As colleagues at Withins School have kindly informed me, subscribers to Capita’’s Exams.info service (chapter 17 in the Results Day Survival Kit 2008 document) will already be aware that two consolidated SIMS Examinations Organiser patches have been released.

There is a different patch depending on which version of SIMS your school is currently using. I have taken the liberty of authorising the relevant patches to schools; these can be installed via SOLUS in the usual way.

Please find below detailed information of what is included in each consolidated patch.

Consolidated Exams Patch for August 2008 Main Release (SIMS .net 7.108) Users - ID: 12229

This patch combines six previously available patches for use on the August 2008 Main Release (version 6.66) of Examinations Organiser:

• Patch ID 12222 Certificate Broadsheet Converting Varchar to Float error

Microsoft ole db provider for sql server, error converting datatype varchar to float.

Error received in Certification Broadsheet

• Patch ID 12208 Timeout error when importing Exam results

Some users have reported loss of contact with the Server midway through the import of large results files.

This appears to be an issue more related to local network configuration than to the database itself. Capita have not been able to replicate the error message as reported, but have succeeded in provoking a timeout error, which may be associated. Accordingly this patch was prepared to addresses this problem by further optimisation.

• Patch ID 12200 Duplicate Student and Grade Counts

Group Performance Analysis frequently doubles and trebles its grade count. This problem has been traced to a change in behaviour between SQL Server 2000 and 2005, which has necessitated some recoding of the procedure. Most users will be affected. This patch resolves the problem.

• Patch ID 12226 Certificate Broadsheet Divide by Zero error

Sims .net | Exams | Reports | Results | Certification Broadsheet

Select qualification as Key Skills

“Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server - Divide by zero error encountered.
 Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server - The statement has been terminated.”

• Patch ID 12218 BTEC Applied Science Added to PI Measure for Science

This patch updates the KS4 PI calculation to recognise Level 2 BTEC Applied Science as satisfying the specific ‘2+ A*-C in Science’ measure. Please note that in addition to applying the patch, users of this qualification will need to use the Basedata Element Properties form to assign the appropriate QCA code, 0008, which is not indicated in the basedata.

Item 10 of the Results Day Survival Kit draws attention to the erroneous discount code issued for Edexcel Double Science. A number of other issues have since come to light in the same area.

Codes 1320 (Additional Science) and 0028 (Additional Applied Science), new this year, will have been added by the August upgrade. Elements assigned to these codes will have imported correctly, except for the QCA code, which will have been reported as non-existent. These should be inserted manually, where required. As the RDSK indicates, 1320 will be recognised as the counterpart of 1310, 0028 of 0008.

WJEC: Element 023001 is issued as 1300, with 023101 as 1320. 1300 does not appear on the DCSF’s QAN data. Users will find that the Element Properties form shows QCA codes for both as blank, because at point of import neither code was present. Assigning codes 1310 and 1320 respectively will allow the calculation to operate correctly.

Edexcel: Elements 2101 and 2103 are both assigned to QCA code 1310. The effect of this for students who have a result for each will be that the lower grade (or one or the other if the same) will be discounted. Users should correct element 2103 to QCA code 1320 and re-run the PI calculation.

OCR: In the original release of 6a08_01, J632 and J650 were both assigned to 1340, which is not in the QCA list. According to the QAN data, J632 should be 0008, J650 should be 1750. These values were corrected in the x05 revision, but Capita are still not convinced - J632 and discount code 0028 are both called ”Additional Applied Science”, which, according to Capita, sound like a good enough match. In any event, users should ensure that the ”core” elements with which they use these items produce valid combinations, as specified in the RDSK.

• Patch ID 12215 OCR National Exam results not included in PI calculations.

ONAT First Award and First Certificate at Level 2 have had the stopgap codes used in 2007/8 replaced by the August upgrade with the correct ones in readiness for 2008/9. The PI Equivalence table needs to be updated accordingly. This update will affect only centres delivering these qualifications.

Consolidated Exams Patch for June 2008 Update Release (SIMS .net 7.106) Users - ID: 12230

This patch combines five previously available patches for use on the June 2008 Update Release (version 6.64) of Examinations Organiser:

• Patch ID 12222 Certificate Broadsheet Converting Varchar to Float error

Microsoft ole db provider for sql server, error converting datatype varchar to float.

Error received in Certification Broadsheet

• Patch ID 12208 Timeout error when importing Exam results

Some users have reported loss of contact with the Server midway through the import of large results files.

This appears to be an issue more related to local network configuration than to the database itself. Capita have not been able to replicate the error message as reported, but have succeeded in provoking a timeout error, which may be associated. Accordingly this patch was prepared to addresses this problem by further optimisation.

• Patch ID 12200 Duplicate Student and Grade Counts

Group Performance Analysis frequently doubles and trebles its grade count. This problem has been traced to a change in behaviour between SQL Server 2000 and 2005, which has necessitated some recoding of the procedure. Most users will be affected. This patch resolves the problem.

• Patch ID 12221 Addition of Subject Codes 0028 and 1320

QCA code 0028 and 1320 not available prior to August 2008 Main Release (SIMS .net 7.108 - Examinations Organiser 6.66)

• Patch ID 12226 Certificate Broadsheet Divide by Zero error

Sims .net | Exams | Reports | Results | Certification Broadsheet

Select qualification as Key Skills

“Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server - Divide by zero error encountered.
 Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server - The statement has been terminated.”

As always, please don”t hesitate to contact us if you require further information or support.

Please feel free to leave a comment below, especially if you have something to share with your fellow Exam Officers.

The Information Management Unit has issued guidance, revised for summer 2008, on how to record the enrolment status in SIMS for pupils who attend PRUs or are on Managed Transfers.

The accurate recording of this information is essential for School Census and data returns.

Please click here for further details.

I”ve no doubt you”ve already seen Photosynth from Microsoft Live Labs as it’’s made its way around the blogosphere in the last few days. For those who haven”t, please take a look at the video below.

Video: Photosynth: How to Make Your Own Synth

Microsoft UK Schools News Blog is running a Photosynth contest, as Ray Fleming (UK Education Industry Manager for Microsoft) explains:

“I know that many of you will have been busy changing things in your IT systems this summer, and some of you will be the proud owners of new servers, networks and equipment. I’ve also been busy over the summer – building up my stocks of goodies. And I’m prepared to give away a bag of goodies – including a handful of 4GB memory sticks and a little pile of software boxes, for the best synth of either your server room or your school atrium. Grab your cameras, build the synth, and then post the URL as a comment (and email me too).”

Please click here to view the full post. If you decide to enter a synth into the competition (and I”ll let you consider the implications of publishing a virtual tour of your server room), please don”t forget to post a link in the comments section beneath this post.

I”ve embedded a video below in which, back in March 2007, Blaise Aguera y Arcas (co-creator) explains the whole Photosynth concept. Please be warned that this clip contains lots of “ooohs” and “ahhhs”.

Video: Blaise Aguera y Arcas: Photosynth Demo

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

If, like me, you”re too easily distracted from an important task by incoming email, this could be for you.

Microsoft OfficeLabs have released Email Prioritizer for Outlook 2007 (running on Exchange Server). This free add-in provides a “do not disturb” button that temporarily pauses new email arrival and prioritises messages with a star rating system.

For more information, please visit the Email Prioritizer project page.

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Assessment Manager and SIMS can be used to help you record the details of your EAL pupils. Not only does it allow schools to record their targets and progress, it also allows their progress to be correlated with other information (admission date, FSM, SEN status etc). Give the Schools ICT Unit Helpline a ring (ext 2034) if you need help, but if you want to try it yourself here are some ideas and tips:

1) SIMS pupil data screens already contain a field that allows schools to record pupils with EAL. Go to Focus Pupil Pupil Details and find a pupil, then scoll down to section 7 (Ethnic/Cultural). The field for EAL is in the second column.

2) You can easily create a report that lists all the pupils classified as EAL by using the SIMS Report module as follows:

a) Go to Report Design Report

b) Click ”Create a new report”

c) Choose ”People - Student” for the focus of the report, the click ”next”.

d) Choose to display just the pupils on roll and click ”next”.

e) Select to display ”pupil name and reg” and pressing the green arrow

f) Scroll down to the Ethnic/Cultural section and exand the list by pressing the + sign.

g) Select ”English as Additional Language” and press the green arrow. Click next.

h) Create a new filter and select ”English as Additional Language”. Tick the ”yes” box and choose the ”is one of” option

i) Run the report to generate Word document that you can print off as required.

A copy of this report is available from the Schools ICT Unit - we can install it for you - contact the Helpdesk and log a call.

3) A template has been created by the Schools ICT Unit to help schools to record EAL scales. It looks like this:

Please click on the image above to view a larger, easier to read version.

For help installing and using the marksheet contact the Schools ICT Unit helpdesk (ext 2034)

4) More advanced schools might want to include new EAL aspects within their existing templates. You can create the aspects and gradesets used in the example above and use them in your existing marksheets. Create them as follows:

Gradeset: EAL TA

Then create four grade aspects using the gradeset above:

• EAL TA: Reading
• EAL TA: Writing
• EAL TA: Listening
• EAL TA: Speaking

Results Sets

Note that you are only required to assess pupils against this scale on admission to school. Schools who use results sets might choose to create a results set called ”Baseline” to record this value.

David Pott (email david.pott@sict.bolton.gov.uk, ext 2034)

Microsoft OfficeLabs have released pptPlex for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, a free add-in that allows you to show slides on a zoomable canvas, moving around the extended area to show groups of slides, individual slides or zoom in to display a particular section of a slide.

Video: An Overview of pptPlex

Please visit the pptPlex project page for further details.

Now, should I get Ian Mills to use pptPlex to explain his network diagram at the next Secondary Tech Forum? Feel free to comment below. J

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Page 3 of the Results Day Survival Kit refers to Capita’’s Guide to Importing and Analysing Exam Results document, available here. Colleagues at Portsmouth City Council have discovered a number of incorrect menu routes in the document. Capita have acknowledged the errors and a company representative has replied as follows:

“These areas have been incorporated into Performance Analysis in SIMS .net but the menu routes [in the document] do not seem to have [been] changed. I have informed publications of this issue and the guide will be updated in due course.”

Please consider the corrections below an addendum to the original document.

In Chapter 5 - Building Examination Analysis - Page 20 the menu route shows as Tools | Build Exams Analysis, should read - in SIMS .net select Tools | PA Tools | Exam | Analysis.

In Chapter 5 - Viewing an Analysis - Page 22 the menu route shows Focus | <Analysis Type>, should read - in SIMS .net select Focus | Assessment | <Analysis Type>.

In Chapter 5 - Cloning an Analysis - Page 26 the menu route shows Focus | <Analysis Type>, should read - in SIMS .net select Focus | Assessment | <Analysis Type>.

In Chapter 5 - Assigning Ownership of an Analysis Grid - Page 26 the menu route shows Focus | <Analysis Type>, should read - in SIMS .net select Focus | Assessment | <Analysis Type>.

In Chapter 5 - Deleting Examination Analysis - Page 30 the menu route shows Tools | Delete Exam Analyses, this should read - in SIMS .net select Tools | Performance Analysis Tools | Exam Analysis.

As Secondary Technical Forum regulars know, here at Schools ICT we”ve been using Microsoft OneNote 2007 for some time. We find it an invaluable tool for sharing meeting notes, not only with attendees but anyone else in the Unit who wishes to know what we”ve been discussing.

I spotted the following video clip on the Microsoft UK Schools News Blog and thought I”d share it with you. It demonstrates how OneNote 2007 is used in a Norwegian primary school. Notice how relaxed both the students and teacher are with the technology.

Video: OneNote Usage in Norwegian Schools

The author of the post asks the following question: “How does that compare to the teaching and learning in your school?”

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Please click here to download this year’’s SIMS Examinations Organiser Results Day Survival Kit.

The purpose of this document is to ensure that Examinations Officers have at their fingertips the information they will need to make results download days (13th and 20th August 2008) as painless as possible.

This document refers to the August 2008 Main Release of SIMS which was made available by Capita on the evening of Friday 8th August 2008.

It should be noted, however, that Capita have informed Bolton Council that there are no known issues with the current version (6.64) that might compromise the successful download and import of GCE and GCSE results.

If schools wish to make full use of the PI functionality in Examinations Organiser, and have candidates entered for the affected exams, the August 2008 Main Release will need to be installed.

Full details can be found in the Survival Kit document which includes information on a task relating to OCR Nationals that must be performed prior to installing the August 2008 Main Release.

Work is being carried out to replace the internet facing firewalls on Monday 18th August 2008, which will likely cause complete loss of internet access for most of the day.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don”t hesitate to contact the Schools ICT Unit.