jmak

Another recommendation for purple mash here. The price put people off a bit first time round, but it was never questioned at renewal. They always used to offer a free month with full functionality as a trial. Maybe start a trial to align with the start of your project. I've used it to draw Tudor houses with year 1 and 2 pupils on Chromebooks [emoji23]I think there's even a built in template! Also a whole list of great for of London curriculum activities.

For new starters (assuming you're a state school) you should get an atf from the local authority which you can upload into SIMS. This normally creates a basic record for each child including parental contact details. You can get SIMS parent app lite free, which you can then ask parents to use to provide additional data. This can then be automatically uploaded to SIMS once verified. https://www.ess-sims.co.uk/products-and-services/sims-parent-lite-app As others have suggested, you can create a web form which has the advantage that parents don't need to download anything to complete it, but the disadvantage is that there's no approved way to automatically upload it to SIMS. I created a form by going through the pages in SIMS and making the fields match exactly with links to different sections so that parents didn't have to repeat the same information (eg where multiple contacts had the same address). There is a script created by an edugeek which automates upload from a csv and write a few people have used it successfully, but it's not officially supported and there's no means of reverting if it goes wrong. /showthread.php?t=99098

This was one thing I did get strong unquestioned backing on. It was pointed out it was a pupil safety issue. Not having completed registers (including evidence they were taken in a timely fashion) would be a potential Ofsted fail (a local college did fail on pupil safety and this was one of the reasons cited) and would therefore be treated as a disciplinary offence. Things sharpened up after that! Office had complained they weren't being reliably completed, I proposed technical solutions, HT said teachers are grown ups and need to sort it out. Can work but depends on teachers having SIMS open - the teachers who were failing to complete the register often hadn't bothered to open SIMS...

Have a read of this and the links from it: https://support.google.com/a/answer/7009324 You've got various options including adding another domain as an alias, changing your primary domain from one to another, adding a new domain as a primary and keeping the other as an alias. I would have thought that the last of those it's most likely to be the best for you. Also note on the page I've linked that it says if you are a non-profit or education customer they recommend contacting them for help. I'm sure they have more experience than most people on here. One of the questions I'd be asking is about options for provisioning the new accounts. I'd assume there are options for creating from the existing accounts. Whether that's a good option for you will depend on the whether formats match, whether organisational groups from whatever you've been using Google Workspace for match with your new requirements and whether there's actually anything in your existing Workspace that will be needed going forward. You also need to ask about the best way to link the accounts to your AD. You definitely want single sign on synchronized, so that you only have to manage one set of usernames and passwords. I know the best way to do that for a new set up, but you should take advice from Google for your situation. There's a link to contact them from the page I linked.

Assuming they haven't done a full impact assessment, you need to straight away. Almost certainly to late to influence the decision, so don't do it as a reason not to prices, just as a way to make sure you don't miss anything. Are you moving away completely from on-site file servers for data storage? Are you moving to Google cloud identity service or will you still have MS Active Directory? What about print server? Then you need a proper project plan with all activities. There's no fundamental issue, but if it's not planned properly, it'll be a proper mess.

Would a browser with a built in QR code reader be any use, or is that the same issue as a QR code reader app with a built in browser? I use the Opera browser which has built in QR reader function.

I'd highly recommend setting up Azure AD Connect and then using the built-in G Suite Connector by Microsoft application to set up SSO and provisioning. In the Google Workspace admin console, you can set the Chromebooks to automatically add the domain, so that users don't have to type it in when they login. I did have an issue with pre-existing Google accounts - the SSO login worked, but users didn't have access to their Google drive. Apparently it should work and ymmv, but it's recommended that you allow it to provision new accounts. https://cloud.google.com/architecture/identity/federating-gcp-with-azure-ad-configuring-provisioning-and-single-sign-on

I inherited my pedantry from my Dad who was a newspaper editor at one point in his career. He accepted that sometimes there is more than one option that could be considered correct, but his strictest rule was that you should adopt a style and stick to it. He did concede that occasionally a rule could change because so many people get it consistently wrong. I don;t think there are any occasions when you can use a semi-colon for a contraction. But mostly I'm trying to justify why I got 9/10!

Good work - she'll go far. What's a pirate's favourite radio show? ........ The Aaarrrrchers

As they have M365, they already have Azure AD. You can set up Azure AD Connect to allow self service password reset with writeback to on premises AD, available from any browser. Could be a quick win.

On Google Workspace vs M365: M365 has more configuration options (with the added complexity that brings) and often the advantage claimed is their perceived better compatibility with Microsoft OS and applications and user familiarity. If you've already got Google Workspace running and staff are comfortable, personally I wouldn't be interested in swapping. On Chromebooks: ime definitely more straightforward to manage, although ultimately less capable. If they meet your requirements (and I'd say for most student use and working with Google Workspace, they usually will) they're definitely a good option. Updates are definitely more straightforward and don't introduce problems neatly as often as Microsoft. On updates: SCCM definitely more powerful than WSUS, but not free and there is a learning curve. You could also look at Windows Update for Business (https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-blog-archive/what-is-windows-update-for-business/ba-p/167033) which manages your updates in the cloud. Control through Group Policy and/or Intune, potentially means you can remove a role from from your server - a role which can be problematic. No definitive "right answer" but definitely options to look at.

Stanley mobile tool chest? https://www.stanleytools.co.uk/products/detail/Products/STORAGE/Tool+boxes/STANLEY%C2%AE+Pro+Mobile+Tool+Chest+with+Pocket+Organizer+_+Cups £44 in Screwfix - less on Amazon. Bigger sizes available. You could even put the power strips in the tote tray...

I'm in the camp that thinks the charging solutions are outrageously overpriced. Out of all the rip-offs I've come across in education IT, I'd nominate them as being in contention for the biggest con. I'd go with plastic storage boxes to be kept in a locked cupboard. Something similar to this: https://www.diy.com/departments/really-useful-clear-35l-plastic-storage-box/5060456657482_BQ.prd Then add some 6 way power strips (and before everyone says you shouldn't use them, we had a Zioxi 16 iPad cabinet which sells for about £700 and when I opened it up, it just had 4 x 4 way adapters screwed to the side). Chromebook chargers don't often draw more than 65W, so 16 will only draw 1kW, ie way less than a kettle and no problem for a single wall socket. For tablets, I'd go with something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-Family-Sized-Charger-Technology-AX-TPCS/dp/B00OJ79UK6 For Chromebooks, you'll need to stick with the original chargers. Secure them in the cupboard where they're going to be stored overnight. Obviously buy the right size for the number of devices - we used to keep ours in sets of 6 because that's how many kids were in a group, but I can easily manage to carry a box of 10, so that way you'd only need 3 boxes for a class set. Want to move several boxes around? Buy one of these for £17.50 plus a handle for another £8 and you've got a mobile storage solution for about £50 https://www.diy.com/departments/diall-dolly-200kg-capacity/1530948_BQ.prd I quite liked this idea: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cb/00/6d/cb006d7a18cc277489712dc0014f94b7.jpg

Indeed. The inventor of the plastic bag had the best intentions - he saw how much waste there was with people using paper bags once and then throwing them away. Not convinced about Morrisons moving back (see posts further up this thread). Not much use if you get the bus in the rain. Fine for car drivers, but why don't they bring their own? And not likely to be reused very much.

Are you eligible for any of the education pricing? It's a couple of years since I got quotes, but annual prices worked out much cheaper than that. Edit: Also seems really weird that they have different rules for monthly pricing compared to both annual and perpetual licensing [emoji2369]

Not gonna disagree that it's confusing! If you install the OS as a physical server, you can also use it to host an instance of Windows server as a VM. However, if you only install the hypervisor role as a physical install, you're allowed to run 2 full VMs with a single licence (well, 16 licensed cores). Every additional set of licences permits a further 2 VMs. Slightly more concisely expressed here, which I took from https://www.altaro.com/hyper-v/windows-server-standard-edition/ A physical host with the minimum Windows Standard Edition license can operate two virtualized instances of Windows Server Standard Edition, as long as the physically-installed instance only operates the virtual machines.

Re Chromecasts, any devices connected to the same wireless network can connect, so if you put staff devices on a separate WLAN then students wouldn't be able to connect.

I'm looking to replace my home wi-fi. Is Aruba's cloud management free for <25 devices using instant-on or is it chargeable? Original plan was to upgrade my unifi APs and use a "Cloud Key" to manage. Trying to decide what is more secure: unifi with their known problems, but shouldn't be an issue because it's hardware behind my firewall or Aruba fully cloud, so potentially exposed, but with the credentials of a tier one supplier (HP).

From school and IT Support point of view, school owned and controlled is far easier. However I think your point about expecting parents to buy twice is particularly relevant at the minute. Obviously there will be a significant minority who were to affluent to have been given a laptop during lockdown, but not affluent enough for the families to have bought a device for every child. I'd still be quite confident that a significant proportion of kids have access to a laptop they could bring in. If I was one of those parents I'd be a bit irritated about buying something to replicate what I've already spent cash on - and quite likely within the last year. Maybe look at offering a lease scheme to fill the gap and ensuring that parents are aware of it as soon as they apply. It's not uncommon to start these schemes with new intake anyway. Software will be complicated - I'd suggest making everything either web based, open source or licensed through school subscription (eg M365 office licences) will be required. You'll need to provide a BYOD wi-fi network which will let you control what they can access on the web. Maybe you could set up some kind of register (based on a Teams chat?) that can only be accessed from the school network that they have to sign in to do that the teacher can easily identify that every child is logged into the school network and not the hotspot from their phone. Quite a lot of anti virus suppliers offer schemes to allow installations for students with a site license for the school. It's be difficult to enforce, but if you make it a condition of connecting to the wi-fi that parents sign up to and it didn't cost them anything, most will comply.

Almost all of the monthly contracts are unlimited talk and text now - because no one uses very much, so they can offer it without it really costing them much.

Giff Gaff are consistently competitive and you're only committed for a month at a time. Otherwise, just look out for the deals and snap them up once you see one you like. I signed up for Vodafone this time as they had the data package I wanted at half price which worked out cheaper than Smarty (which is Vodafone's budget brand). I got 2 out of 3 phones on the deal, but didn't get hold of OH's phone for a couple of days (I needed it as they sent verification code to the phone for the contract change), by which time the deal had expired. I then spent over an hour on webchat with their customer retention team trying to persuade them I would leave if they didn't offer me something at the price I wanted. Got there in the end, but it was very annoying.

I think the person you're talking to at the LA doesn't understand the "very complicated format". From a computing point of view it's a "very simple format". If you open the file on the government website, it's a single row for each school which has a column for each spending allocation code. As long as whatever system you use outputs in the correct columns, it's straightforward to produce. Our school financial advisor used to have access to our instance of SIMS FMS to help prepare the figures and assist with monitoring. That was entirely separate from end of year submission. The file that was submitted was an XML generated by SIMS in the consistent financial reporting format. I don't think they'd know whether it was produced by SIMS or something else.

I used hybrid Azure AD and created the users in on premises AD. I put the governors in their own OU and allocated appropriate permissions (no access to network storage, but I did allow the clerk to print). I created a Team* in O365 in the hope that they might use some of the other facilities which also created a SharePoint online library automatically. When they go to the Files section in Teams, there is a button "Open in SharePoint". *Actually I created 4; one for all governors and one for each of the subcommittees.

I set up both before anyone else in my school had heard of cloud computing. If the school hasn't set up either yet and you're trying to decide, you could set up both so that staff could have a look.

You cannot be compelled to use a specific piece of software. It is mandatory to provide reports to the LA in a particular format if you are a maintained school: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consistent-financial-reporting-framework-cfr If you get support from the LA finance team, they may only work with a particular software, but you're not obliged to buy support from them. A lot of LAs prefer Capita FMS, because they've used it for years. All of the cloud MIS providers have a financial management module that produce reports in the required format. It'd be worth a conversation with the LA and possibly some local schools too find out what they do. Presumably the LA would like you to keep buying their financial support services and a lot of schools are moving away from SIMS/FMS, so it's in their interest to be a bit more open minded.