Preparation work for CPSN

Purpose: Informing schools of core network works that could result in short downtime to Central Hosting, Email and Internet connectivity.

Audience: All school staff

Please note that CPSN/VirginMedia teams are working on core systems on the following dates and times:

Date: 30th January 2012
Time: 20:00 hours

Date: 31st January 2012
Time: 20:00 hours

VirginMedia have assured us there should be no service affecting downtime over these dates and times. This briefing item is being sent to you as a forewarning in case any issues arise.

Recording School Closure in SIMS.net

As many schools will close or partially close on the 30th November 2011, this will need to be recorded as an exceptional circumstance in SIMS.net Attendance.

Notes on how to record a school closure can be found here.

Helplines October Edition

The latest edition of the Helplines Newsletter is now available on the SIMS Home Page.

Click here to read this now.

In this month's edition - School Workforce Census, Support for Nova T4, IMPULSE conference, and much more.

Foundation Stage Profile - Autumn A Return

The Autumn A return for Foundation Stage Profile data is due on the 4th of November 2011.

In preparation for this, notes are now available on the uploading data process, and you can read them here.

The notes are available in Word and PDF format. The notes also include guidance on downloading the eProfile software from the website, exporting your reception pupil data from SIMS.net, importing the pupils into eProfile and running reports.

These notes and other assessment related documents can be found on the SIMS Home Page.

School Autumn Census - Thursday 6th October 2011

The latest notes for the School Autumn Census 2011 have been uploaded to the SIMS Home Page - click on the links below to read these now:

Helpline School Census Autumn 2011 Notes:
Word Document
PDF Document

DfE Census 2011 Prep Notes:
Primary - Secondary - Middle - Special - Nursery

CAPITA Preparing the Census Autumn 2011 Notes:Primary/Special/Nursery - Word PDFSecondary - Word PDF

CAPITA Producing the Census Autumn 2011 Notes:
Primary - Word PDF
Secondary - Word PDF
Special - Word PDF
Nursery - Word PDF

School Census Errors & Resolutions:
Errors & Resolutions - Version 4.0 (Autumn 2011)

These notes may be subject to change, so please check the School Census panel regularly.

FMS New look icons

The latest version of FMS (version 6.140) has been released to Central Hosting schools.

The new release has a new look to it, so please read the document here which demonstrates the differences in the new and old versions.

These notes and other FMS related materials can be found on the SIMS Home Page.

School Autumn Census - Thursday 6th October 2011

The latest notes for the School Autumn Census 2011 have been uploaded to the SIMS Home Page - click on the links below to read these now:

Helpline School Census Autumn 2011 Notes:

Word Document
PDF Document

DfE Census 2011 Prep Notes:

Primary - Secondary - Middle - Special - Nursery

CAPITA Preparing the Census Autumn 2011 Notes:

Primary/Special/Nursery - Word PDF
Secondary - Word PDF

CAPITA Producing the Census Autumn 2011 Notes:

Primary - Word PDF
Secondary - Word PDF
Special - Word PDF
Nursery - Word PDF

School Census Errors & Resolutions:

Errors & Resolutions - Version 4.0 (Autumn 2011)

These notes may be subject to change, so please check the School Census panel regularly.

School Workforce Census 2011

Many thanks to those of you who have attended the School Workforce Census training courses for 2011.

The Powerpoint Presentation from the course is available to download here.

There are also useful Errors & Resolution notes to go with the Census to help you clean up your data before submission here.

These notes and other SWC related materials can be found on the School Workforce Census panel on the SIMS Home Page.

New look Helplines

The latest edition of Helplines is now available on the SIMS Home Page.

The September edition features a brand new look, so click here for a preview!

If you have any comments about the new look, please email ict.helpline@cambridgeshire.gov.uk and let us know!

Results Day Survival Kit 2011

The latest version of the Results Day Survival Kit has been sent out to exams officers today.

Click here to read this document now.

This and other exams organiser related materials can be found on the SIMS Home Page.

July Helplines out now!

The latest edition of Helplines is now available to download!

Click here to read this now.

Notes and files mentioned in the latest edition can be found on the SIMS Home Page.

June Helplines available now!

The latest edition of Helplines is now available to download from the SIMS Home Page.

Click here to read this now.

Items covered in this edition: End of Key Stage, Year End Procedures, School Admin Forums, Monthly Tasks in SIMS.net and much more.

End of Key Stage Wizards 2011 - Central Hosting Schools

Version 2 of the End of Key Stage notes have just been released.

The path to the Key Stage Wizards for Central Hosting Schools has been amended, so you will be able to find them here:

Central Share\SIMS Share\AMPA\England Primary\Assessement Manager

The amended notes can be downloaded from the Assessment Planet of the SIMS Home Page. Click here to read the new notes now.

End of Key Stage Data Collection 2011

The latest End of Key Stage notes are now available to download from the SIMS Home Page.

Click on the links below to read these notes now:

• End of Key Stage One - PDF



• End of Key Stage Two - PDF

The deadline for data collection for both key stages is Friday 8th July 2011.

These and other assessment notes can be found on the Assessment Planet on the SIMS Home Page.

SIMS End of Year Procedures 2011

New notes have been created to guide office staff through the end of year procedures in SIMS.net.

Click the links below to read these notes now, two versions available:

• SIMS End of Year Procedures - Word



• SIMS End of Year Procedures - PDF

These notes may be subject to change, so please check back on the End of Year Panel on the SIMS Home Page.

There are also notes available for Secondary schools, please click on the links below:

• Secondary End of Year Procedures - PDF



• Starting Next Year's Curriculum Early - Word

(Starting Next Year's Curriculum Early - This document assumes that you wish to send next year’s completed plan and timetable from Nova to SIMS for dates within this academic year, in addition to the next academic year. This means that you can start next year’s timetable early, but that the actual end of year and pastoral promotion remain unchanged and takes place in September as usual.)

Any updates can be found on the Secondary End of Year Panel on the SIMS Home Page.

School Summer Census - Thursday 19th May 2011

Don't forget the School Census tomorrow!

Summer Census - Thursday 19th May

New notes have been produced to guide SIMS users through the Census process:

Helpline School Census Notes Summer 2011:

• All School Types - Word PDF

Department of Education Census Guidance:

• Primary - PDF
  


• Secondary - PDF
  


• Middle - PDF
  


• Nursery - PDF
  


• Special - PDF

CAPITA Census Preparation Notes:

• Primary/Special/Nursery - Word PDF
  


• Secondary - Word PDF

CAPITA Producing the Census Notes:

• Primary - Word PDF
  


• Secondary - Word PDF
  


• Special - Word PDF
  


• Nursery - Word PDF

Errors & Resolutions:

• Version 3.0 - PDF

All of these notes can be found on the Census panel of the SIMS.net planet.

Don't forget to import your latest census fileset as well - In SIMS.net, click on Tools, Setups, Import Fileset, then click on the yellow folder to open the dialog box, type "f:\sims" in the filename box, click Open to see the Manifestfiles folder, find the file beginning with "0070" and import this file.

School Summer Census 2011

This year's Summer Census will happen on Thursday 19th May 2011.

New notes have been produced to guide SIMS users through the Census process:

Helpline School Census Notes Summer 2011:
All School Types - Word PDF

Department of Education Census Guidance:
Primary - PDF
Secondary - PDF
Middle - PDF
Nursery - PDF
Special - PDF

CAPITA Census Preparation Notes:
Primary/Special/Nursery - Word PDF
Secondary - Word PDF

CAPITA Producing the Census Notes:
Primary - Word PDF
Secondary - Word PDF
Special - Word PDF
Nursery - Word PDF

Errors & Resolutions:
Version 3.0 - PDF

Any updates to the above can be found on the Census panel of the SIMS.net planet, please check back regularly.

Service Level Agreements for 2011-12

Thank you to all schools who signed up for support by the Education ICT Service last year. We hope you have been happy with the support we have provided and will continue to use our service next year.

This year we shall be asking all schools to sign up using the online form which we piloted successfully last year. This will help us to keep costs down and can save you a significant amount of time in completing the SLA form.

If you would like more advice or guidance on which services your school requires or how to complete the online form, please contact our Customer Service Team on 01480 376655.

Fire Safety Guidance for Schools

With the universal use of electronic registration systems, we have been following up the question of the use of registers when schools have to evacuate the premises as the result of a fire alarm.

The advice we have received is as follows: ‘A school must have an evacuation procedure but it does not have to check pupils against a register unless the risk assessment identifies this as a necessary action’.

Guidance on CCC policy and guidance for a school model fire policy can be found via the Portal. http://cye.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/cye/Health_and_Safety/homepage/home/

There are two links to follow up. The overall policy document is accessible from the right hand (Latest News) panel:
http://tinyurl.com/32hz7zt

and the model policy is in “H&S in schools” item 15
http://tinyurl.com/5v4ga7n

FMS6 - Preparing for Year End

The End of the Financial year end is fast approaching. Now is the time to start Spring Cleaning.

Begin by investigating Outstanding Purchase Orders and Invoices. Investigate any Aged Debtors in Accounts Receivable and check Non-Invoiced income for un-posted receipts.

Think about giving all staff a Purchase Order cut off date of Half Term, making sure that the school has sufficient Copy Paper, Toilet Rolls, Soap and ink cartridges etc. to last into the next financial year.

Guidance notes on Preparing for the Year End in FMS6 and how to edit your structure in preparation for the nextfinancial year have now been posted on the FMS planet from the SIMS Home Page on the Portal. Resource ID: 6831

Central Hosting Scheduled Downtimes

Centrally Hosted systems will be down for essential maintenance on the following dates:

• 29th January
• 26th February
• 26th March

Dealing with Adopted Students in SIMS .net

A plea to all schools to contact the Helpline as soon as you are notified that a Student is to be/has just been adopted. There are specific guidelines that need to be followed with the SIMS .net Student Record to ensure continuity.

Any delay in making the necessary amendments can cause major problems unpicking attendance, dinner money and assessment records etc.

Address Validator

There was an issue that affected Address Validator for some schools at the end of last year.

This problem should now have been resolved and Address Validator should be working again. If you encounter any further problems, please contact the Helpline.

Scam E-mails

Several schools have reported receiving an e-mail purporting to be from Barclays and asking them to use the link in the e-mail to fill in identity information. This is yet another scam! Do not respond and definitely do not click on the link or complete the form. Delete the e-mail at the first opportunity.

The Basic rules are:

1. If you do not have an account with the firm then it is a scam

2. If you have a personal account with the firm how did they get the school's details? It is a scam

3. If it is a government body claiming to want to pay back money, why would they contact the school? It is a scam

4. If it is a large prize in a lottery or similar in another country it is probably a scam

5. If it is a really sad story told in broken English purporting to come from accountants, lawyers or other professionals then it is probably a scam

6. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is a scam

In all cases - delete immediately and NEVER, EVER click on any links.

Delete Unlinked Contacts

The Autumn SIMS upgrade has fixed the Delete Unlinked Contacts Routine in SIMS .net.

As this has not been working for a while we would recommend all schools run this routine to clear out any contacts in SIMS that are not attached to a current student record.

Use route Tools Housekeeping Delete Unlinked Contacts.