Does anyone still come in early for results downlaod?

[Rob_D]

Having come in at 7:00 with the exams officer, in part because it's what we've always done, and in part because its the first time using Bromcom's integrated A2C, we had the whole download/import done in about 20 minutes. So exams officer has decided we probably don't need to bother coming in early next year. (Which seems a far cry from when the previous exams officer wanted to be in for midnight in years gone by).

So out of interest, who still comes in early for results download?

[thimon]

I was in at 6am. Mainly helping with the Excel spreadsheet they use and tallying everything up correctly.

[psydii]

Not for several years. Once SLT realized that we had reliable infrastructure, and the exams office got e hang of doing all the pre-flight checks ahead results week, we've not been needed.

 

So we picked up running sixth form admissions via a real "heath robinson" set of tools. That was a whole heap of work for several years.

 

That's gone out to applicaa this year but they've collapsed under the load, so I've been manning the phones since 9, and its more hectic than I've known it.

[howartp]

I'm still of the mindset that if I don't come in, or at least get up ready, then something usually goes wrong.

 

If I come in pronto, it all goes swimmingly and i'm not needed.

 

For the two days a year that it involves, I don't mind getting up and coming in for roughly 7am/7.15 (versus 8.15/8.30 normally) - exams are in about 6.30 but I don't bother that early any more.

[robintech]

7AM still, had a nice email from the ISP the night before saying they were performing emergency works with a predicted maximum 60 minute downtime over a six hour window so didn't want to risk it even with failover internet having been tested recently.

[jthompson]

I don't, but the exams officer and data manager do. For quite a few years now, the only problems encountered have been things that require a call ot the exam boards, rather than anything local.

 

We do make sure that at least one person from IT is working on those days, though.

[6Foot2]

If I was still there, I believe I would have been in early: SLT stipulated that IT support should be present to assist if there was a problem.

 

There has been a substantial change in senior staff since I left, but I'm pretty sure that the "old" requirement will still be in place.

[psydii]

....also yesterday is the big day for processing results... today is just the performance of giving them out. The pressure today is trying to run sixth form admissions and snaffle up all the best students before the competition do.

[DrCheese]

I used to, but nowadays the exams officer gets in so early by the time I arrived (early as well!) it was all done.

 

I now just say to them to give me a call and I can do anything remotely if needed & be on site within 30 minutes if anything physical needs doing.

 

Much easier.

[3s-gtech]

Used to be 6am, this year 7am. Exams Officer was struggling yesterday as they forgot to overwrite an old results file of the same name so SIMS wasn’t seeing the new one. That alone made the early start worthwhile. This was our first set of summer results using SIMS Connected so caution was best.

[pete]

Nope. I checked everything was fine the previous afternoon and we're contactable in real emergencies so there's no need.

[Jonah]

We just make sure we’re around, normal times. Been the same for the past few years - thankfully we’ve never actually been needed, think it’s more a safety net/reassurance thing nowadays!

[msi_school]

Our head likes to be in at 0001 to download the results and do their evaluations etc. before the sun comes up. I come in at about 1130 and go home at about 0030.

 

It is annoying but it is better than not being there and there being an issue and I always get brownie points for being there.

[FN-GM]

Our head likes to be in at 0001 to download the results

 

Why aren’t they doing them from home? It’s a pretty stupid hour to be in work and selfish to expect others (such as facilities and yourself) to be there.

[junz]

Our head likes to be in at 0001 to download the results and do their evaluations etc. before the sun comes up. I come in at about 1130 and go home at about 0030.

 

It is annoying but it is better than not being there and there being an issue and I always get brownie points for being there.

 

 

Hope that is an exaggeration!

[Tys]

Reading this is making me realise how lucky we are to have a great exams officer... we are on site for our normal hours throughout the hols anyway, but really have very little involvement in results day. We just approach the day before and the day itself with kid gloves in terms of doing anything with servers or infrastructure and things tend to go well.

[jthompson]

Our head likes to be in at 0001 to download the results and do their evaluations etc. before the sun comes up. I come in at about 1130 and go home at about 0030.

 

It is annoying but it is better than not being there and there being an issue and I always get brownie points for being there.

Wow. I care, but I'm not sure I care quite as much as that! Faced with that I'd be tempted to make a pointed performance of turning up for work at 8am.

[Olliedawg]

I have very little involvment with the exams results. Exams officer is a whizz with excel so no issues there! I believe Exams officer came in at around 7:00AM, I arrived just after 7:30AM & they were nearly done by then. I did show up slightly early (normal day for me is 8-4), juts incase any issues arose.

[Pottsey]

Not for the past 4 years. I keep the date in mind in case of problems and even if there was a problem I expect it could be fixed remotely in most cases.

[msi_school]

Hope that is an exaggeration!

 

I never thought about it as a major issue, the school is a high performing school in a poor area and it's results are very important to the students and the team. As such the Head, Exams officer and various SLT come in early to collect the results.

 

As we support the schools I feel it is part of our role to provide cover at this time, the school are always grateful and I am not expected to be in work the following morning.

 

Lots of IT jobs support 24/7 operation with shifts or on call I just have one late night.

[kennysarmy]

Was asked to come in at 7.00 on both days...."just in case".....

 

Of course there was no panic and it did mean I could leave early

[SB9876]

Usual 8am arrival for me as Data Manager - the day before Exams reuslts day. Exams Manager has checked all has been received by then. I can then export to spreadsheets (i know! Still doing that - i've not got round to configuring the Bromcom Dashboards yet). We are now considering SISRA though as an additional to help with speed of analytical products being sent out to managers