Automatic notification of detentions

[zzyzxuk]

Hi all,

 

My admin team are curious what software packages out there are capable of notifying parents of a SIMS-set detention automatically, including the 'reason for detention' field, without the need for paper letters being sent out.

 

We currently use Schoolcomms, but have been told that this isn't capable of doing this automatically. What competing products do you use?

[synaesthesia]

Not aware of anything specifically for that purpose however even in a large secondary notifying parents of detentions manually via Schoolcomms etc shouldn't be too arduous a task?

[zzyzxuk]

Apparently we have to export the detention letter from SIMS into something like a .pdf, and then manually pull up each parent separately in Schoolcomms, attach the .pdf individually and then send it out. We're hoping for something that would do this in batches rather than having to pull up each student record separately as there are a LOT of detentions...

[vikpaw]

Erm, shouldn't Capita's own SIMS InTouch product do this....

[zzyzxuk]

Yes, but it's pricey. I'm looking for something that will do this that isn't Capita if possible.

[vikpaw]

Talk to SalamanderSoftware - they do very good bespoke solutions and chances are it falls within an existing package of theirs so come with other features.

[deano3693]

Interested in this - Our pastoral team want something similar! We have just stopped sending paper letters and send a text message to all parents with a line that states they can look through the VLE if they wish to see more details about the detention (this then shows the behaviour events/comments from SIMS)