ESS SIMS 3 Year Contracts

[paulkerton]

I'm just seeing this issue for the first time today, having been forwarded an email from the finance team. I am considering giving ESS our notice well before 31st December, even if we are still considering staying with them. This at least gives me 3 or 4 months to investigate our options, and start a procurement process with (bearly?) enough time to migrate to a new system before April. Anyone else doing this?

 

Yes. This is what we are doing.

[synaesthesia]

Us. Although we haven't handed our notice in just yet - like you we have until Dec 31st.

 

I'm reviewing the alternatives and seeing if they provide a like for like system. So far, the 1st issue is EduLinkOne only integrates with SIMs but it's on their list to change but they can't give a time frame.

 

BUT if the other MIS systems provide parents evening / homework and an app for parents. Perhaps we can walk away from EduLink OR they integrate in time.

 

I'm currently reviewing Arbor - they sync with everything else.

After today I'll spend a day researching other MIS systems - probably Bromcom and iSAMS.

 

This is our only real bugbear - to be honest, with Arbor we should be able to do away with a lot of the need for Edulink - however at the same time, Edulink/Overnet is bloody wonderful! They say you can't polish a turd, but they've managed to make one smell like roses from the outside at least!

 

( @OvernetData feel free to use that as a testimonial! )

 

Hopefully in the near future they'll be able to hook into other setups though for the various wonderful comms, booking facilities, parents evening bits etc

Edited November 26, 2021 by synaesthesia

[supportman]

Us. Although we haven't handed our notice in just yet - like you we have until Dec 31st.

 

I'm reviewing the alternatives and seeing if they provide a like for like system. So far, the 1st issue is EduLinkOne only integrates with SIMs but it's on their list to change but they can't give a time frame.

 

BUT if the other MIS systems provide parents evening / homework and an app for parents. Perhaps we can walk away from EduLink OR they integrate in time.

 

I'm currently reviewing Arbor - they sync with everything else.

After today I'll spend a day researching other MIS systems - probably Bromcom and iSAMS.

 

Bromcoms parent, teacher and student web portals/app are basically a drop in replacement for EduLink one. They work in the same ways including homework.

 

We did buy a seperate parents evening system though.

Edited November 26, 2021 by supportman

[supportman]

I've been in discussions with them and they don't seem to be hanging around in response to this so may have something soon.

 

 

 

We met with Arbor yesterday and they seem pretty set on their 17th December deadline to get the order in for a guaranteed April launch, do you think you'll be in a position to make the decision by then? It doesn't give us loads of time.

 

Bromcom wanted a commitment early-mid January but seemed confident they could make it work if timings slipped.

 

@supportman, was it Bromcom that moved you in two weeks?

Yes, the order went in a month or so before and we got a migration manager who handled everything. It was actually about 10 days from sending them our Sims SQL file to having a working system. We spent another month or so testing it before "going live" with a 2nd migration of our Sims data.

[synaesthesia]

Bromcoms parent, teacher and student web portals/app are basically a drop in replacement for EduLink one. They work in the same ways including homework.

 

We did buy a seperate parents evening system though.

 

Because BromCom are really endearing themselves to trusts too?

[speakercon]

I've spent the last 4 hours on hold to ESS and I'm still waiting for someone to pick up. Tried emailing but they seem to take a week to reply to each one. Losing the will.

[garbage46]

ESS say no one has been given a one year renewal and do not know where that information came from.

 

Reading between the lines I believe that the original terms and conditions are not legal, specifically the February auto renewal part which could lead to new terms and conditions in which this auto renewal will be removed.

 

If everyone holds out as long as possible they may have to offer one year renewals.

*HODL*

[LeMarchand]

If everyone holds out as long as possible they may have to offer one year renewals.

*HODL*

 

Hold the line!

 

[Ditto]

No response from my trust yet.... perhaps they hadn't noticed... I wonder how many schools will only discover their 3 year commitment over the next 3 years? I guess an unfair contract would be the only get out at that stage.

[Sir]

DfE investigating 3 year contracts with PP. See below links....

 

ESS in webinar with SchoolsICTS yesterday told me that ParentPay only are doing this to bring them into line with industry standards. Funny that as I'm sure my ParentPay payments contract was one year last time i looked... hmmmmm

 

 

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-told-to-hold-off-on-three-year-mis-contract/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=KSLNewsBriefing&utm_content=

https://schoolleaders.thekeysupport.com/administration-and-management/financial-management/procurement-and-payment/renewing-mis-contracts-your-rights-and-responsibilities/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=KSLNewsBriefing&utm_content=

 

We have waited a long time for investment, we MAY finally have it. But why not put some of that 40M investment into keeping us a little sweet during this time by at least giving us the 'Connected SIMS' (Hosted SIMS in HTML5 and still needs SIMS ID (no sso/ ADFS intreation i believe) and mapped remote drives) for no extra cost during this phase. Yes, we may save on SQL Cals and 1 server licence and a few gig of backup, but jeeez, we deserve that for the loyalty to date. I see Arbor in full swing and it is lightning fast and many happy teacher,s leaders and parents on it. Many MATS like mine are at a tipping point and I do not appreciate having so much taken away and giving so little.. "Hello Mrs/Mr IT Director, please pay 20% extra for an uncompleted product, tie yourself in for three years because we have fixed the 1980's register screen so far..."

I undersatnd all are working very hard but the loyalty needs to be rewarded now more than ever, not penalised....

 

Please get it in order PP....

Edited November 26, 2021 by Sir

[enjay]

We're also considering handing in our notice in December, then inviting ESS to participate in the tender process. Another option which we have on the table is to sign the 3-year contract but walk away to another provision mid-term if ESS' next gen platform doesn't materialise soon or isn't suitable.

[mavhc]

"But we need the money to invest in the future!"

 

Probably shouldn't have wasted all the money we've been giving you for 30 years then.

 

Giving money to someone for something to happen in the future sounds like charity, not business.

[Sir]

We're also considering handing in our notice in December, then inviting ESS to participate in the tender process. Another option which we have on the table is to sign the 3-year contract but walk away to another provision mid-term if ESS' next gen platform doesn't materialise soon or isn't suitable.

 

Have we even got a roadmap with dates of the nextGen platform?

[synaesthesia]

Have we even got a roadmap with dates of the nextGen platform?

 

Of course, they've been very vocal about that, even writing a song about it.

[Sir]

"But we need the money to invest in the future!"

 

Probably shouldn't have wasted all the money we've been giving you for 30 years then.

 

Giving money to someone for something to happen in the future sounds like charity, not business.

 

haha, or balance sheet bulging for resale .... maybe paranoid but not 100% convinced it is all for me yet...

[Sir]

Of course, they've been very vocal about that, even writing a song about it.

 

hahahaa good.. #fridayfun

[enjay]

I'm reviewing the alternatives and seeing if they provide a like for like system. So far, the 1st issue is EduLinkOne only integrates with SIMs but it's on their list to change but they can't give a time frame.

 

I've liked the look of EduLinkOne for a while as a pretty front-end on to SIMS. We are currently using Go4Schools as a front-end for all the teacher-facing stuff (regular teachers never log in to SIMS!) with loads of third-party services such as Room Booking System, Parents Evening System, ParentMail and so on linked in to it handling everything else. EduLinkOne would save us a fortune on all of those, but I don't have the capacity to sensibly evaluate it and then manage the parental switch-over. If we do decide to move MIS and if EduLinkOne can start working with other MISs, we'll definitely take a close look at it.

[mavhc]

It's all fun and games until someone actually has to use SIMS

[mthomas08]

I've liked the look of EduLinkOne for a while as a pretty front-end on to SIMS. We are currently using Go4Schools as a front-end for all the teacher-facing stuff (regular teachers never log in to SIMS!) with loads of third-party services such as Room Booking System, Parents Evening System, ParentMail and so on linked in to it handling everything else. EduLinkOne would save us a fortune on all of those, but I don't have the capacity to sensibly evaluate it and then manage the parental switch-over. If we do decide to move MIS and if EduLinkOne can start working with other MISs, we'll definitely take a close look at it.

 

It would be disappointing if we had to leave. Management side of things in EduLink are non existent and sending the details out just take a few buttons.

 

Sends account details through email.

[pete]

Of course, they've been very vocal about that, even writing a song about it.

 

Was expecting the infamous SIMS upgrade video.

[Ditto]

Just had this statement from our outsourced DPO. They specialise in DPO services in schools.

 

"As a very short summary, you should refuse to sign any contract change unless you consider the procurement requirements of the DfE and conduct an impact assessment with your DPO as dictated by 70(1) of the DPA 2018.

$ at this stage does not consider ESS in the claimed form to meet the obligations of a compliant Processor"

 

So now there is a DPA angle too.

My outsourced DPO is happy for me to share their name, but to avoid any risk of advertising, I've not mentioned them here, but I can respond to PMs.

[DrCheese]

Was expecting the infamous SIMS upgrade video.

 

Your wish is my command

 

[Ditto]

Your wish is my command

 

 

I'm sure I've seen this before - I think I laughed even louder this time - the shaking hand removing glasses is worthy of an Oscar alone!!!

[Ditto]

I have to also ask, when YKW says "Technicians... please begin the manual upgrade" - what salary do you think those technicians were on? Comparable with modern times or not? Edited November 26, 2021 by Ditto

[ABR82]

Regarding 1 year renewals, perhaps if you get one you have to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the penalty of word getting out being a 10 year renewal and monthly census submissions?

 

of course I cannot possibly comment on whether or not I have signed any such thing....