MrMat

https://www.expedia.co.uk/Hotel-Search?packageType=fh&searchProduct=hotel&c=d57f90cb-2b95-4a26-8d15-187cb58b7eaa&rfrr=PKG.FH.HSR.Refine.Date&adults=2&originId=5133395&ftla=STN&destination=Billund,+Denmark&destinationId=620&ttla=BLL&startDate=14/1/2019&endDate=18/1/2019&sort=recommended&tripType=ROUND_TRIP&misId=799a73e7-e339-4a6b-8e89-c1d0615c7b40 Even cheaper that week, £191 per person.

Me and MrsMat were sat infront of the TV the other week watching the Lego House Documentary on Netflix and thought ohhh this looks cool. For those that don't know, the Lego House is a big museum/exhibition centre dedicated to Lego based in Billund, Denmark (where Lego was invented and the original Lego Land still exists). There's a cafe where you have to make your order with Lego and then Lego robots deliver it!! https://www.legohouse.com/en-gb We've been looking for a nice short break, so quick check on Expedia and it turns out, it's silly cheap! £200 each including flights for 4 nights in a Pirate Themed room (yes we're adults, no we don't have kids and no we don't care ) plus breakfast. Booked a train to Copenhagen for one of the days too as so we can go exploring. For comparison, the same week in a standard (ahem boring) room at Legoland Winsor with no travel is £680! We thought it was maybe just the time of year we were going (February - When the actual Lego Land is closed but we're going for the Lego House and just to get away generally) but it appears to be cheap pretty much all year round (seemingly even during School holidays). Plus, the hotel is 20 min walk from Airport so no need for transfers etc AND there's a big, indoor year round waterpark there too. Figured I'd share as it might be useful for those with little Geeks (and those without too!)

I paid £800 for mine. It'd only been out a few months at the time. Looking at these prices, it still makes financial sense. £63 per month, 24 month contract plus £10 up front (according to the ad) = £1522 or £869 over 18 months = £48 per month Virgin SIM Only £18 per month (or if you don't need that much data, they do 6GB for £10) Total Monthly = £64 Total amount over 18 months = £1193 Basically pay £1 more per month but be done 6 months early and save yourself £329. Then sell the phone and start again or just keep everything and only pay £18 a month. Or you could go over 24 months, pay £10 less a month and be £220 better off at the end. Plus you can opt out at any time by selling the phone (although the best SIM only deals do have 12 month contract) and it's not really any additional risk as phone contracts are just credit agreements anyway but with additional interest.

Ohhh shiny things! I'm rocking the Pixel 2 XL and loving it still. It's a brilliant phone. Side note, the prices these days are a little mad so I went SIM Only. 18 month interest free credit card, grab the phone outright and then signed up to Virgin for £18 a month (40GB data (which rolls over month on month so currently at 78GB), unlimited calls and texts). Saved a fortune and not stuck in a crappy 24 month contract

I was in the market for one but decided to go for the Surface Pro instead. Surface Go 128Gb (£509) plus Keyboard (£99) = £609 vs Surface Pro 2017 (i5, 8GB, 128gb) with fancy furry Keyboard = £749 (https://www.johnlewis.com/microsoft-surface-pro-tablet-intel-core-i5-8gb-ram-128gb-ssd-12-3-inch-touchscreen-with-keyboard/p3669538) Better battery (getting 8 - 9 hours using remote desktop Citrix for work, edge for browsing and a little Youtube here and there), better screen, better processor (Fanless i5 which blows my mind, it remains silent and ice cold all day. Only warms up a tad in heavier programs), better keyboard etc etc etc.

Named Pipes enabled? Also, has the DMS been configured etc? Always slows things down when the DMS isn't correct as it goes looking etc.

It's been disabled due to the SIMS CTF issue. It has to be manually re-enabled in the Admin page I believe.

48 hours?! Pfft amateur. Logged call on 30/08/2018 for a patch. Nothing drastic, just needed a patch authorising to us on Solus so nice and simple. Chased on 4th as had no response. Chased this morning as no response. Email received today saying still not authorised on S3 so here's the ZIPS to do it manually.

Capita have released full guidance notes on how to run and deal with any queries etc. It's not yet available on MyAccount but will be available later today apparently. I've got a draft copy ('friend of a friend' but sorry i can't share it). However, get onto your support units and ask them to keep their eyes peeled for it and over to you when it becomes available. Update: Our Customer Success Manager from Capita has just forwarded us a copy directly so it's on it's way out! Note, it's still not the easiest thing in the world but at least gives you something to go on.

I'm not here to defend LA's at all because I know some are poor however, as an LA ourselves I think it is important to say that we received nothing from Capita. No emails, calls, warnings etc. Zero, zilch, nada. The only reason we knew about it is from the forums and announcements on MyAccount and Edugeek. Again not defending anyone but worth mentioning that it's not been effectively communicated even to us.

Just this second finished the webinar with Capita. It confirmed a few things but nothing too new. They have just announced that full documentation/guidance notes will be available very soon (probably Monday). Apparently the documentation will detail each of the different situations as well some general advice as to how to deal with each scenario.

Thanks Steve. How very interesting. I've posed the question to Capita just now. Also worth mentioning that the SQL Script Capita sent out has a line in it stating that the original patch that caused the issue was released in April 2017... Seeking clarification from Capita on that too.

Hiya Pete. Was this directly from Capita? That contradicts everything we've heard so far. All correspondence has stated that it only checks for Name and Gender. There's never been a mention of relationship.

Yup, often. Simplest solution is to simply not import contacts and just rely on the application record which should have the Parents on anyway and then your data collection sheet etc. Especially relevant at the minute as SIMS has been breaking contacts left, right and centre.

Run the script on all of our Schools. Sent emails to schools advising of their 'affected' pupils and the seriousness of the issue. Receive read receipts "Your email was deleted without being read" *sigh*

Yup. Send me a DM on here and i'll email you a copy of our one. We modified it to include a few extra bits.

Local Authority dude here! Firstly, we’re not all gits Well we try not to be anyway but I do understand the frustration. Unfortunately, a lot of LA’s still operate with the big-headed ‘you have to use us’ attitude and they’re continually shooting themselves in the foot (feet?) They are sort of correct though, you do have to buy your SIMS support from someone but it certainly doesn’t have to be from them. Providing you’re an Academy then you can go to whomever you wish for your SIMS support be it Capita, the LA or a third party support unit (I think https://www.babcock4s.co.uk/ are over your way but there’re loads of options; https://www.scomis.org , https://sipseducation.co.uk etc). Other LA's can also support you (we support Academies outside of our LA for example). If you really don’t need much support, just shop around for the cheapest you can find or, strike up a conversation with a few as they may be able to do you’re a bare-bones deal just for the patch/upgrade support etc.

It's been a while but it's pretty quick if I remember correctly.

Bulk Update for Pupil Nationality is in the BETA release so it should be available in the next SIMS update.

Watched episode 1 and quite enjoyed it. They seem like genuinely good friends. Plus i've always been a big fan of Bob.

Yup speak to your Support Unit/Capita. Taken from MyAccount: Log a case with the SIMS Service Desk and request a copy of patches 23212 and 17195, the DBDIAGNOSE_EMAIL_PHONE_IMPORT_REPORT.sql script and the instructional document. You will need to follow the instructions in the document to create the CSV file to import the information into SIMS.net. Patch 23212 will read the CSV file and import the applicable email and/or telephone details. It will also write a log file to the SIMS database that the SQL script will report on. These results will include details of any records that were not imported. Patch 17195 will then delete the temporary log file that was created by patch 23212. It's a bit fiddly but it's not too bad.

I saw this over the past few days at the Capita Conference. Microsoft attended and gave a presentation etc etc. It actually looks very good! The Aspects are all created automatically etc. Also depending on the actual term you are in when you enter the results, it will tag under the correct Capita term result set and insert columns automatically into the template.

I don't have one to hand unfortunately as we do everything via S3 but it can definitely be done using DBUpgrade. Run DBUpgrade from CMD with the /? switch and it will give you all the options etc.

I'd personally just go down the Parental Consent route. Just add an additional tickbox or two and you're done. They can be bulk updated these days as well so it's no additional work etc. Plus Consent plays well with the Parent App so parents can update it via the app the same as they can with the rest of the Data Collection Info.

Been a little while so figured it was time for an update. The Mavic Air is absolutely epic, so so impressed with it. I've been getting out at ever occasion to get some flights in and bloody loving it. Probably been out 15 odd times with it this month It's a brill piece of kit and so easy to fly. Few first flights were steady but then my confidence started to grow and was zipping around in Sport Mode in no time. The best thing I didn't expect was that it makes me want to go see new places and to go explore local areas I've never bothered to venture into until now. Anywho, here's my fav vid so far taken from this past weekends trip over to see family in the Isle of Wight: