Sivadam

The extra curricular for anyone, anywhere, anytime is exactly what we wanted - so that after-school clubs etc that also cater for the non-school population could be included. That is exactly what the 'extended services', or whatever you want to call it now, was supposed to deliver. It would have been a boon for us as a Sports College. However, the complexity involving non-school persons, and their inclusion in the whole database has proved too difficult to deliver right now (if ever!). Whether the provison of functionality for clubs, visits, ete etc can be included in the 'Alternative Curriculum' functionality remains to be seen! PM responded to - but I do not know which company/product Capita are looking at to replace this.

The 'All time, Anybody, Anywhere' principle proved to be far too complex to be organised. Whether a cut down version just for the school population will emerge, either on it's own or within Alternative Curriculum, remains to be seen. I am not sure what you actually saw but I am told that the product by an external company, that they are now considering, is quite good!

Alternative Curriculum routine is due for delivery in Spring 2011. So it will be quite a while before you can utilise it! It may not suit your needs anyway - it is described as 'Additional functionality to allow quick & flexible timetable editing in SIMS.' as per quote from the roadmap. The 'extended/extra curriculum' is now off the menu -as per the roadmap! - 'The internal project to deliver Extra Curriclum was put on hold last year. Since then we have been looking at partner products to see if we can find one that we feels meets the needs of schools to timetable schedule activities outside of the constraints of the standard timetable. We will keep you informed as the situation develops.'

The whole point is that they DID input a leaving date!

JPS, That seems a tad bit harsh! (or maybe even ridiculously harsh even!) And, maybe, very telling for a second ever post in these forums. Perhaps you should re-read the original post - they put a leaving date in, in Serco! One cannot blame any software for human error! Or maybe Serco won't allow a CTF to be created without a Leaving Date? If this is so, then perhaps your stones need throwing in a different direction?

I am unsure as to what happens to the Results and Grade sets. Maybe they are attached to the Aspects (Gradesets) and Results (Resultsets) when they are imported. I have never used these procedures even though I know that they exist. Yes you should be able to edit imported Aspects and Templates (within the context of which Results are actually attached). In any case you can easily Clone them and hence have your own versions!

If you have access to the same data in the original schools then you can bulk export out all the Templates you require. Obviously you need the Aspects first. Then you can export out the results and the Reports! These should all import back in to the new system!

Can I assume that you have not joined Capita SupportNet? And have not contacted the SIMS Support team for your school? When a new school is formed then it is the DCSF (now the DfE) that restricts what can and what cannot be transferred. The data is 'owned' by the original school and the DCSF only allows the transfer of data that can be done via CTFs. See KB88079 and others on SupportNet. As for your comments re AM7. I think that this is a case of trying to run before you can walk. Yes it does take time to build up the system but that time will be well rewarded in the long run. I would urge that you join SupportNet where there are many experts in the use of SIMS - particularly on the Assessment Forum! http://support.capitaes.co.uk/newlogin/login.asp

When we get full Inboxes then the miscreant gets a gentle warning, by email, from me. If this has no effect then they get a second - warning them that I will edit their SIMS Password, log in as them, and delete them for them. I then make sure that their new Password - which they have to see me to get - acts as a reminder (at least initially!). My favourite 'new' password is 'Readmymessages' It works, usually!!!

Check out how to use Single User Mode. See 'KB88695 - How to force Users out of Sims.net' via SupportNet. It does refer to SQL Server 2005 but is still relevant to SQL Server 2008!

I have not seen our LA quote for this year yet - but it would not surprise me if it was more than we are paying for Capita Support. If it is less then I don't think the difference will be significant.

That surprises me! Are you sure it is a like-for-like quote? Are all Modules quoted for by both the LA and by Capita? If you have got it that much cheaper from the LA then you have a bargain! Also - have you been quoted for different levels of Support? This may make a difference! It is also the reason I put my caveat into the first post re having an 'expert' in the school! You can then go for the cheapest support option!

I agree with everything that Tyiell says - with one exception. I think the product is Excellent!

All three! I normally log issues directly on to the website. That way I can record exactly what information I want to get through - and any workrounds that I have sorted out for myself.

Mainly as a result of my instigation we went down this route a couple of years ago. You really do need to have somebody in the school who has an extensive knowledge of all areas of SIMS before you contemplate doing this. I have no regrets in moving to direct Capita Support and cannot compliment them high enough in terms of the service that we get. It does help that we are now designated as a SIMS Partnership School - something that we achieved last year. As for SupportNet - you may well recognise me if you do use the facility!

What a super comment Phil!

If you select 'ALL' and then 'Print' then they all print out one after the other! You could also just select the groups for one year group if that is what you want. If there is a reasonable printer attached then this does not take that long! The report is extremely flexible which means that schools can use it it in whichever way they want! The facility to add other details is also helpful! You can add your own format though I have never tried this!

You need to select Reg Groups - not Years!

The report I refer to IS in Reg Groups! At least it is from Lesson Monitor. I would have assumed it was the same from Attendance!

Pretty, yes ....... ....... but very, very basic! (No offence meant!)

Reports, Lesson Monitor (or Attendance), Selected Students Reports, Sessions Absence Report. Edit the date range (just for today if you wish!). Select Reg Groups. Search. Select All, Print. It's near enough to what you want!

I think that all the Settings must have been re-set when the site was changed. Mine were all fully public until I changed them today after viewing your Profile. I am certain that some of these were Private before the site was changed. If the settings were globally changed then I think that the site has a lot to answer for! I have quite a number of messages in my Inbox that could have been accessed before I just changed the settings. I assume that they are not visible now!? If they still are then c'est la vie! Hopefully nobody's feelings will be hurt too much!

We have been showing SLG to a number of schools over the past two years. If you PM me with professional details then maybe we could offer you a visit. You will also find me on SupportNet!

By the way, Sarconia, I clicked on your name to look at your Profile and could see one of your Inbox Messages - surely that is not how it should work! Maybe your settings need to be edited?

Yep! It is my Timetable. And I do know it quite well! It has to be edited as and when necessary and happens very regularly here. And, after all, the Timetable drives the whole of the MIS. If it ain't 100% correct, all of the time, then the rest of the system simply cannot work efficiently! Dealing with all those Temporal Locks for a host of schools with Timetablers that do not understand must be a real nightmare! You have my sympathy! I actually lost some of my changes when I deleted some of the Locks in one of the Datasets I refer to above. But, as they always say, 'It wern't my fault, gov!'. The department head had given me bum info re. the dates of a rotation! So I have had to correct it again this week!