garethEds

Watched it and wasn't impressed. Felt that despite the story line, there were a lot of gaps. It all seemed a bit unbelievable ad far fetched - even though the plot is probably happening in schools everywhere. I can see what they were trying to do but it didn't quite cut it for me. This could be because I don't generally see that sort of behaviour where I work. Maybe I'm wrong. Not sure giving it to show in Secondary Schools is a good answer either.

Lately I've been pulled into Cobra Kai by the Mrs and have binged S1-S3 so far. Just about to start Season 4. Also - watching the latest Handmaid's Tale - which is one I have watched since the start. I do think too much time has passed since the previous Season so I'm struggling to get into this final one. Reacher Season 3 was started - but I binned it. Not as good as the first two seasons. I may go back. What else.... Oh yea - I've just started re-watching The BlackList. I originally watched S1 and 2 many moons ago before ditching Sky. So I never watched them all. No spoilers please. Trying to get all 10 Seasons in asap. I have an urge to go back and watch all of Alias. I adore Jennifer Garner.

We asked about eSports the other year and was told that the PSBA was not designed to be an eSports suitable broadband connection. Interesting really as they allow Minecraft to be used as an eSports game. Since then I know our Adviser has been looking into things but nothing has happened. Gareth

Hiya all - does anyone use a calendar tool (not Outlook or Google Calendar) to create a yearly calendar for all staff to see where pre-decided things like parents evenings are put etc? A member of SMT does this in Excel but has decided it is getting too complex. So she has asked me to look into a different digital solution. I've looked at Outlook and Google Cal - but they are not quite what I need. I've looked at setting up a Wordpress site with a calendar plug in - but need to research that a bit more. So am just wondering what is out there - if anythying. Thanks Gareth

What a waste of tech.

Fair comment.

I don't think anyone will be 'forced' - it just makes sense. Still think there needs to be a bare metal solution available to us. G

Afternoon, This may be a stupid question; apologies if it is. If I have 100 Chrombooks that went out of security update in 2022 (running ChromeOS), would changing them over to Google FlexOS add more usable life to them? Can I even put FlexOS on an ageing Chromebook? These are HP Chromebook 14 G4 devices. The Google Admin console tells me they didn't get any more updates after October 2022 - surely that doesn't mean they are EOL? They are running fine, but we want them off our network and have considered giving them to our FSM pupils as standalone devices - if we can get more life out of them. I thought Flex OS - but am happy to be wrong. Cheers Gareth

Good afternoon everyone, Are there any people out there using OSDCloud for bare metal deployments? Using it to replace their MDT solution? If so - please could you get in touch? Some questions I wanted to ask about it. Our MDT is fine, but I'm evaluating other ways of deploying as we are not due to go to inTune/AutoPilot for a while yet. Cheers Gareth

We will do everything as we do with SIMS. Support will be there if needed but the web notes and training videos have been good so far.

I assure you that is happening. I'm just being me. GJE

I'm not panicking. I'm curious. I like to be ahead of things.

For anyone who has migrated from SIMS to Bromcom - how to pupil reports work? We have two reports a year, one is a marksheet based grade only report and the second is the same, with pages for teacher comments based on comment banks (Profiles). We then have to use Edulink One to send them out digitally to parents. How does Bromcom deal with this? I know there is a Parent App, but is there a Pupil App? (as with ClassCharts)? With Swansea moving this year over to Bromcom I am trying to get my head around some of the changes I will have to deal with when I push the project through for the school. CHeers Gareth

The Tech Seminars in Cardiff were great. Was always a great lunch, plenty of coffee and chances to network with people. Wondering what the gift was at the end was fun. Also the printed docs they gave you. Dan Hooker was a great presenter, as was Dave Bate (I'm sure he is on here somewhere). Had a huge crush on Cheryl Prior LOL - she was a great welcome host. Ours Sales guy James Brett was also a cracking guy. What is a shame (as I've mentioned in another post) is how insignificant RM seem to have become. Their stand at this years BETT show was so small. G

Evening all, A late question regarding ClassCharts. A Head of Year has asked if she can put a full class 'on-report' rather than putting individual pupils? I cannot see a way of doing it. Many thanks Gareth

Afternoon, So Swansea will have decided to move forward with Bromcom. I have a Working Group meeting for this after half term, but wanted to ask on here how has the change made other pieces of software redundant (and can it be done).... We use: ClassCharts : Attendance, behaviour, seating plans and comms to parents and pupils (through their app). I think we spend around £6k a year on this. EdulinkONe : We bought into this during covid as a way of sending out digital pupil reports. We don't use it for anything else. (Around £2k a year) MyConcern : Used for safeguarding and collating report etc (No idea on cost) NovaT : Timetabling FMS : Finance Inventry : Signing in and out I think that's it - all of the above link into/get their data from - SIMS. Where is everyone at running (or not running) these side by side with Bromcom. Happy to speak via DM or email if you ask for my address. Thanks all, Gareth

Another Welsh LEA will be announcing either this week or next Decision - Award of Contract for Bromcom Schools Management Information system - Swansea

Hi everyone - it looks like Notify is what we will be moving towards but like you say @PotNoodleTech - "Overall it does A job but it doesn't really do THE job properly" Gareth

So - I spoke to NetSupport today and have run a small test this afternoon on 30 machines. Yes - it works, but there is one huge annoyance. If I sent a 'Lockdown' message to every computer - whole screen, there is no way to cancel this message from the console. Users can do it, but I need to be able to cancel it and basically people will know when the message goes the lockdown is done. Also - if the monitor is in stand by mode - but the power is on, the message doesn't kick the monitor into life. You have to move the mouse to see the message (wakes the monitor up). So - at the moment, not sure.

Thanks @supportman - We don't use Bromcom. Our MIS is being looked at by the LEA, but no decision has been made as to where we go yet. Thanks again.

Morning All, Has anyone implemented a piece of software that can be used during a lockdown to say there is a lockdown? We have a few rooms where there are no phones and no passing people - yet a classroom with kids and a teacher. What we want is a piece of software that sits quietly on every computer in school. If the Headteacher (or delegated person) logs in - pushes a big red virtual button so every computer screen displays the message 'Code Red' - or something similar. Get in touch.... Thanks

Hi - I wonder if you could get in touch with me to help me set this up? Or point me in the direction of instructions. Cheers Gareth

Morning all, Does anyone know the GPO setting to set a computer keyboard to UK as a Computer setting and not a user setting? The " and the @ have changed places on the logon screen. I've done it as a user, but it needs to be as a computer. Any help appreciated. Gareth

Evening everyone, We are seeing an issue with PaperCut when deploying a printer for pupils. All printers are deployed via GPP at the user level. Staff users log in, they are shown the PaperCut Client (loaded from a share), and they print to what we call 'PullQueue' - they then go to the device with their code and print what they sent. I assume a lot of schools do this. With pupils, they print direct. When they log on, they should be given a printer called 'ygg-disgyblion'. Some pupils get it, some pupils do not get it. If Pupil A logs on to Computer A, they won't get it, but if Pupil B logs on to Computer A they do get it. Then if Pupil A logs on to Computer B they get it. It's totally random and I am stumped by why this would be happening. Computer A and B could be next to each other in the same room. Has anyone seen this behaviour and can suggest some tests to run? Or can anyone suggest things I could be checking? Thanks Gareth

Which version of PaperCut? I only ask as we are due to move over to 24.x.x on Friday afternoon with some scheduled print server downtime.