Becta have release a new framework to help schools recognise and exploit the opportunities provided by ICT in encouraging parents to work in partnership with schools. Download it from the BECTA website here.

From http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-if.html

If no video is displayed, it’s probably because Google Video is blocked by your establishment’s web filtering policy. Sorry!

Capita have issued a PowerPoint document which has been designed to assist post-16 schools prepare for School Census.

The slideshow explains how 6th form schools can use Academic Management to create accurate course Planned End Dates, saving time come census day.

Please click here to download the slideshow and don’t hestiate to get in touch if you require further assistance.

I’m sometimes asked why a primary school might want to use the Performance Analysis routines in Assessment Manager. Here’s some good examples of the kind of questions you can answer using Performance Analysis:

1. Find out the correlation between Foundation Stage points scores and KS1 results. Many schools have a rough idea what the correlation is for their pupils, but few schools actually know for sure.
2. Graph the progress of your year 3 pupils towards their year 3 targets. RAISEonline makes this easy for pupils at KS1 or KS2, but how can you do this for year 3 (or 4 or 5)?
3. Identify pupils who are strong in one subject, but weak in others. Once you know ‘who’, you can ask ‘why?’.
4. Identify year groups that don’t make the progress you’d expect.
5. Spot pupils who are being left behind their classmates.
6. How many people who got a 2B at Key Stage 1 are at 3C by the start of the spring term of year 3? More importantly, how many aren’t at 3C yet (because they should be by ther summer term!)

SIMS .net 7.112 (labelled SIMS 2008 11a November Main 2) is now available for supported secondary schools via SOLUS. Primary, special and nursery schools have already been upgraded.

This release contains new functionality to assist with the submission of the School Census Spring Return 2009.

A number of new Assessment features are also included in this latest release. Please click here for further information.

Full details of this update and the previous release (which wasn’t installed by most schools) can be found in the Release Notes, available at the following internet links:

• SIMS .net 7.112 - November 2008 Main (2nd) Release
• SIMS .net 7.110 - September 2008 Update Release

Please note that SOLUS should be at version 2.20 or higher in order to successfully upgrade SIMS .net to version 7.112.

If you require any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact any member of the team.

The November release of Assessment Manager contains some useful (and timesaving) new features for assessment co-ordinators. Here’s a list of the main ones taken from Capita’s release notes:

New Features

This release includes the following new features:

Marksheets Calculating on Data Entry

Marksheets can now be set to calculate results automatically for all summary rows and formula columns. This occurs when you click the Entry key after entering or editing a result, or when the cursor leaves the cell.

Viewing the Student Teacher View Page from a Marksheet

Clicking a pupil/student’s name on a marksheet now displays the Teacher View page, which displays an ‘at a glance’ summary of their attendance, behaviour, achievements etc.

Displaying Multiple Additional Student Information Columns on a Marksheet

Multiple additional pupil/student information columns (i.e. date of birth, gender, age in registration group, etc.) can now display on a marksheet.

Adding a Marksheet to the Favourites Panel

A marksheet can be flagged as a favourite, so that it can be accessed from the Favourites shortcut panel in SIMS .net.

Setting the Default Width of Narrow Columns on a Marksheet

You can set the default width of marksheet columns when a marksheet is viewed in mode.

Copying and Pasting Additional Pupil/Student Information into an Aspect

The functionality that enables the copying and pasting of column contents can now be used to copy additional pupil/student column details into an appropriate aspect.

Adding Multiple Result Sets to a Template

When adding columns and formula columns for data entry to a template, it is now possible to select more than one result set.

Viewing Template Columns in Full Screen Mode

You can expand the Template Columns panel to the screen, by clicking the Zoom button.

Applying Additional Student Information Columns to a Template

Additional pupil/student information columns can be displayed on all marksheets created from the selected template using the Create Template Columns wizard.

I managed to test a few of these changes yesterday and was very optimistic that they would speed up the process of creating templates.

As ever, if you’d like me to come in to school and discuss these changes, or any other Assessment Manager issues, feel free to email me.

Capita are working on a new SIMS Deployment Server which, it is hoped, will streamline the installation of the SIMS client and associated infrastructure to machines in schools.

Replacing the current system with SOLUS 3, the Deployment Server will employ a service that controls SIMS updates at school by communication with a SIMS Agent on the client workstation.

The SIMS Agents sit on each SIMS computer, understanding the role of the machine (e.g. SIMS SQL Server or FMS Client).

These “smart” agents can update SIMS without user intervention as well as install clients afresh. As infrastructure packages can also be deployed, it should remove the need for visits to PCs.

Updates can also be deployed when it is convenient for the school (overnight, middle of the day etc.).

We are attending a SIMS Technical Consultation Group in Doncaster on Tuesday 18th November 2008, so we’ll hopefully be able to provide more information after this event.

I know some schools have already seen a presentation on the subject so please fill any gaps in this post by commenting below!

The Innovative Teachers Network has produced a collection of video case studies demonstrating the successful use of ICT in schools. The video below served as a reminder to me of why I do the job I do.

Video: Innovative Schools - Trailer Video

Please visit the Microsoft UK Schools Blog for more information.