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Do you mean ePIPS the CEM / Durham university testing service? What is your issue with it and what are you wanting to achieve? I think they are launching a web based version soon.

We got these cases from iGear, which work out good value when buying in bulk. https://www.igearunlimited.com/product/ipad-slim-tough-case-g4 They have built in stands to cater for all angles and are sturdy. They also have a built in screen protector that I don't like much. They were a good company and sent me replacement stick on screen protectors instead. Next time, I'll order them without the built in screen protector.

1. SIMS has some useful, but devilishly hidden, features for working with results. Go to Tools - Performance - System Utilities - Assessment. There you can find options to bulk delete/copy/move results, aspects, marksheets, templates etc... I'm not if it will be precise enough, but when you go to delete results, it will list how many results are stored in that aspect. You may be able to drill down to specific year groups/aspects. The other way to do it is to create a marksheet with all the aspects in it. Don't select a result set, just make it display the most recent result. You can right click on a result and go to result history to see what else is there. 2. I don't quite understand your question. However, I would usually have a template per year group, with result sets specific to that year group in it. A quicker way of creating it would be to make a large mark sheet with all the aspects for all the result sets you need - duplicate that for each year group - then delete/hide the columns you don't need. Could you explain again what you are wanting to achieve?

I've just installed SloPro on the iPads for PE. They haven't tried it yet so can't vouch for it but I know schools commonly use apps like this, and Coaches Eye. There are quite a few apps for PE teachers - combine it with an Apple TV and iPad tripods and I think you've got a valuable teaching tool.

Have you checked the date settings on the PC? If they are set to MMDDYY it causes all sorts of problems in SIMS, as SIMS can't, or at least, couldn't figure that out. For example, 13th of January becomes 01/13/2014, which SIMs as sees as being invalid. It causes the result date box to go red and the save fails. Because there is no error dialogue, the user thinks everything is OK and dismisses the next prompt to save. Of course, on 12th January it's fine! It's also possible to accidentally delete the date or put something invalid in there. Invalid entry of a result will also cause the save to fail and the only warning is a small red x in the bottom corner.

For cheap, how about one of these http://www.octofire.com at $50 and a lockable box (e.g. A toolbox). It won't sync but you probably don't really need to sync to the computer that often. And you could connect them all to a hub. It's the charging AND syncing that seems to be pricey. I haven't tested this solution myself yet, but am looking into it.

Redirecting Google to non-ssl works but it causes problems with Google, in particular Google Instant Search. So if you search for just one word it seems to hang. Search for 2 and it's fine.

Hi, The nosslsearch.google.com method Google Documents no longer works - it would appear, as all Google Searches are now done over SSL. We have DELL SonicWall and DPI-SSL licence. This means that Sonic Wall unwraps the httpS searches, adds the &safe=active and rewraps using its own certificate. This works, except When you are signed into any Google Service (which our students commonly are, because we have Google Apps). or You use Google Chrome. The other minor annoyance is that the SonicWall certificate throws up certificate errors on non-domain computers. We have a range of devices, BYOD and iPads, so 'use kidrex.com' et al isn't really a solution. I know we can use GP to force SafeSearch on Chrome but hoping to find something more universal. Surely if SonicWall can unwrap a SSL URL it must be able to do it regardless of whether you are signed in Google Apps? To be honest, I don't need a hack proof solution. I would just prefer that when children are searching for information on Queen Victoria's husband, they get the correct photos of Prince Albert! Many thanks.

Funny, I've literally just looked at the known issues page. Don't know if the work around works, but please do let me know if it does. SIMS Bulk Import - Documentation

What are the advantages of timetabler over nova t?

I don't. I think the dual boot PC/Mac is perfect for Primary. There are some simple boot loaders out there that present a nice option screen rather than having to press option to select. Applications like GarageBand and iMovie are unrivalled: They allow teaching of some high level concepts, using proper 'grown up' software, without complexity associated with many PC alternatives. I'm yet to experience easy, crash free, video editing on windows All too often, ICT is taught as a 'you copy me' model. Having dual boot allows a teacher to teach a concept (e.g. effective presentation layout) and, allow children to practise this, and then learn the 'figuring out' skills applying this to another app or OS. These are the skills that basically differentiate people 'who are good at computers' from those who aren't. We've all met 'mac fanboys' who detest touching a PC and 'windows geeks' who love to point out every fault with Mac - both frustrated because their brains can't cope with more than one set of keyboard shortcuts. I don't want my students to become either of those. I'm not saying it's cheap or easy or will happen quickly; however, after having dual boot for 4 years it's great to see year 6ers choosing the most appropriate platform and software for the job. As for setup: keep it simple. If the thought of setting up the mac server-ad golden triangle gives you the willies, just mount a network share to the server and avoid network logins all together. Many primary's function on that basis with pcs perfectly fine. Getting a Mac server will be better in the long run, but not essential.

Hi, Got to do lots of aspect creation and template-ing over the next few weeks. I will need to create a template for a subject (containing multiple aspects and formula) then duplicate for each year group (changing the result set) and for each subject (changing the aspect). Does anyone have anything new to add to this post? Aspect Creation Is there a way of getting the xml file to display like a spreadsheet, so I can just add rows with all the aspects I need? IDs Templates and Aspects each have their own IDs. Can I just choose these myself so long as they are unique? Any restrictions - length, numbers, letters? Changing Aspects in templates Changing the result set seems pretty straight forward. Any tips on changing the aspect? Thanks

I tried this method a few months ago without much luck, although, to be fair, I didn't give it enough time. To clarify: you are using one .man profile for multiple users? What are you using to make the profile 'generic'? I was getting errors about the profile loading (in balloon pop ups by the clock) and windows said it had only loaded a temporary profile. Have you tried specifying the profile location in active directory users and computers on the individual user, rather than for the whole machine in group policy? Does that work? Thanks!

Do a search on here for mdm or ipad management and you'll get plenty of threads on this subject. Meraki seems to be a popular product - primarily, I imagine, because it's free.

You're fine. It's temporary.

Well, there's an easy one to fix. Change to Google Apps for Education, or Office 365 - both have their own pros and cons, although my personal preference is for Google - and that will sort out your email problems and give you a spare server for something useful. Plenty of threads on here will help you decide which is best for your needs and how to set up.

This is a very useful guide, thank you. Got this job to do next week in a short space of time so want to ask you a few questions so I'm as prepared as possible. I didn't know you could assign a profile in GPO, I've always done it in Active Directory users and computers. Is it a computer or user setting, if so did you have to use loop back to restrict it to students logging onto ICT suite computers? I don't understand this, can you clarify? Do you have documents, start menu and desktop redirected to the network or to a local location? Are you renaming user.dat to user.man? What version of windows are you on? What I'm looking to do is have some class logins for the youngest and individual logins for our middle pupils - each year group will need it's own customised default profile and they should get fresh copy at login. Older children/staff might have a profile saved onto the local machine or the network after they've received a good default, not sure yet. Any updates to the method? Thanks!

A brilliant tool. Had my year 4s writing fantasy stories on it. I had them working in pairs on one document, with the rest of the class given view and comment permissions. I found it incredible how the effectively the children collaborated - sometimes they would both talk about the next few paragraphs then set off and write them independently, other times one would write and the other would read and edit simultaneously. I've done collaborative writing before with partners sharing one computer but inevitably one child does all the writing and the other does nothing. Then they were able to read each other's work, using the comment feature to give each other feed back. I particularly like how each comment turns into a discussion thread. I also used the comment feature to give feedback. They also continued working at home - some arranging a time where they would both be on the document. I went on at 9.30 one night to mark their work of the next day and they were all on it! I had to tell them to go to bed.

Watch out though, Puffin will bypass any auditing and web filtering that you have. That will rule it out for many. It's a shame, because it seems very good - the latest update allows you do download directly to your cloud drive.

It's got to be Animoto - Make & Share Beautiful Videos Online Upload a load of pictures, upload a copy of 'time of your life by 'green day' and boom, you're done. It does all the funky stuff for you. Saves as a movie

Back in the day I used psshutdown - have a google and see if it's still about.

I've just had a look at puffin browser in the App Store. It seems to run flash remarkably well (via cloud servers) with a pop up touchpad overlay. Not sure eyfs children will be able to use it but certainly, with a little tuition, year one and up should manage it. I tried it on the interactive-resources maths games (spin to win etc...) and it worked fine. It's a £1.99 app but there is a 50% discount through the education volume purchase programme. Check out your old flash favourite software houses e.g. Interactive resources and q and d multimedia. They are releasing ipad versions of their games. When the Internet became popular there was a lot of amazing content out there, and also a lot of dross. It's the same with the ipad and needs time invested to sort what's hot and not. It doesn't make the solution wrong, it just makes it different.

Is that really a problem? They will be accessing them from home on the weekends and evenings, when no one is really using your net connection. Plus, the access will be more distributed in terms of time: in school, all the kids will want network access as they all hit 'save' at the same time. Having your files on-site will ease things there; but when accessing at home, there won't be the same problem. If you have a local and cloud solution, the files are going to have to get to and from the cloud using your pipe anyway.

I think School eLockers - Select Region might be what you're after.

Hi, Have you looked at the Apple Configurator? I haven't used it myself, but I'm intrigued by this option in the manual: What it appears to allow you to do is have a standard image that can be installed to the iPads, along with apps. Lock them down and set up wireless etc.. But also Copy all specific user data to the ipad ready for a lesson, then back it up at the end and clear it off at the end. It can't do this wirelessly, so you would have to have a Macbook on each trolley of ipads. Problems I can see: * You'd need to train staff or students how to check out and in ipads, although this appears to be quite easy. * You need to buy an macbook for each trolley or have them returned to IT between each period for check in and then check out. * Time taken to sync the profiles on and off the iPads. I don't know how long it takes. I imagine that you'd need to keep the bear minimum of work stored on the iPad in this way and export it permanently somewhere else after a project is finished. * The profile is stored on the Macbook, so a teacher would have to keep booking the same trolley each time, limiting flexibility. Unless there is some way of syncing the Macbook to a central server – though this would probably require a hack – OR you have just one sync machine. Of course, not every lesson requires students to save work. After a device has been checked in, student specific work is automatically removed and the iPad reverts to a generic device. If the iPads are assigned to departments, then you could get away with one sync Macbook for each department. Here's a guide: http://images.apple.com/education/docs/ios_6_education_deployment_guide.pdf Many apps sync to google drive so personal accounts for students could help, and/or School eLockers