sidneyVW

The parent portal the Bromcom rep showed me was completely hosted, it used webservices to get the data out of the database on site at the school, so if our internet went down the system would still be online but would not get any data from our database. which is the same if we host the parent portal from here at school but at least the whole shotting match will be off rather than just the data. Which to my mind is easier to manage than the parent logging into the system only to find little jimmy is not shown then phoning me.

Thanks All I did like the Bromcom system the only problem I had is the MyChildAtSchool parent portal was a hosted system using webservices to get the data from our database. I was not worried about the sercurity of this as I have written webservices myself. But our broadband at the school is very flaky as we are right out in the sticks and it is almost as much use as two paper cups and a bit of string. I have been in touch with a few schools that use iSAMS and they all seem very happy. The School I used to work for has just changed from CMIS to iSams and they are very happy with it althought they are four times the size of my current school . I have been battling with this since october of last year, I have had many demos from the reps and done a lot of research into the companies and the systems, read all the case studies and contacted schools. the problem I have is the head wants a MIS functional by September with go live after christmas but no one in the school is particual keen on this whole idea of change (teachers ehh!). They all say "Well you know what we need" which is not true I am the network manager I don't have the first clue about the DOS job or school administration, so I thought I would ask the question here to see if I had missed anything and make sure I had dotted all the I's and crossed all the T's thanks for the responses Simon

Thanks for the responses, I looked at WBCS Pass, SIMS, iSAMS, Engage and Bromcom, I have seen the Opensource systems but as a one man band looking to hand the system over to someone else I thought an off the shelf system would be better in terms of getting support. I had heard that Engage Support was a bit poor at times, although the Sales rep was very keen to sell the fact that they have revamped thier support system?

Hi All Our current school database is an access 2000 system, which we are looking to replace. I have looked at five of the possible systems out there and decided to get isams and engage in for demos to the staff. This was all well and good but the HM and myself like iSams and the staff like Engage. I have not had any experience of either of these systems. i have only managed Cmis and SIMS which I know would not be suitable for our small (200 pupils) prep school. Does anyone have any strong thoughts on either of these systems? Does anyone have any expereince of support for Engage, are they good? Thanks for any advice Simon

cheers for the responses I have had a look through the ICT policies as we need a DPA policy aswell. the school has an AUP in place and a sort of ICT Policy but nothing else. it is just that this contrator works for two other schools so I was wondering whether to tie him down on a Confidentiality agreement regarding pupil and staff data seperate to the overall DPA policy. I don't even think the guy has a contract, the school is very relaxed about such things, it is very much people just turn up and do things. but we have a new headmaster now and I think things are going to change. so I would like to do some butt covering before things get out of hand. you would be shocked at what I have found on the system, things like the ICT lab all the pc hard drives are shared as C oh and so is the exchange server and the proxy server, we run a summer school and the generic account for this had domain admins rights asigned :eek::eek: if I had done that in any of my last jobs it would have been

Hi all I have just take over as network manager for a small independant juinor school. ( I am more of a technichian than a manger as I have the task force of one me ) I am tring to tire up things before the start of term, and one of the things is we have a one man band contrator who looks after our school database ( ms access ) I don't think he has ever signed a non-disclosure agreement or a confidentiality agreement, I have been looking around the net for a temlate that I can hack but have not found one suitable. does anyone one here have such a thing for their school, or could someone guide me to the key points an agreement needs to have. I dealt with cda all the time in my last job but they don't really seem appropiate to this area. cheers in adavance Simon