The Systems Team (SIMS support) are attending a SIMS LA Software Update Seminar at the De Vere Whites Hotel (Reebok Stadium) in Horwich today.

Not only is this an important training day but it gives us the opportunity to get together as a team - something that rarely happens during the rest of the year!

For your information, please find below the agenda:

09:45 Assessment / Curriculum

• Assessment Update
• Profiles Checking Screen
• Exams Update
• Extended Services
• Alternative Curriculum

10:15 Technical

• Deployment Update
• Technical Update
• Hosting SIMS
• SIF
• Becta Guidance

11:30 Primary Review

• Dinner Money 7
• Primary Assessment

12:00 Partnership Exchange

• Review
• New Features
• FE and Work Based Learning Access

13:30 Statutory / Resources

• FMS
• Personnel 7
• Statutory Returns - Spring 2009

14:15 Core, Attendance and eLearning

• Homepage/Dashboard
• Alerts
• Attendance

15:00 Road Ahead 2009-2010

We”re keen to disseminate what we learn to schools, so please check back here for related posts over the coming weeks. Alternatively, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Calculating Five A*-C (including Maths and English)

In line with recent changes to Ofsted advice, here’’s how to create a marksheet that counts up the number of A*-C grades, then highlights the pupils with five or more, and also highlights the pupils with five A*-C grades including Maths and English.

This scenario uses a set of grade aspects to record the actual subject grades. The grade aspects are linked to a gradeset that uses the standard points scores got GCSE grades (A*=58, A=52, B=46, C=40 etc). GCSE science is a double award, and a short ICT course counts as half an award. All other courses count as a single GCSE. You might need to change this example slightly to fit the gradesets you use and the exams you offer.

1) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C for single (full) award subjects as follows:

• Add a column for data review using a formula and call it ”Count Full GCSE”
• Use the ”Grade Tally” formula to calculate the number of A*, A, B and C grades (see below)

2) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C grades for double award subjects.

• See above, but just select the double award subjects and call the column ”Count Double GCSE”

3) Create a formula column to calculate the number of A*-C grades for short award subjects.

• See above, but just select the short award subjects and call the column ”Count Short GCSE”

4) Add a column to multiply the number of double award subjects by 2 and call it ”Equivalent Double GCSE”

See example below:

 5) Add a column to divide the number of short award subjects by 2 and call it ”Equivalent Short GCSE”.

See example below:

You might need to add extra columns for DIDA, CIDA etc. 

6) To obtain the total number of A*-C grades:

simply add together these columns using the SUM formula in a new formula review column:

• Equivalent Short GCSE
• Equivalent Double GCSE
• Count Full GCSE

Call the column ”No A*-C”

7) To display a ”Y” if the student has 5 or more A*-C grades

• If you don”t already have one, create a gradeset called Yes/No where Y=1 and N=0
• Create an aspect called ”5+ A* - C” and put it in the Yes/No gradeset
• Add a ”formula for data entry” column as follows:

To calculate 5 A* to C including maths and english

I spent yesterday working at Westhoughton High School with a fantastic group of people. Before I launch into the SIMS part of this post, I wish express my thanks to the staff at the school for their hospitality, patience and assistance in helping me help them.

Despite a combination of some serious SIMS issues (hence the title of this post) and it probably being the busiest day of the academic year, they managed to keep laughing, which is a testament to their strength of character and team spirit. The fact that colleagues were more than willing to work through lunch and stay beyond their normal finishing time (without complaint) was an inspiration; it was a privilege to have the opportunity to spend the day working with them.

What has become clear to me over the past few weeks is how difficult the transition between academic years in SIMS is for secondary school staff, especially (but not exclusively) for those who are relatively new to the system. While it is to be expected that those new to post will struggle a little with the complexities of a huge system like SIMS, seasoned officers and senior teachers are still caught out by the seemingly unexplainable errors encountered during the End of Year process.

Overwhelmingly, it is the issues caused by the transfer between Nova-T6 and SQL (SIMS .net) followed by the transfer of data from SQL to Nova-T4 that generates the most complaints. Although I know Capita have plans to fully replace the essential functionality in Nova-T4 (a programme started with the release of Cover 7), I would have hoped that, after almost four years of SIMS .net in Bolton schools, we wouldn”t be transferring data between so many databases.

Colleagues have also commented on the End of Year documentation issued to schools. Historically we have made available Capita’’s Secondary School SIMS End of Year Procedures document but, while it will get you through the process, you”ve told us that it isn”t the easiest document to follow. It will quite often refer you to other documents and doesn”t, I believe, offer users the step-by-step, sensibly sectioned guide desired.

As a result, I”m launching a review of how our service supports the End of Year processes in secondary schools. I”d like to discuss with colleagues the ways in which you think we can improve the service and what you”d like to see in the way of documentation and communication.

I”d also like to consult with schools on how we can be more effective in supporting you throughout the examinations calendar. We are working closely with other local authorities in trying to convince examination boards to adhere to certain deadlines and standards, a subject I”ll be discussing in a later post.

If you wish to express an opinion on any of the above, please feel free to leave a comment below and/or drop me a line. I look forward to hearing your views.

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.

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.

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.