Converting to an academy? Do you need to relicense all your software.....

[robk]

I know that a number of software companies are forcing schools to re-licence their software on conversion to academy status.

 

I thought it might be good to start a list of who is insisting on this.

 

Apparently (though not confirmed myself) Boardworks insist on a new licence.

 

Feedback would be good... That extra Academy money will soon be spent on software by the looks of it.

[reggiep]

I contacted boardworks and was told we do not need to re license

However Capita would like a hefty sum in the region of £16,000 and Ten Ticks want £200

[teejay]

Your MIS system, possibly Adobe but depends on your licence and that's about all I've found so far.

Microsoft, Corel, Symantec, CA, Dell, Oracle all have no problems transfering the licence. Yes, don't forget you have to transfer your hardware as well (I believe this will impact the lifetime warranty on HP switches, haven't had that confirmed properly yet though)

 

I think we should have a 'name and shame' list of the companies that are seeing £ signs from this rather than supporting education in these tough times

We will remember who you are when times get better...

[reggiep]

Adobe told me we were fine.

I had to ring every supplier at the beginning of January. It was hard to find some of them. Some just didn't exist any more.

[teejay]

Adobe told me we were fine.

I had to ring every supplier at the beginning of January. It was hard to find some of them. Some just didn't exist any more.

 

So, did you find any apart from your MIS supplier who wanted money off you?

[reggiep]

No just capita and ten ticks.

[irsprint84]

In this case say to capita you re moving sure that'll sort things out

[pete]

Regarding Capita: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/63432-academy-conversion-worries-solved.html#post622301

 

If your school bought SIMS as a single site license / directly supported by Capita, changing to an Academy costs £200. If you didn't buy SIMS / got a cheap deal via the LA, then it'll cost you because you no longer qualify for the LA discount.

 

Any school who thinks they'll get more money (at year end, after paying bills etc) by moving to an Academy* is rather shortsighted. You get more independence.

 

*that's "become Academy = extra wonga", rather than the "become leader of local Academy, pillage other schools funding when they join our academy" that certain schools who shall remain nameless have been doing.

Edited February 18, 2011 by pete

[Sylv3r]

From snippets and research I have picked up regarding changes to becoming an academy really come down to wanting your own flexibility and ability to be less dependant on services supplied by the LA. If your wanting to have huge pots of money then academy isn't the cash cow you have been looking for.

 

With things like having to provide your own transport as well as payroll etc then you could actually be more out of pocket then your current budget.

[teejay]

It really depends on the school, some will hardly benefit financially, others who are heavily top-sliced by the LEA will benefit greatly.

[maniac]

As well as sometimes being awkward to transfer licenses across, converting to an academy can be a very convenient time to get out of any agreements that you may be signed into - we had one or two silly agreements that had been signed in the past that we worked our way out of, because the previous school legally didn't exist anymore so the agreement was void as a result. Had one or two companies challenge this, but they've all given up now.

[teejay]

That's a very good point maniac, I have a couple of contracts in my sights...

[localzuk]

I spent 2 days calling about 30 different companies this week, asking whether licenses transfer or not. I will post the list and what they say at some point when I get a chance.

 

The end result basically was that most either transfer or simply want notification.

 

The only ones that need re-buying were SIMS .net and as far as I can see, Adobe stuff (academic licenses are non-transferrable according to their website).

[Cache]

(I believe this will impact the lifetime warranty on HP switches, haven't had that confirmed properly yet though)

 

Having recently called HP about the status of a warrenty (whether switch I got was UK stock or not) they told me that the source of the switch didn't matter and that all they neede to do was trace it back. Also the warrenty transfers with the switch regardless of who it transfers too.

[maniac]

Having recently called HP about the status of a warrenty (whether switch I got was UK stock or not) they told me that the source of the switch didn't matter and that all they neede to do was trace it back. Also the warrenty transfers with the switch regardless of who it transfers too.

 

Yes, I've never had to prove where I got an HP switch from when claiming under their lifetime warranty. The fibre converters on the old 4108 and 2524 switches were forever going wrong, but each and every time HP sent out new ones with no hassle at all, never even asked for serial numbers a lot of the time.

[Wirral_Wonderer]

I have just been sent an email Boardworks saying "...Prior to the school’s change to an academy, the school purchased resources from Boardworks, ... These licenses are currently not valid for use at the new academy...."

 

Has anyone else had one of these?

[ful56_uk]

yes we just have, there are coming in for a discussion

[localzuk]

I have just been sent an email Boardworks saying "...Prior to the school’s change to an academy, the school purchased resources from Boardworks, ... These licenses are currently not valid for use at the new academy...."

 

Has anyone else had one of these?

 

They just get you to sign a new agreement from what I remember.

[FragglePete]

We've just had this e-mail as well; I'm forwarding to our Business Manager. Hope they're not trying to pull a 'Capita' on us!

 

Pete

[FragglePete]

Have a reply from Boardworks:

 

There is no cost involved in this, it is just ensuring everything is as it needs to be. The process is simply confirming what you currently have licensed, and checking you have this installed (as in many cases schools have actually paid for resources, that they weren’t even aware and are not even installed) and signing the relevant transfer paperwork. It will take approximately half an hour, so if you can think of any time best suitable to do this, then I will check availability for you.

 

Arranging an appointment in the next few days.

 

Pete

[Diello]

We've had the same... I think they get confused over the new and old style academies. The old style were new schools, with new DfES number etc. With the new academies we're merely changing who we receive the funding from, and stop being responsible to the LA, with the board of trustees taking over. It's quite ridiculous.

[localzuk]

We've had the same... I think they get confused over the new and old style academies. The old style were new schools, with new DfES number etc. With the new academies we're merely changing who we receive the funding from, and stop being responsible to the LA, with the board of trustees taking over. It's quite ridiculous.

 

Ah, but before, the license is technically with the LEA, and now the license is directly with the academy (as a limited company).