April 2017

The know zone

  • On your marks...
    A race around the park provides Dennis Richards with some gentle exercise and a golden opportunity to catch up on the latest thinking on pupil attainment… More
  • Halfway there
    Last December, the government finally released the second stage of the consultation on the national funding formula (NFF). So was it worth the wait? Julia Harnden says more funding must be invested in education for the formula to be a success. More
  • Minds matter
    Every week there is a new report or story in the media about the worsening mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Here, Anna Cole highlights how leaders can develop a whole-school approach to deal with mental health and wellbeing. More
  • Mental health and wellbeing
    The government wants to offer schools in England mental health first-aid training and is looking at how to strengthen links between schools and the NHS. Have you seen a rise in mental health issues in young people in your school or college? Have you had any experience of accessing local specialist NHS services to help pupils? Here ASCL members share their views. More
  • Real-world opportunities to inspire students
    Focus on… Youth Grand Challenges More
  • Adding value
    Embracing new ways to communicate More
  • Stay in control
    Julie McCulloch highlights new guidance for schools considering joining or forming a multi-academy trust (MAT) and explains how you can stay in control of your school’s destiny. More
  • Leaders’ surgery
    Hotline advice expressed here, and in calls to us, is made in good faith to our members. Schools and colleges should always take formal HR or legal advice from their indemnified provider before acting. More
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Embracing new ways to communicate

Adding value

The emergence of smartphones has transformed our daily lives and the education sector is no different. In a recent School Information Management System (SIMS) survey, 50% of parents of secondary school children said that they want to receive student progress information via an app or mobile-friendly portal.

Busy parents want the convenience of anytime, anywhere access to information about their child’s progress, while schools need the tools to help them achieve this without adding to a teacher’s workload.

The survey also revealed that schools have adopted many forms of communication technology. A total of 59% of secondary schools were offering pupil-progress information to parents online through a portal, 35% offered updates by text and 34% via a mobile app or website.

In a changing technological and educational landscape, it is important that SIMS supports schools to meet these challenges. The new SIMS Parent app helps schools improve the way that they communicate with parents. The app allows parents to get more involved in their child’s progress by giving them access to key information, such as attendance and school reports, at their convenience.

Learn more about the SIMS Parent app www.capita-sims.co.uk/parentapp

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