[sims] Roll over of SIM's early

[Steven_Cleaver]

The Senior Management here are asking me to look at rolling over to the new years timetable before the summer so 7 to 8, 8 to 9 etc one week before the summer holiday. So starting next years timetable before the summer holidays.

 

I would need to roll over SIM's early I was wondering if anyone here has done this and what problems issues they ran into.

[Sylv3r]

Do you use use Lesson Monitor to do your attendance? I am not sure how this would work with the students promotion already in place.

 

What is the reason for promotion early?

[Steven_Cleaver]

No we use PARS for attendance.

 

The Senior Management feel the last couple of wweks are a waste of time Particularily for year 9 as they have chossen their options but are still attending lessons that they will not be taking, in their new Academic year.

[kmount]

At the risk of appearing pedantic or unconstructive, for the sake of a week is it worth the risk?

 

Opt for paper registers with someone tied to a desk inputting it for the week and save yourself the sanity.

[kxv2020]

We have done it for 4 years now - it is possible!

 

We start the new timetable 6 weeks before the summer; this is just a case of changing the timetable in nova-t and transferring it across to Sims.net.

 

We only promote in the summer when we suppose to promote; but the class groups just roll over so you don't do it twice!!.

 

Hope that helps!

[Steven_Cleaver]

Completely agree and have confirmed this myself with Senior Management and may go as you said but I can see issues with this for Admin and other issues. I am writing up two options to give to Senior Management stating what needs to be considered as I don't think they have fully thought it through.

[Steven_Cleaver]

Thanks for that at least I know it is feasible how does this effect registration, and Census data.Are their any issues you have found or problems to look out for.

[PhilNeal]

Lots of schools start the new year early - it is a way to ensure that the last few weeks of term are productive. Don't use paper registers or your data will be wrong!!

[alan-d]

Completely agree and have confirmed this myself with Senior Management and may go as you said but I can see issues with this for Admin and other issues. I am writing up two options to give to Senior Management stating what needs to be considered as I don't think they have fully thought it through.

 

I'd like to see a list of pros and cons once you've gone through them.

[kmount]

Lots of schools start the new year early - it is a way to ensure that the last few weeks of term are productive. Don't use paper registers or your data will be wrong!!

 

I was implying that for the end user it would be simpler, but that the data should still be entered by someone/admin/etc.

 

We've all had days where due to a SIMS update we've had no sims for the day (we've actually got a banner.. and we issue paper registers and then have them manually inputted.

 

For 5 days, I'd have originally said it'd have been easier, but if it's as easy as everyone is saying, it's worth a look at least.

[kxv2020]

Completely agree and have confirmed this myself with Senior Management and may go as you said but I can see issues with this for Admin and other issues. I am writing up two options to give to Senior Management stating what needs to be considered as I don't think they have fully thought it through.

 

I think its a good idea if its started early - e.g. our new timetable starts 1 week after the new half term i.e. 9 June. It does bring curriculum benefits and students start there examination courses earlier giving an additional time.

 

You have to realise that its not fully operational until September when new staff join therefore you will have to continue on using staff that are leaving to start the new academic year courses.

 

I don't think there's any point in starting a week earlier = its simply not worth it!

[kxv2020]

Thanks for that at least I know it is feasible how does this effect registration, and Census data.Are their any issues you have found or problems to look out for.

 

The answer is that it doesn't! We don't promote until August I think!! Therefore the year 7's who become year 8 in the summer simply stay as Year 7 on Sims.net!! But we like to change the ethos of kids during the summer to say there now in 'Year 8' rather than 7 [if that makes sense ]!

 

We simply change the timetable therefore when doing census / registration they are still their old year group.

 

Issues as I pointed out in my earlier post, are that when new staff join they have to timetabled into the sept version.... not the summer one - and you continue to use the old staff that are leaving to continue to teach the summer timetable.

 

Let me know if you need further help.... its fairly straightforward but you need to get all 'thinking' right before hand - otherwise you get confused staff!!!

[bossman]

 

We've all had days where due to a SIMS update we've had no sims for the day (we've actually got a banner.. and we issue paper registers and then have them manually inputted.

 

 

Never been in that situation myself, plan my updates to the endth degree, backup and test first, then roll it out to clients.

I must be just lucky i suppose.......

[WonderWoman10]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but what's the outcome? I've just been asked by my Headteacher to find a way to roll SIMs data over as well as the timetable - the issue seems to still be the same as the original OP - staff can't access their new teaching groups in Lesson Monitor or .net - is it simply a matter of changing the start date in .net?

[tmcd35]

Hi WonderWoman,

 

As per the replies above, about the most you can do is apply a new timetable to the existing year groups. The actual roll over happens 1st September. If the time tableis applied correctly then teachers should see their teaching groups without any problems. We've just done this for the second year, starting gcse's after last half term. Year 9 are still year 9 but hey now have a timetable applied based on their option choices.

[Sivadam]

There are two ways of doing this:-

 

1) Just change the Timetable - see: KB33911 - Nova T6 - School wants to begin new timetable for second part of the Summer Term

2) Run full promotion - see: KB70075 - EOY - Beginning the new Academic Year before September

 

Both KBs are on SupportNet.

Edited June 26, 2012 by Sivadam

[hit]

A word of caution, changing the timetable could be in breach of the STPCD 2011 especially where Y11 teachers may lose gained time. Also changes to the timetable should be should be in consultation with staff and unions.

 

I know of two cases at the moment where the unions are considering action due to this.