Looking for alternatives to SIMS Attendance software

[wallacefields]

Hi all,

 

My school is in the process of converting to Multi Academy Trust and as such we are looking at all the various financials and information management systems we will need in place from day 1.

 

We may move away from SIMS FMS and head to PS Financials however, we will still need to utilise SIMS Attendance or similar to record pupil information, take registers, feed information into the census.

 

Does anyone know of (or have used) any alternatives to SIMS attendance software?

 

TIA

 

Ceri

[bobsmith]

Just to clarify, this sounds like you want to move your whole MIS away from SIMS, not just attendance?

[GREED]

There are lots of alternative providers for SIMS/MIS type software. Curious to know if you JUST use SIMS for taking registers, what else do you use it for (creating timetables, recording behaviour incidents, marking markbooks/assessments, etc etc). Likely, you will be look at an alternative MIS product - have you investigated what your MAT has already/other schools in the group have?

[Banjo]

You still need to produce a census file to the DfE. Splitting attendance data away from the rest would be far from ideal!

[mrwoberts]

Just a little note about PS Financials...

 

One school not too far away from you would say they are a real nightmare, but at the time they converted they felt they didn't have much choice. The database link they attempted to setup between the two schools was left completely down to the schools to sort out, no help from PSF. After months of it not working properly the schools gave in and switched to their online (RDP) version, however, PSF made no concessions for the large expense the school had already paid out trying to get their software up and running (SQL Server upgrades...).

Trying to get a support ticket resolved, once you've managed to actually contact them, is hit and miss.

PM me if you'd like chat to the admin ladies at school directly.

[examsqueen]

For attendance you could look at TASC Software | PARS Connect

[data_guy]

What about timetabling, student details etc? Will you still require this type of system? You could probably use a variety of stand alone systems to fulfil your requirements but it will not be integrated. My school is part of a MAT. SIMS is used for everything bar finance and HR. That is done at trust level, but we still need the MIS for the day to day stuff.

[Guest obsidianpillar]

Our school uses DoubleFirst's "Engage".

 

Link here: Independent school software - Double First Engage school management information system

 

Can do attendance, pastoral concerns etc.