markberry

We had some major issues on Friday when trying to upload new timetables from Timetabler. The process was extremely slow, taking around 5 hours to complete. Then once complete was full of major errors. We've been told we're not the only school seeing this! Anyone else experienced this?

Timetabler do offer a service to transfer your NovaT file into Timetabler. We used that serivce just to be sure everything was in Timetabler correctly ready for the new year even though our SIMS timetable was transfer by Arbor. There is an export to Timetabler option within Arbor.

Reminds me of when I 1st started back in 2000 and most of SIMS was still in DOS modules and they spent years telling us SIMS.Net is coming soon!

By then I think SIMS will be long gone!

That'll be why! We use Sign-In app for writing back student lates which hasn't been working since the update. Why they didn't wait until the holidays to update, I really don't understand! - - - Updated - - - I think it may have also broken the link with SalamanderSoft too!

Anyone had trouble with the latest SIMS update? It appears to have broken the link with Wonde, Groupcall etc. so broken any products that work with it! We're told it was supposed to be released in August but SIMS released it early without warning and 3rd parties haven't updated their systems in readyness!

We've just moved from an old Cisco system to full MS Teams using a 3rd party provider for the SIP trunks and Yealink devices. The costs are pennies compared to the previous system and ADSL lines. We had a 3rd party do the original install although we could have probably done it ourselves. We now manage the phones, lines, voicemail etc all through Teams management in M365.

There are some changes you can make to force it use your school login and M365 Commercial Data Protection policies. Details are in the Microsoft Education AI Toolkit, or details here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/copilot/manage As for accessing internal data sources, I've found the issues are usually around staff creating an area without setting the correct permissions. A SharePoint site where all staff have read access for example, then they wonder why all staff can see a document they've just created and saved there!

Yes they have to report it to the Data Controller, not to the ICO. The Data Controller then has a duty to investigate and report to the ICO. It isn't for ClassCharts to tell the ICO it was or wasn't a breach. The school's who know they've had this issue should be investigating and reporting it if deemed they need to. It's the schools who should be taking action not complaining that ClassCharts have just said it's not a breach.

ClassCharts are a data processor acting under a contract to a data controller (school). The data controller is responsible for investigating and deciding whether it is a breach and whether it is reportable or not. The processor is legally obliged to assist the school and provide evidence for any investigation. It isn’t within their purview to decide that it’s not a breach.

Not sure the ICO is right on that. It's ultimately the Data Controllers responsibility and is liable for a breach. TES are just the processor acting on the school's behalf. We're just completing a DPIA for one of TES other products and I have to say I'm not filled with confidence in them!

You need to check with your exams officer to see how long it needs be kept in case of appeals for exams etc. You may be asked for copies of coursework or other work as evidence so need to keep it to cover those timescales.

It's generally DOB + 25 years for student records. CP information held separately to the pupil file is DOB+25 years then review, so you may have to keep those files for longer. There are a whole load of different timescales for staff information, H&S etc. Staff file is termination of employement + 6 years, Time sheets is current year + 6 years, Management of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme is Date of Last Payment + 6 years. The school should have a Data Retention Scheme in place. The Information and Records Management Society have an Academies Toolkit which covers this. You can view the pdf for free on their site but need to be a member to download it. https://irms.org.uk/page/AcademiesToolkit

I have the same issue. Tells me it's available to buy but then says I don't meet the minimum requirement of having E3 or E5. We are on A5!

I always login with Teacher

Yes it is! Free to install as a server. Also free to install on as many clients as you want. The camera licenses are about £30 for Axis cameras, can't remember how much for none-Axis cameras. You can often get new Axis cameras on eBay for a decent discount, you just need to buy the license then.

Log into Wonde, go to Settings and Wonde License. Ensure you're on Basic.

We just got hit with the invoice as I never noticed the "we will invoice you in 30 days". Very underhand business practice and I hope schools don't automatically pay it. If you haven't received a PO from our Finance Team you aren't getting an invoice paid! Downgraded the service and told them we aren't paying it!

We use Axis. Initially I configured my own server and then bought the cameras and licenses. We've since upgraded the server (after 7 years) and just bought one of the Axis Servers which comes with a load of licenses builtin. The software for recording and viewing is free. All you have to license are the cameras. You can also add third party cameras to it (within reason as they have to meet certain specs) but you have to buy a more expensive license for each camera.

Salamander works brilliantly! And will carry on working if you ever move to another MIS!

So how are you currently syncing between SIMS and 365?

What are you using to Sync? Salamander SDS?

We use Axis. Cameras are a little more expensive but the software is free and can be installed on your own hardware.

A very simple low tech solution, question the kids on what they've written and see whether they actually have the knowledge they have put down on paper!

Guardian -> Exceptions -> Manage source exceptions Add the IP of the server then change the proxy settings on the server to Smoothwall_IP_Address and port 801