[sims] Tad overwhelmed with exam data download. What are the major hurdles, do you think?

[Pollock]

Hi all,

 

Looked through the survival kit from SIMS, and must admit, that my head is swimming. Hard to discern which aspects require most prep and research (from a position of knowing next to nothing).

 

Was wondering if anyone had a "I wish I knew this before I started" list. I suspect the coming week will prove difficult, regarding preparation, but not sure where I should focus my attention now in order to best alleviate problems later.

 

Any advice, no matter how small, is welcome. Just feel like I'm wandering between a myriad of things without any direction.

 

Thanks

[3s-gtech]

Are you using A2C?

 

What's your role, IT support?

[Seb1780]

Do you use any third party software for analysis of your data?

 

We only use SIMS for the download and generating (printed) results slips - everything else is done elsewhere.

 

Let me know what you're using.

[Pollock]

data, perhaps fortunately.

 

we use sisra and power bi.

 

does analysis need to happen on the day. trying to get my head round the priorities.

 

also using SIMS

[Seb1780]

OK, I suggest you focus on getting the results in via SIMS, and using this for generating results slips. This should be the Exam Officer's job and this should all be OK because the Exam Officer would have made the entries via SIMS in the first place. This is done using the A2C system. The only thing I know of that goes wrong is missing out results which come from BTEC and similar courses and these need to be added into SIMS manually - again a job for ther Exams Officer.

 

When it comes to analysis your starting point should be the "broadsheet" which your Exams Officer can get you from SIMS. This is a csv file in the format of a table of results which you can manipulate to feed into SISRA where the analysis can take place. I no longer use SISRA, but I can recommend the School Data Management group on Facebook - this is SISRA central!

 

Finally, analysis does not need to happen on the day but your SLT may want something so they can put out positive messages about the school's performance. But beware the fact that nobody (and I mean nobody) knows how KS4 performance is going to be calculated yet; I suspect we will not get the methodology until October at the earliest. Also, the results this year will be "suppressed" compared with the past two years - the free-for-all of CAGs and TAGs is being reined in.

[Ditto]

I think @Seb1780 has got it well covered. Have you had any training on SISRA? I would expect SISRA would be able to take you some of the more common analytic options. What has your school done in the past? One of the challenges can be getting a clear definition of requirements from SLT etc., but really they should have some idea. Whilst exploratory can be interesting and bring light on factors that were previously not known, from a standing start it is much better to have clear goals to aim for.

[mikes]

We are still waiting for our Pearson file to come through on a2c anyone else had delays?

[Seb1780]

We are still waiting for our Pearson file to come through on a2c anyone else had delays?

Not here, and I've not heard anything on other fora.

[howartp]

Nope, definitely got ours cos I’ve just seen a query about pass levels relating to results on it.