AmandaLambert

Our county stats team produce a spreadsheet which converts all SAT Marks into all the variants of KS2 data: Fine Point, Decimalised, Sub Level & Level. I know that county teams have access to national data that we do not at school. So for every year of SATs there is a different conversion table as the boundaries change each year. I would have posted an example but I cannot see a way of posting an extract here.

Another way to calculate APS (try it): 1. You need the Decimal Fine Grade KS2 SAT scores for En & Ma. 2. Multiply both grades by 6 (En 4.93, Ma 5.67, times by 6 = En 29.58 Ma 34.02) 3. Average of 29.58 & 34.02 = APS (31.8) I have tested this on my current Yr10 & Yr11 & it works perfectly & matches the Key to Success APS download (except where initial decimal grades are any 2 or 1 grades).

The only bit I would add is although the new Yr11 grades will be A*-G, I believe the points behind the grades will be 8-1 (not 58-16)

You could use aspects, set up a template, then add a marksheet that is available to all staff (I would use Discover Dynamic Groups for this). Alternatively you could use aspects & set up a SIMS Net Report that is available for everyone to run.

Hi, I had a similar problem, we had to reset/restart the "Sims Discover Group Synchronisation Service". For some reason it had turned itself off & had to be turned back on & set to automatic. The instructions our teccy followed were: 1. Log in as an administrator to the server that has Discover installed on it 2. Click Start 3. Run 4. Type SERVICES.MSC 5. Scroll down the list of services to find Sims Discover Group Synchronisation Service 6. Double-click to open 7. Make sure Startup type is set to Automatic 8. Click Start 9. OK 10. Make sure the status column shows “Started” Might be worth checking/looking at this.

I would also set up a separate result set for your target aspects for each year.

If you cannot wait until end of June, jrma91's approach is the one I use.

That's what I do MrsSquires. Not ideal The closest report that is nearly accurate in one you can run from SIMS Reports. It simply gives a T or F for FSM Ever 6 (under additional information). However it works it out directly from the start/end dates in the FSM Eligibility. Gives True to students who start after one census & end before the next, which should therefore be false. Also dates must all be correct in that field for it to work, I had to amend some incorrect end dates before it was close enough to be useful.

It seems the main focus appears to be on Pupil Premium (PP). Capita have provided a location to manually add students who are PP, which includes the FSM Ever 6 Students. However due to the continuing changes to this new recording area & the data that goes into it, I am currently avoiding using it. This can be added to marksheets as an additional student information column Pupil Premium Indicator. I think they are changing it again though so that when we get the next report from Key To Success for the Jan14 Pupil Premium Students, it will be separately specified as to FSM Ever 6, LAC, Service Children and Adopted from Care, we will be able to upload into SIMS. I have created an aspect which I keep manually updated with our various categories of PP including a category for FSM Ever 6. I have found all areas of extracting data for FSM Ever 6 from SIMS to be flawed in one way or another.

Hi Ali, Can you provide the link to this information from the DFE

FFT amend the estimates at least once a year because the National Statistics change. They amend their formulas & therefore estimates change. They do send out emails to let you know when they have applied new estimates. At our school, we choose to keep the estimates in SIMS for Yr10 through to the end of Yr11 to avoid any confusion. There is a new product in SIMS for FFT that automatically applies FFT Data, we do not have this, so I do not know how this works.

Had the same problem with some tags filling with data & others not. We switched from 2003 to 2010 this year & was new issue with 2010. The main solution that works for me is to 1) Verify template (Never had to use verify template in 2003, tags just worked!) 2) Save in the Word template. 3) Close word 4) Save in Sims Individual Report screen 5) Go back into Word Template 6) Crash out of the template by simply closing word. Do not save within word at all this time 7) Save in Sims Individual Report screen for a 2nd time Then it has always worked for me. No need to do anything with spell check! This is basically what Vikpaw has always suggested to do when having trouble with Templates, the only thing I changed with this 2010 problem was the use of verify template. I now always follow the above with ANY amendment to word template in individual reports. I don't have a problem now. The only time I have trouble is if I miss out any step above. Many thanks Vikpaw

Same here!! Member of staff was simply deleting instead of putting an end date. Totally messed up the census data & therefore the FSM Ever 6, had to manually correct it. Bigger problem was the CTF's were not transfered through correctly so all required manual input of FSM History.

A few things to bear in mind with the Key To Success data; -The data only goes up to 06/10/2011. -Standard school report only includes students on roll as at 6/10/2011 -You can bulk search (up to 500 UPN numbers at one time) for any new pupils who have arrived after the 6/10/2011, the report can then be imported into SIMS We have a SIMS report which then show all students, including those after the 6/10/2011, so that we are aware who is FSM Ever 6. One thing I am still a bit confused over is when a student become FSM just after a census & then is removed just before the next one, I think they do not count! Can anyone clarify this?

We were sent detailed instructions on how to download the FSM EVER from Key to Success, then apply to SIMS, the same as 'skunk's' post. Additionally our LEA sent us a SIMS report that then enabled us to get a list of those students. I have never seen anything that indicates schools are not to know! Totally the opposite, our school was sent instructions in order to calculate what pupil premium we would receive, this includes getting the student list from Key to Success. We have set up an aspect to store Y for FSMEver6.

Our school is just starting the process of deciding which system would best suit our school moving forward. A proposal needs to be written detailing pros & cons of the main competitors in the market. We currently use SIMS and are supported through our LA. My main interest is in student reports, data analysis of assessment & results (especially for our own student intervention groups that we track progress for) and parental access via the internet to student data. Our school is a Yr10 to Yr13 provider & have recently become an academy. I have seen ASPEN & PROGRESSO mentioned in this forum. Are there any other main MIS Systems that are a fully funtioning alternative to SIMS. I have seen that Progresso is having problems currently so would be a long term consideration. All information on these & other systems gratefully received, including positives for retaining SIMS. Many thanks

Totally empathise, been building from scratch due to the same issues. It is taking forever! Not much help I know, just thought i'd let you know you are not alone. Are you registered with the Capita Forums. I have found them really helpful for ideas & feedback. I am concentrating on keeping things simple for now & ensuring that I use aspects with result sets, then using colour coding formulas in marksheets to show progress against target & 3LP. Everything else is exported to excel & worked out there until my SIMS System is properly configured. Long job:(

I worked for a bank & the audit trails are excellent. I will vote strongly agree, because we are a very large school & have issues with people amending students details incorrectly, there is no way of finding out who or why. Although I understand that the audit log would be very large, I feel in the 21st Century this really should be achievable, we are dealing with the records of children & protecting their data should be the highest priority.