 through to 13, ie primary and secondary combined)

[vikpaw]

Programmes of Study is only currently available to Primaries and all-through schools.

 

I asked Capita last week and got a nice blunt pointer to the release notes explaining how to read before asking stupid questions.

 

Nice! Weird also, i didn't read that anywhere. In the release notes i have the key denotes it is for English primary and English secondary, though i think it's set up for primary at this stage. It's a 'mare finding and getting the right information as it's all stored in Word documents kept as resource numbers. So to get updated information you have to keep downloading a new 'news item' word document.

[SHimmer45]

havent installed this yet, will be looking at it this week as its been a little while since release no threads on here saying "XYZ is broken"

[howartp]

Nice! Weird also, i didn't read that anywhere.

Sorry, I mis-remembered the response from Capita - it wasn't the easily accessible release notes that we all read before deployment, it was the "Life without levels in Assessment" handbook which you access via the Documentation button in SIMS, then Exams & Assessment, then Performance & Analysis. Now why didn't I think of looking in there before raising a support call?

[vikpaw]

Sorry, I mis-remembered the response from Capita - it wasn't the easily accessible release notes that we all read before deployment, it was the "Life without levels in Assessment" handbook which you access via the Documentation button in SIMS, then Exams & Assessment, then Performance & Analysis. Now why didn't I think of looking in there before raising a support call?

You mean you didn't think to jump to the introduction of chapter 2 and read between the lines? School-boy error

I thought, it would be an area that you can utilise for other year groups if you wanted to, so each school can do their own thing. Shame.

[simpsonj]

Anyone know when it will be available for Secondary schools?

 

Looks pretty useful, but surprised at the lack of customization, not being able to make your own strands would be useful, as would be able to make you're own individual report templates...

[PhilNeal]

KS3 will be available in autumn. We're working with ASCL on the KS4 possibilities with ASCL the predominant secondary heads association. Edited April 20, 2015 by PhilNeal

[Marci]

havent installed this yet, will be looking at it this week as its been a little while since release no threads on here saying "XYZ is broken"

 

Capita have 14 cases logged of schools who have gone with the 7.162 upgrade, and it's nuked usability of Individual Reports - ie: it no longer hides empty report sections.... they all show. We're one of the sufferers.

 

Affects report sections containing more than one (!) result tag in it.

 

They have a fix which is undergoing testing at the moment.

 

So, best tip - install it, then get your Data Manager to preview a few of your individual report templates to find out whether you're going to need the fix or not.

[Frenchie]

By 'undergoing testing' is this for a patch fix or ANOTHER release of SIMS?