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ICT support

Support for the School Information Management System (SIMS), statutory returns and training.

Updated: 29th November 2023

Our service

Include:

  • Support for the School Information Management System (SIMS). SIMS helpsheets and documents including step-by-step manuals for supported schools. User group information and newsletters, exams, release notes and other documents.
  • Statutory returns. User, system and technical support for School Census, Key stage collection and other data collections which are completed in SIMS.
  • Training. SIMS and bespoke sessions in school and other courses.

For information on how to purchase our service, see: ICT Support - Buying this service

For information on the training we offer, see: ICT Training

For current service users: 

Access to resources and information - login required

A new phone system could be cheaper than you think!

We can supply you with a new VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system that has many benefits. These include very low line costs, included calls/bundles and separate extensions for each class.

For schools and academies that purchase our Platinum offer, maintenance is free. For those that purchase our Platinum+ offer, both maintenance and installation are free. Contact us for a quote.

ICT support - buying this service

What we offer

Calderdale Schools ICT Support Team offers a wide range of Service Level Agreement (SLA) packages and other services to meet the ICT needs of Schools and Academies. Our team are Microsoft, Cisco, Apple, PRINCE2 and ITIL trained and includes members of the British Computer Society and NAACE.

Our comprehensive range of services includes:

  • Single point of contact for all your ICT needs.
  • Support for desktops, laptops, netbooks and Apple devices.
  • Local and wide area networks, broadband.
  • Management information systems: support, advice, consultancy and training.
  • Server and infrastructure planning, design, implementation.
  • Central Data storage, remote access, advice on information governance.
  • Application development and support including email.
  • ICT installations from plans to completion; from single PC to whole school projects.
  • eLearning and eSafeguarding advice.
  • Service Level Agreements.
  • Bespoke ICT strategy/support.
  • Secure remote backup of data.
  • Secure remote access to school systems.
  • VOIP telephone systems.

Contact

We are always happy to discuss your needs and can tailor our packages to meet your requirements.

 

ICT and MIS SLA packages

We offer a wide variety of support packages to meet the many different ICT needs of Schools and Academies. These include:

Core service - primary and secondary schools

This service is free of charge to maintained Schools. It is:

  • Mandatory for all schools taking service
  • Available to all schools in Calderdale
  • Service Standards: No pre-determined response times

ICT core services

  • Provision of a dedicated and professional ICT Service Desk, a single point of contact for all SIMS and ICT queries. Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm (24x7 email / web)
  • Facilitation of the transfer of pupil data from school to local authority (SIMS B2B)
  • Support for the use of secure local and national websites for the transfer of pupil data

Specific exclusions

  • Management of passwords
  • Addressing other security issues such as unauthorised access 

Gold service - primary schools

This service includes:

  • technical support for the administration network including up to 2 PCs
  • a contribution to SIMS software annual maintenance
  • technical support for SIMS software errors
  • SIMS software upgrades and installations
  • support on how to use current SIMS modules

Recommended for

  • Primary schools that require user support for the operation of SIMS at the most cost-effective rate
  • Primary schools who do not obtain on-site support for SIMS from CapitaES
  • Primary schools requiring pre-determined response times 

Available to

  • These services are available at additional cost to all primary schools
  • Service Standards: pre-determined response times

The services include Core services plus:

  • Application and User Support for all listed SIMS modules:
    • STAR 7
    • Attendance 7
    • SEN 7 
    • Reporting 7
    • Personnel 7
    • System Manager
    • Assessment 7
    • Profiles 7
    • CTF
    • Discover (when trained) 
  • Support subject to the payment of an annual licence fee to Capita:
    • Dinner Money 7 
    • SIMS Learning Gateway
  • Provision of ICT Service Desk for:
    • General telephone advice and assistance
    • Handling all support contracts
    • Logging and processing faults
    • Providing progress information on faults
    • Receiving any complaints and resolving or referring to relevant partner organisation helpdesk.
    • Providing a single point of contact
    • Maintaining a database of school contacts and fault management
    • Providing reports detailing faults handled

Other areas:

  • Support for the management and administration network, including the administration server, network devices, network printers, and up to 2 PCs or laptops on the administration network
  • SIMS software (includes FMS) technical support for a maximum of 2 PCs or laptops throughout the school, subject to equipment specification
  • SIMS Learning Gateway technical and software support if purchased as part of the Local Authority scheme and licence
  • Maintenance of SIMS.Net and FMS databases
  • Installation of SIMS software, upgrades and patches (live only)
  • Remote support for SIMS so that we can more effectively assist with your queries
  • Support for Internet access provided by YHGFL (support for issues where source is found to be outside YHGfL is on a reasonable endeavours basis)
  • Email support where the system used is a supported product (excludes MS Exchange)
  • Support with recovery from virus infection for supported devices on the administration network and advice on best practice
  • Organisation and assistance with the procurement of hardware, hardware components and software relating to management and administration systems e.g. PCs
  • Reasonable endeavours to assist with the setup of leasing agreements.  But please note that no responsibility can be taken for financial or other loss incurred by the school
  • Where the school suffers loss or other incident to the main SIMS PC, which renders it unusable, a loan PC will be made available until the machine is replaced
  • Option to apply to take part in piloting new SIMS modules
  • Brokering of bespoke SIMS training by external agencies
  • Support for input on Electronic Key Stage results into SIMS Assessment
  • Support transfer of data from eProfile to SIMS assessment for the Foundation Stage profile data collection

Optional extras: (annual charge)

  • Installation of MS SQL servers

Specific exclusions

  • See Platinum Subscription Services (primary)
  • Work resulting from system configuration changes and problems resulting from software installation  on the server or PC which have not been agreed with the ICT Support Team

Please note that adherence to backup procedures is the responsibility of the school

Platinum service - primary schools

This level of service provides seamless whole school support for both administration and curriculum networks in primary schools.

It aims to be a “one-stop shop” in meeting a school’s ICT support needs on a reactive basis.

This level of service will take ownership of all reported problems/issues and drive them forward to a mutually satisfactory resolution.

Proactive advisory services are included to help schools minimise risk and maintain a secure, robust system.

Recommended for

  • Primary schools likely to make extensive use of the service because they make significant or advanced use of ICT
  • Primary schools that wish to receive ‘holistic’ support for ICT across the whole school network (admin and curriculum)
  • Primary schools wishing to have all elements of an ICT service provided and/or managed on their behalf with one contact point
  • Primary schools who do not have the skills to manage their own network and user accounts on a proactive basis, and to deal with day to day faults which require immediate attention
  • Primary schools requiring pre-determined response times

Available to

  • These services are available at additional cost to all primary schools
  • Service Standards: pre-determined response times

Services include Core and Gold, plus

  • SIMS telephone and remote support for the termly School Census (excludes training)
  • Support provided for the Curriculum networks, including the Curriculum server, network devices and network printers
  • Support for Windows curriculum desktop and laptop PCs
  • Support for netbooks is on a reasonable endeavours basis
  • Organisation and assistance with the procurement of hardware, hardware components and software – relating to Curriculum systems eg PCs
  • Installation of peripherals eg scanners, cameras etc
  • Installation projects can be included, subject to size.  Discussions and agreements on a project-by-project basis
  • Management of contractors engaged on network installations
  • Installation and technical support for curriculum software on reasonable endeavours basis.  Please note that some software is not suitable to be installed on some types of networks
  • Implementation of an anti-virus strategy including automated updates throughout the school (subject to site survey) and reasonable endeavours to assist the school to recover from virus infections
  • Implementation of a back-up strategy
  • Network consultancy services, including evaluation of school requirements and supplier proposals
  • Provisions of warranty expiration information (when purchased via ICT Support)
  • Advice on disposal of obsolete equipment

Specific exclusions

  • Support of IT equipment out of warranty
  • Installations involving new or replacement servers
  • Network and electrical cabling
  • Training and on site visits for the termly School Census and other statutory returns
  • Equipment which is not of a reasonable standard i.e. equipment which is not of a standard specification or has an Operating System intended for home rather than business use eg Windows XP home edition, Vista home edition
  • Equipment not included on an appropriate maintenance contract
  • The consequences of inappropriate system security procedures allowing unauthorised access to operating systems, applications or files
  • Recovery from any circumstance caused by school staff carrying out technical configuration/fixes for which they do not have the appropriate training
  • The consequences of the loss of data arising from the absence of up-to-date backups
  • Non-Microsoft Network Operating Systems
  • Operating system downgrades

Optional extras: (individual charge)

  • Installation of servers
  • ICT development planning
  • Consultancy services in respect of new schools in the planning/construction stages

Platinum Plus service - primary schools

As network installations in larger primary schools become larger and more sophisticated they require an extra level of maintenance and support on a proactive basis

This level of subscription service provides network management and development services over and above those included in Platinum.

It is designed to help schools minimize risk and disruption and maintain a secure, robust system

Regular visits will be made to schools to help prevent problems arising rather than waiting for them to be reported.

Drop-in workshops at the school to provide training on how to use the network facilities can also be provided where time permits.

Recommended for

  • Primary schools with large ICT installations which do not have trained and qualified network managers
  • Primary schools that make extensive use of the Internet and therefore need higher levels of security against increasing threats from virus writers and hackers
  • Primary schools wishing to have all elements of an ICT service provided and/or managed on their behalf with one contact point
  • Primary schools who do not have the skills to manage their own network and user accounts on a proactive basis, and to deal with day to day faults which require immediate attention
  • Primary schools where school staff want to know more about how to use the network
  • Primary schools which are planning to replace a server
  • Primary schools who wish to implement whole school systems for effective information management 

Available to

  • These services are available at additional cost to all primary schools
  • Service Standards: Pre-determined response times and termly or twice-termly visits for pro-active maintenance

Services include Core services, Gold services and Platinum services, plus:

  • Free remote back-up for your curriculum data when you purchase remote back-up for your admin data
  • The equivalent of one day on-site per term to carry out preventative maintenance or provide user support on a drop in basis
  • The equivalent of ½ day visit to discuss the school management use of SIMS
  • Technical and SIMS software support for a whole school implementation of SIMS Attendance in the classroom (excludes training)
  • Tests of network health, including confirmation that automated virus protection measures are being successfully applied, and that no spyware is present on the network
  • Rectification of network health problems discovered by the above
  • Checks to ensure that the entries for the resources on the network (e.g. printers and other peripherals) are up to date and rectified where necessary
  • Ensuring the backup system is robust
  • Management of user accounts on the network including creating the new year intake, ‘promoting’ one year group to the next
  • Should the school find themselves in a position of having to recover from a major system disaster brought about by any other factor, help with all aspects of the recovery including server re-build if necessary
  • Installation of a server and setup of services such as automatic backup and Microsoft Active Directory to manage resources on the network
  • Connection of laptops to whiteboards
  • Support with the management of ICT contractors, including cabling, whiteboard maintenance, web development contractors
  • Support for Apple OS X  on a reasonable endeavours basis
  • Password ownership (subject to school’s requirements) and other IT security
  • Support for strategic planning
  • Support and assistance with asset management
  • Specification and installation of wireless networks

Silver service - secondary schools

This service includes:

  • a contribution to SIMS software annual maintenance
  • technical support for SIMS.NET software errors on the school server.

However, it excludes

  • software upgrades and installations, which can be purchased as an optional extra.
  • SIMS user support, which can be purchased from CapitaES.

Recommended for

  • Secondary schools that would prefer to obtain their SIMS licence through the Local Authority
  • Secondary schools that are largely self-sufficient

Available to

  • These services are provided at no additional cost to all maintained secondary schools in Calderdale with the exception of Academies, Free Schools and former Grant Maintained schools, to whom they are available at an additional cost.
  • Service Standards: Pre-determined response times

Services include Core services plus

  • A contribution towards SIMS licenses
  • Remote technical support for SIMS.NET software errors on the school server
  • Telephone advice on SIMS technical problems on the PC (client)

Optional extras (annual charge)

  • Top-up services from CapitaES

Platinum service - secondary schools

This service provides ‘third-line’ top-up support from the local authority for the school’s own ICT staff.

It includes

  • a contribution to SIMS software annual maintenance
  • technical support for SIMS software errors on the school server
  • SIMS software upgrades and installations on the server
  • back-up user support for specific SIMS modules

Recommended for

  • Secondary schools whose ICT staff would like to take advantage of a top-up advisory and support service
  • Secondary schools who receive telephone support for SIMS from CapitaES, but would like back-up help and on-site support for SIMS at the most cost-effective rate

Available to

  • These services are available at additional cost to all secondary schools
  • Service Standards: Pre-determined response times

Services include Core and Silver service plus

  • SIMS telephone and remote support for the termly Pupil Census & SIMS support for the School Workforce Census (excludes training)
  • Special advice line for ICT staff in schools
  • On-site advice on SIMS to the equivalent of one day per year
  • Installation of SIMS software, upgrades, enhancements and patches (apart from beta test software)
  • Network consultancy services, including evaluation of school requirements and supplier proposals (equivalent of one day)
  • Piloting new technologies of benefit to schools
  • Reduction in price of the support package for broadband connections
  • SIMS Learning Gateway technical and software support if purchased as part of the Local Authority scheme and licence
  • Brokering of bespoke SIMS training by external agencies
  • ICT Support for B2B software for automatic transfer of staff data between the local authority and schools (when functionality is available)
  • Technical support for FMS

Application and user support for all listed SIMS modules:

  • STAR 7
  • Attendance 7
  • SEN 7
  • Reporting 7
  • Personnel 7
  • Assessment 7
  • Profiles 7
  • System Manager
  • CTF
  • Exams organiser
  • Discover (when staff trained)
  • SIMS School Census and School Workforce Census modules

Application and users support for these modules is subject to payment of annual licence fee:

  • SIMS Learning Gateway
  • Lesson Monitor 7 

Our latest SLA documents

 

ICT technical services

Our technical services offer innovative solutions to Schools ICT needs. Our range of services include:

Remote backup

What we offer

We can take over your back-up for admin data, removing this burden from your school. Data to be backed up is encrypted and compressed as a “first pass” ready to be sent to our secure datacentre. Subsequent backups will only look for changed data meaning that the backup is quick and effective. There is never any need for the physical and risky removal of data.

Benefits

  • Safeguard your data

    Ensure your data is appropriately managed and easily recoverable
  • No manual backups!

    Your school is freed from the burden of having to remember to conduct manual backups.
  • No extra hardware, DVDs, CDs or tapes

    Eradicate slow backups and restores, mechanical breakdowns and data loss from faulty tapes and DVDs.
  • Backed up online and stored off site

    No need to remember to take backup tapes home with you. Instant disaster recovery and  access to data stored in our resilient and secure data centre.
  • Fast & easy data recovery

    Instantly recover any lost data at a click of a mouse from disk. No trawling through backup tapes to recover files. No data security risk & embarrassing headlines. Compliant with Becta’s information handling guidelines. Data is stored off the school site, fully encrypted at source and in transit.
  • Reduce your carbon footprint

    No need for IT technicians to drive around in their cars visiting schools to fix tape related backup issues.
  • Simple & affordable pricing

    Transparent prices that are based on the number of servers, applications and the amount of data you wish to backup at your school. No need to waste money on new backup tapes, tape drives etc.
  • 100% compatible with your school management software

    Works with Windows, MS Office, SIMS, FMS, curriculum, admin and is a CAPITA approved backup service.
  • Proven & tested service

    The service is currently in use in over 12,000 schools across 70+ Local Authorities and service providers.
  • Local

    Managed and operated by the Council's Schools ICT Support Team

School’s challenge

Schools are increasingly relying on computer systems and digital content to teach their pupils the curriculum. Administration data on each pupil and how the school functions is critical.

Without all this information backed up and protected the consequences of data loss can be massively time consuming, disruptive and potentially embarrassing in unwanted headlines and the consequential loss of reputation.

Schools need to ensure that data is protected and stored off the school site, falling in line with Becta’s information handling guidelines.

Under the Becta guidelines – “Good practice in information handling” and under the Data Protection Act 1998, portable media should be encrypted.

With the Online Backup for Schools you can rest assured that you are meeting your statutory obligations and will be able to restore your data at the click of a button when you need to.

Feedback

“It saves our school money and has proved to be a major time saver as well, removing the burden of backup on our school completely – the service is very impressive”

The Ben Johnson School,

Tower Hamlets

“It’s one less job to think about. In a busy school office I don’t need to worry about forgetting to change the tapes or have to worry about the tapes becoming damaged and losing data. I have no need to check the server to see if the backup was successful as I receive an email confirmation and that’s all I need to check”

Old Town Primary School

Calderdale

Remote access

What we offer

To access the Remote Access Service all you need to do is visit a secure webpage which will ask you for your school username and password as well as a PIN number. The use of the PIN number ensures full data security by utilising two factor authentication. Once logged in you will be presented with a page of icons, just click on an icon and it will launch the application as if it is installed on your machine, all through a secure link.

Benefits

  • Universal Access to SIMS:

    Access your schools systems from any machine and any location.
  • Access securely and easily from home, mobile or classroom:

    With the new Remote Access Service you no longer need to leave school PC’s switched on saving energy, money and prolonging the life of school machines.
  • No need for any special or complicated connection process, just login with your usual credentials:

    Utilising encrypted links and two factor authentication ensures a high level of security is maintained throughout the time connected to the school systems.
  • Access the data and applications you need from an intuitive and easy to use webpage:

    The Remote Access Service ensures that all data is kept on-site and never leaves the school. All data is saved to the server and cannot be removed on to the local machine or pen drive.
  • Remote access from anywhere:

    Access your schools systems from any machine and any location.
  • No need to leave machines on in school:

    With the new Remote Access Service you no longer need to leave school PC’s switched on saving energy, money and prolonging the life of school machines.
  • Secure Access:

    Utilising encrypted links and two factor authentication ensures a high level of security is maintained throughout the time connected to the school systems.
  • Data Protection:

    The Remote Access Service ensures that all data is kept on-site and never leaves the school. All data is saved to the server and cannot be removed on to the local machine or pen drive.
  • No Application Installs:

    There is no worry if you don’t have the application you need at home as no applications need installing on your local machine to run the Remote Access Service applications.
  • Local:

    Managed and operated by Calderdale’s Schools ICT Support Team.

School’s challenge

Access to applications within schools can be cumbersome, involving connecting to services with 3rd party applications (such as Cisco VPN Client) and leaving machines switched on in school:

  • The new Remote Access Service provided by CMBC ICT removes the need to use 3rd party applications and users no longer need to leave machines switched on in the office saving money on energy bills.
  • From any machine you can securely access your school applications such as SIMS, FMS, and Smart Notebook as well as your network drives inside school. All data is kept on the school server and cannot be saved to your home machine, ensuring the integrity of the data is kept intact by keeping the data within the school.

Instant Messenger

What we offer

With a small application installed on your PC or laptop your machine automatically logs you into the Lync™ service every time you log onto your machine within school. There is no second logon or complicated configuration, there isn’t even a program to setup on your school server. All the connections are routed through our centrally hosted Lync™ server which reduces the costs to schools. Once logged in you can see who is online and who isn’t, send messages or share your desktop within an online meeting.

Features

  • Connect with others through instant messaging (IM), video calls and online meetings.
  • Move easily from instant messaging into ad-hoc online meetings that include audio, video, and screen sharing, with just a few mouse clicks.
  • Conduct online presentations to colleagues including audio, video, screen sharing, and a virtual whiteboard.
  • View presence status and click to communicate from within Microsoft Outlook, Office SharePoint, and other Office applications.
  • Communicate with external organizations running Lync using IM, audio and video through Lync federation.
  • Reply to an email with an instant message or an audio call for quicker and more effective resolution of issues.
  • Local. Managed and operated by Calderdale’s Schools ICT Support Team

School’s challenge

In today’s fast paced world communicating with other members of staff and other schools is often difficult and time consuming. With the Microsoft Lync™ service, provided by Calderdale ICT, this communication is made easy with Instant Communication to all members of staff in school. Sending a short message to a teacher is now made easy by Microsoft Lync™, even if the recipient doesn’t have their email open.

Strategic management

What we offer

Calderdale ICT have a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of the use of ICT in schools. We focus entirely on the schools sector and this specialisation places us in a strong position to ensure schools ICT provision meets current and future needs.

We can help schools to:

  • Develop and implement their ICT strategy
  • Manage or assist in projects however large or small
  • Support existing ICT staff, becoming third line support for the school
  • Provide consultancy and independent support

ICT consultancy

What we offer

We can provide:

  • LA Connectivity for non-YHGfL Schools
  • Support for ICT development planning
  • Consultancy: network evaluation, network design, hardware evaluation, specification of hardware requirements, sourcing equipment and supplies, evaluation of supplier proposals
  • Procurement/ordering of ICT equipment where not covered under the selected service level
  • Reasonable endeavours to assist with the setup of leasing agreements.  But please note that no responsibility can be taken for financial or other loss incurred by the school
  • Installation and configuration of software and hardware: servers, desktop and laptop PCs, network devices, peripherals
  • Disaster recovery, including recovery from virus infections
  • Assistance with recruitment of IT support staff in schools in relation to BECTA ICT competences
  • Support for whiteboards
  • Technical support for the use of virtual learning environment software
  • Special projects management
  • ICT Technical Forum
  • Support YHGfL projects (e.g. Video Conferencing, Wikis, Pod Casting, Loc 8)

This is a selection of the ICT technical and consultancy services we provide. We're versatile, experienced, reliable and excellent value for money. We're always happy to help so, even if what you need isn't here, we'd love to hear from you.

MIS consultancy

We also offer a wide range of flexible consultancy services to help schools get the most of their MIS systems. These include:

Post 16 census consultancy

What we offer

Use this package to help optimise your Post-16 funding.

  • A flexible package of training and/or consultancy designed to meet the needs of secondary schools with 6th Forms.
  • This will help you to ensure best practice usage of your MIS system for the Post-16 part of your School Census return.

Contact

SIMS assessment tracking

What we offer

Calderdale ICT Support Team can build tracker marksheets in SIMS to meet your exact needs. This utilises the SIMS Assessment module which is included in your SIMS licence through us.

  •  A powerful and flexible tracking system to monitor your pupils' progress and
  • Analyse your pupils' progress against pastoral data.

Standard tracker marksheet service

SIMS includes a set of standard tracker marksheets for primary schools. They are for years 1 to 6 reading, writing, speaking and listening, maths and science.

Benefits

  • Automatic traffic lighting.
  • Quickly show additional pupil info, SEN, G&T, DOB, gender, attendance, looked after and more.
  • Instant grade distribution. A single click calculates mean grades, mean points and group comparisons.
  • Quick and easy RAISEonline style filtering, e.g. boys born in summer term and more.

SIMS also includes a set of standard Early Years tracking grids for Nursery and Reception pupils.

We can help you implement SIMS standard trackers and grids in your school, including training and support. Get in touch with us for a free demonstration.

Bespoke tracker marksheet service

In our bespoke package we work with you to design and implement your own tracker marksheets in SIMS to match your exact needs. All the functionality above is included plus the following:

Benefits

  • Meeting with Assessment Co-ordinator and Senior Leaders including a demonstration of standard SIMS trackers. Discussion to establish how you want to track progress and how to transfer this into SIMS. We will establish your detailed requirements e.g. how targets will be set, frequency of results, colours required for traffic lights and more.
  • Marksheet design, final approval and installation in your school SIMS system.
  • ½ day onsite training on how to use your new marksheets and/or grids. Training is for the number of staff you require, based on the capacity of training room available in your school.
  • Optional service to import your current and/or historical sub-level results from Excel into your new SIMS trackers.

This is an affordable service using your existing MIS system.

SIMS Dinner Money setup and training

What we offer

A bespoke training and set-up service to ensure your admin staff can use SIMS Dinner Money confidently and accurately:

  • Hands-on onsite set-up of your Dinner Money module with Calderdale Dinner Money trainer to ensure your system is configured correctly.
  • Onsite training on how to use the module. Training is for the number of staff you require, based on the capacity of training rooms available in your school.
  • Step-by-step manual on how to use SIMS Dinner Money.
  • Your trainer can ring you to offer remote follow-up support on the first day you use Dinner Money and the first day you do banking using Dinner Money.

SIMS attendance in the classroom

What we offer

A bespoke set-up and whole-school training service:

  • Appropriate access set up for all staff who will take the register in the classroom including teachers and any teaching assistants.
  • Usernames and passwords and access rights set up.
  • Remote session with Calderdale SIMS Trainer to set up SIMS user accounts with your admin staff.
  • Whole-school training session. This is onsite and arranged at a time to suit the needs of your staff, e.g. during your regular staff meeting. 
  • Your trainer can ring you to offer follow-up support on the first day you use Attendance in the classroom.

SIMS report writing service

What we offer

  • Reports for SIMS designed to meet your requirements.
  • If you need a specific report from SIMS we can design it for you.
  • We can also check and refine your own user-defined report designs to meet your requirements.
  • Our team has advanced report writing skills in SIMS
  • We can produce reports for Word, Excel, mail merge, forms, tables, data analysis etc.
  • Advice on how to produce the information you need from SIMS

Other SIMS consultancy services

What we offer

  • LA Connectivity for non-YHGfL Schools
  • Support for ICT development planning
  • Consultancy: network evaluation, network design, hardware evaluation, specification of hardware requirements, sourcing equipment and supplies, evaluation of supplier proposals
  • Procurement/ordering of ICT equipment where not covered under the selected service level
  • Reasonable endeavours to assist with the setup of leasing agreements.  But please note that no responsibility can be taken for financial or other loss incurred by the school
  • Installation and configuration of software and hardware: servers, desktop and laptop PCs, network devices, peripherals
  • Disaster recovery, including recovery from virus infections
  • Assistance with recruitment of IT support staff in schools in relation to BECTA ICT competences
  • Support for whiteboards
  • Technical support for the use of virtual learning environment software
  • Special projects management
  • ICT Technical Forum
  • Support YHGfL projects (e.g. Video Conferencing, Wikis, Pod Casting, Loc 8)

This is a selection of the ICT technical and consultancy services we provide. We're versatile, experienced, reliable and excellent value for money. We're always happy to help so, even if what you need isn't here, we'd love to hear from you.

SIMS Discover

What we offer

Calderdale ICT Support Team can help you succeed with Discover. SIMS Discover uses the rich data you already have in SIMS to really understand the big picture, help individual pupils and raise standards. It is included in your SIMS licence through Calderdale.

We can provide:

  • Training: Our onsite sessions and scheduled courses give you and your staff the skills you need to use Discover effectively.
  • Consultancy: We work with you to make Discover fit the needs of your school. Set up powerful and quick analyses of your SIMS pastoral and assessment data in Discover.
  • Support: Unlimited telephone and remote support to ensure you and your school benefit fully from the breadth and depth of features in Discover.

Benefits

  • See and understand all your pupil information on one screen, not many different systems.
  • Monitor vulnerable groups and assess how effective intervention is.
  • Identify pupils that may have "slipped under the radar".
  • Do powerful analysis quickly and simply, eg which FSM children have a problem with attendance and maths.
  • Track dynamic groups in SIMS and receive alerts when pupils join or leave the group.

Features at a glance:

  • Predefined graphs for pupil numbers; attendance; punctuality; behaviour and achievement; exclusions; SEN, FSM, EAL.
  • User defined graphs for assessment
  • Bar graphs and pie charts
  • Progression lines
  • Venn diagrams
  • Create dynamic groups
  • Alerts on dynamic group membership changes

Contact

For more information and prices:

ICT training

What we offer

A wide selection of up-to-date, well designed training courses including:

Schools Information Management System (SIMS)

What we offer:

Training designed to meet the exact needs to your staff:

  • Delivered onsite at your school or in our training suite as required.
  • Delivered at a time that suits you.
  • Excellent value for money. Affordable and competitive.
  • Our prices are all-in for your whole group.
  • Group sizes are tailored to the facilities available.
  • Course content tailored to meet your staff's specific requirements exactly.
  • Receive training using your own SIMS data and/or training data.
  • Available on a half day or full day basis.

Examples of sessions we have delivered recently:

  • Assessment Manager in SIMS.net for New Users.
  • SIMS.net Core for New School Administrators.
  • Discover for New Users.
  • Discover Assessment (Graph Design and Set up).
  • SIMS.net Behaviour Management.
  • SIMS.net Achievement Management.
  • SIMS.net Reporting.
  • Attendance in the Classroom.
  • SIMS Learning Gateway.
  • SIMS Report Writing.
  • Dinner Money 7.
  • Post-16 Census.
  • SEN in SIMS.

Please get in touch for more details and prices.

Bespoke training

What we offer:

ICT training designed to meet the exact needs to your staff:

  • Delivered onsite or in our training suite as required.
  • Delivered at a time that suits you.
  • Excellent value for money. Affordable and competitive.
  • Our prices are all-in for your whole group.
  • Group sizes are tailored to the facilities available.
  • Course content tailored to meet your staff's specific requirements exactly.
  • Available on a half day or full day basis.

Examples of sessions we have delivered recently:

  • WordPress website administration.
  • WordPress website content management.
  • Iguana ICT helpdesk for school users.

Courses we have brokered recently:

  • Scratch programming.

We provide ICT training to Calderdale staff on a number of corporate systems including Sunrise.

We are always happy to help. So, even if what you need is not here, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Contact

For booking a place, more details and prices:

You can also email orders to: ict.procurement@calderdale.gov.uk.

Feedback

As always, a very efficient and speedy service. The problem was quickly solved. Thank you.

... would just like to thank the team for all their efforts during last term. Not only did they assist in securing a good deal during the purchase of a new bank of 16 laptops but they also provided a first class service during the installation of these and the upgrade of our existing hardware. The technicians that visited the schools were always extremely professional in their approach and willing to go that extra mile. On a separate note the team is always very helpful when contacted at the office and prompt in resolving any issues that arise. Please pass on my thanks to the team.

First class service, quick and helpful. As a school we have been extremely impressed with the help.

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