The effective use of Information Management Systems is vital to the efficient management of schools. The Admin Advisors team at ITASS aims to provide quality support to schools using Capita SIMS, email, AVCO and MS Office software. The team was the first of the London boroughs to receive Capita accreditation for the support it provides, in 2003, and has just been reaccredited for a third successive time in 2008.

Rollout of new SIMS software

Upgrades from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005 are now complete.

FMS conversions to the new SQL software are now completed.

Attendance 7 is now released and ITASS encourages schools to start to use the new processes embedded in SIMS .net. Courses aimed at users of Attendance 6 for those schools who have not had training will be organised in the autumn term. New user courses will also be on offer in the autumn. Attendance 6 will be retiring from December 2008.

Cover Management was released with the May version of SIMS .net and secondary schools have been trained in its use to ensure they are ready to start using it at the start of this academic year.

School Census Autumn 2008
The date for the Autumn 2008 School Census is 2^nd October 2008. This is in recognition of the start of the new academic year and the additional time schools may need to get new pupils on roll.

School Census January 2009
The date for the Spring 2009 School Census is 15th January 2009.

IMS User Group Meeting for Primary, Nursery and Special Schools
The next meeting of the Primary, Nursery and Special School IMS user group will be 19^th November 2008 at the Credon Centre. Please book a place if you have not already done so.