SIMS Learning Gateway & Web Parts - the facts?

[LosOjos]

Hi all,

 

we're in a bit of a crisis situation here at the minute. In September, we merge with another school (2.5 mile down the road...) and will be running a single SIMS database.

 

The link between the two sites is not going to be good enough for full blown SIMS access at the second site (it's currently 10mbit but is being upgraded to 100mbit in the coming days).

 

We have already ordered a TS server to handle staff having full access to SIMS, but we ordered this on the basis that only admin staff would need full access, believing teachers could enter registration marks, assessment data, and behaviour through Web Parts.

 

I have tried to find definitive information on the Web Parts, but nothing seems to be able to give me a black and white answer (frustratingly), so I'm hoping that those of you who use it can advise me on the following:

 

• Which modules can you grant write access to?
  
• Which modules have read only access?
  
• Is the attendance module capable of entering session attendance marks, or just AM/PM (as the documentation seems to suggest)?
  
• Are there any pitfalls I should know about to using Web Parts?
  

 

It's quite urgent I get this information, the head understandably wants to know what kind of expenditure we're looking at, as if it turns out Web Parts doesn't do what we need it to, we're going to have to order an additional TS server to cope with the load.

 

Any useful advice will be thanked

[apeo]

AFAIK currently:

 

• Only Attendance and Marksheet modules have write access.
  
• Everything else read only.
  
• Works similar to how OWA is a cut down version of Outlook, SLG Attendance is a cut down version of Lesson Register.
   
  

[LosOjos]

Only Attendance and Marksheet modules have write access.

*SNIP*

SLG Attendance is a cut down version of Lesson Register.

 

Thanks for that, do you know whether lesson attendance marks can be entered, or is it just AM/PM marks?

[tmcd35]

We are in the process of installing SIMS here. Our current roll out plans (subject to change) is to provide class teachers access to SLG only. Looking at the road map for the summer release (released today) and the autumn release, I think it will give class teachers everything they need access to.

[apeo]

Thanks for that, do you know whether lesson attendance marks can be entered, or is it just AM/PM marks?

 

Lessons and AM/PM can be entered.

[LosOjos]

We are in the process of installing SIMS here. Our current roll out plans (subject to change) is to provide class teachers access to SLG only. Looking at the road map for the summer release (released today) and the autumn release, I think it will give class teachers everything they need access to.

 

Thanks, it doesn't seem to be quite there yet for us though. Did find that Capita providea demo site though, very useful: SIMS Learning Gateway Demonstration Form

[Sivadam]

Profiles can be written too!

From today some SEN is displayed and this can be shown on Class Registers along with G&T.

From today Cover is displayed!

Behaviour and Report Card is available from Autumn 2010!

AM& Reports and Profiles Reports can be bulk published in .pdf format for parental access from Autumn 2010!

Get out and see it in Action!

What do you want to do that it can't?

Edited July 9, 2010 by Sivadam

[PhilNeal]

I would have thought a 100MBit line would be OK to run the full client. SLG is great for parental access and working from home but the full client is richer.

[LosOjos]

What do you want to do that it can't?

 

Enter behaviour and achievement data. SLT have spent a lot of time planning how they're going to make best use of the behaviour module next year, so it's essential for us really.

 

I would have thought a 100MBit line would be OK to run the full client. SLG is great for parental access and working from home but the full client is richer.

 

That's the official opinion we've been given, but having spoken to other schools with split sites, they advised us against it. SIMS can get pretty slow here when everybody is logged in, so it's no stretch of the imagination that it'd cripple a 100mbit line

[carvjo]

I've looked at the demo for this:

 

Bromcom Computers Plc | Management Information Systems for Schools & Colleges

 

about one third the price of SIMS Learning Gateway - if you only want to give teachers access to SIMS in a web browser this does it..

 

From Sept. SchoolAnywhere are going to have two-way moodle/SIMS integration - they promise it will be SIMS in a web interface..

[LosOjos]

I've looked at the demo for this:

 

Bromcom Computers Plc | Management Information Systems for Schools & Colleges

 

about one third the price of SIMS Learning Gateway - if you only want to give teachers access to SIMS in a web browser this does it..

 

From Sept. SchoolAnywhere are going to have two-way moodle/SIMS integration - they promise it will be SIMS in a web interface..

 

Don't want to be accused of slander (again), but we're happily moving the other site away from BromCom!

[Sivadam]

Enter behaviour and achievement data. SLT have spent a lot of time planning how they're going to make best use of the behaviour module next year, so it's essential for us really.

 

I think it's on the radar. I assume it will crop up at next week's SLG Consultation Meeting with Paul Metcalfe.

I am looking forward to an updated SLG Roadmap.

[MattMitchell]

SLG will let you write session and lesson attendance marks, and use assessment manager and profiles. Behaviour is planned but not implemented yet (my guess is early 2011 but you never know). Assuming the schools are both secondaries with plenty of staff, heavy use with slg could be slow, especially if lesson changeovers are at the same time at both sites.

 

Slg could be faster if it's self-hosted at one site and you can access there from the internal side to avoid hammering your Internet connection, but then you have the issue of maintaining a sharepoint server and the network security in-house, which would effectively cost maybe 20-30k a year for a suitably-qualified staff member plus hardare costs, etc.

 

Another way would be to use partnership exchange with all students on roll at your main site, and it would then pick up your assessment and attendance data from the other site daily (more frequently if your link can handle it). It won't pick up behaviour but it would allow staff to use lesson monitor. Again, if your LA aren't providing a partnership exchange ZIS then staffing and maintenance could cost a bit...

 

Unless you have students being timetabled to have lessons on both sites, I think px would be more workable as it would allow you to return census data etc correctly, and you would avoid a lot of the network traffic issues. It's not a coincidence that our LA is rolling out SLG and a county-wide 100Mbit wan at the same time!

 

Multiple remote access isn't really feasible; if you had a dedicated point-to-point leased line for sims access only, that might work, but you'd need to talk to capita about having client software upgrades sourcing from non-default locations to avoid software upgrades killing your system.

 

At the moment, you can't import behaviour data from one site to another in sims, but there may be a solution for this on the market in a year or so ;-)

[vikpaw]

This document is very useful and lists all the available webparts and details the functions / permissions etc.

Search SupportNet for 13851, just off the homepage search box and it will take you to

SLGWebParts Guide.