Spring 2023 Upgrade to SIMS (v7.210) and FMS (v6.210)
The Spring 2023 SIMS Upgrade (V7.210) & FMS (V6.210) is planned to be rolled out on the evening of : Friday 31st March 2023
(Scomis Hosted users please log off by 5pm)
Non Hosted users: The new release will be authorised in Solus on: Friday 31st March 2023
If a school is using an older version of SOLUS3 (lower than 3.12.59), they will no longer be able to download or deploy updates via SOLUS.
Schools are advised to update to version 3.12.59 or newer, with the latest version being recommended. At the time of publication of this article the latest SOLUS3 release is version 3.12.72 with support for 3.12.59 due to end following the Summer 2023 SIMS release. If the school are running a version older than 3.12.59 this will need to be carried out via the downloadable installers as it will not be possible to deploy the update from SOLUS if they are running 3.12.50 or prior. For more information please see this guide from ESS.
UPDATE 23/3/23 – Spring 2023 Consolidated Workstation Patch 1 (CWP1)
ESS have produced the Spring 2023 Consolidated Workstation Patch 1 to be applied along side the Spring 2023 release to resolve an issue within Cover. Hosted schools will have this patch applied after the Spring upgrade is applied and the patch will be released in SOLUS for non hosted schools.
Please see the latest Information on the Spring release updates below:
ADMISSIONS
Pre-admissions Bulk update feature NEW
Admissions | Applications
The pre-admissions bulk update is available for pre-admissions applications to help ensure the correct information is recorded without having to go through each application one at a time. The following data can be bulk updated:
- Boarder Status (Registration Details panel)
- EAL (Ethnic / Cultural Details)
- Ethnicity (Ethnic / Cultural Details)
- Ethnicity Data Source (Ethnic / Cultural Details)
- First language (Ethnic / Cultural Details)
- Home Language (Ethnic / Cultural Details)
- Parental Consent (Application–>Parental Consent)
- Pronouns (Basic Details) requirements
Pronouns Flyout Menu description update NEW
Admissions | Applications
Student | Student Details
When the mouse cursor is hovering over the Pronouns field the Flyout Menu description has been updated from “Pronoun(s) is optional” to “Pronoun(s) is optional. Recording a Pronoun set will then be picked up by Personal Pronouns tags within Individual / Profile / Mail Merge reports and Attendance Letters by default unless the Pronouns: Only use in School option is selected.”
Pronoun History Log NEW
Admissions | Applications
Student | Student Details
The History Log records changes that have been made to a person’s pronouns. The log records the following:
- Previous Pronoun
- New Pronoun
- When the Pronoun was changed
- Who changed the Pronoun
Pronouns transferable via PX NEW
Student | Student Details
Pronouns are now included in Student records and data transferred via PX from one school to another.
NOTE Historical logs for previous pronouns will not be transferred.
AMPARK
Enhancements for the SIMS 2023 Spring Release NEW
Admissions | Applications
The Assessment Manager and Performance Analysis Resource Kit (AMPARK) provides a set of resources for use with SIMS Assessment. This kit has been updated for the SIMS 2023 Spring Release.
For more information, please refer to the the folllowing guide : Click here
ASSESSMENT
MTC X grade statutory updates – NEW
The MTC X grade definition and report key updates include the policy changes defined by the DfE in 2023.
Statutory assessment resource updates NEW
Focus | Assessment
The statutory assessment resources have been updated to meet the 2023 specifications. These updates have been done to support the following phases:
Applicable to schools in England only
- EYFS
- EYFS Profiles
- KS1
- Phonics
- KS2
Student Exclusions update NEW
Focus | Student | Student Details
To meet the DfE’s guidance on managing Exclusions the reporting dictionary allows reporting of the withdrawn exclusion without the need for a governor review. There is an exclusion type to indicate that the permanent exclusion/suspension is withdrawn, this withdrawal of the exclusion is not recorded in the school census.
Statutory Assessment reformed profile resources NEW
Applicable to schools in England only
Focus | Assessment
The statutory assessment reformed Profile resources that have been updated to meet the 2022/23 A_COMP specifications for the EYFS Profiles.
AMPA statutory assessment resource updates NEW
Focus | Assessment
The statutory assessment resources, templates and wizards have been updated to meet the 2023 specifications, including the relevant AMPA files. The updated Assessment resources have been added to the relevant AMPA folders:
Applicable to schools in England only
- Folders
- AMPA/England Primary/Assessment Manager
- AMPA/England Secondary/Assessment Manager
- AMPA/England Special/Assessment Manager
- Templates
- EYFS Profile Template 2023
- Phonics Screening Templates 2023
- En KS1 Templates 2023
- En KS2 Templates 2023
- Wizards
- EYFS Profile Wizard 2023
- Year 1 Phonics Screening Wizard 2023
- Year 2 Phonics Screening Wizard 2023
- Key Stage 1 Wizard England 2023
- Key Stage 2 Wizard England 2023
EXAMINATIONS ORGANISER
The number of EBacc open slots increased NEW
Applicable to schools in England only
Tools | Examinations
To provide insight as to whether each student is using all three available EBacc slots and all three available open/other slots (to maximize the outcome of Progress 8). These changes are applied to All through and Secondary schools.
The data from these slots are now populated into the KS4 PI Summary Report.
- Average Attainment 8 Slots Filled
- The average number of EBacc slots filled (out of 3) – This contains results in the new row for All students, Males and Females in the selected cohort
- The average number of Open slots filled (out of 3) – This contains results in the new row for All students, Males and Females in the selected cohort
Record new QANs for Pre-16 qualifications NEW
Tools | Examinations | Add Qualification Data
Exams Officers can manually add in new QANs for Pre-16 only qualifications that are not funded for Post-16 study and are not included in the DfE QWS QAN file.
MPI Screen – Qualification Discount Codes NEW
Applicable to schools in England only
Tools | Examinations
The MPI Screen now displays Discount Codes for any given qualifications, regardless of the type, family, etc. The Discount Code is also an editable field so users can change the discount code in the event it is incorrect, no longer valid, or has changed due to changes in the qualification type or discount family.
FEES BILLING
Applicable to Independant schools only
Concessions Bulk Update feature NEW
Routines | Pupil
A new routine has been added which allows the user to easily add, edit or delete concessions in bulk for a student or applicant. These can be used in Assessment Filters, Performance Analysis, Reporting, and Fees Billing.
Emailing financial documents NEW
Routines | Pupil
When sending financial documents (bills, statements, and receipts) via email, the Subject and Body text can be edited and sent to multiple email addresses.
Bill Audit Report update NEW
Routines | Pupil
The Bill Audit report has been updated to include Bills that have been transferred in the current term.
SCHOOL CENSUS
Key dates:
Routines | Statutory Return | School Census
- Census day 18/05/2023
- Attendance collected from 01/01/2023 to 09/04/2023
- Exclusions collected from 01/08/2022 to 09/04/2023
- Alternative Provision Placements collected from 19/01/2023 to 18/05/2023
- Funding and Monitoring collected from 01/08/2022 to 18/05/2023
- Learner Support collected from 01/08/2022 to 18/05/2023
- Free School Meal Eligibility collected from 20/01/2023 to 18/05/2023.
REPORTING
Student Bulk Delete Data Audit NEW
Reports | Student Analysis Report | Student totals for year group
The Student Bulk Delete Data Audit has been added to the Student Analysis Reports options to generate an audit log of the bulk deletion process, this provides users with the following data:
- User ID
- Username e.g for Tom Jones it is TJones.
- Date and Time Deleted – (e.g 12/10/2022 12:20:10)
- Data Areas
- Academic Year
- Records Updated / Deleted
- Job Status
PDO Report update NEW
Data Out | Person Data Output
The Person Data Output (PDO) report has been updated to include the additional Pronoun data from Student and Staff records
SEN Details available on reporting dictionary for Application reports NEW
Reports | Student Analysis Report
Reports for student applications now include SEN details making it easy for users to cross-check the data that has been recorded and make provisions for new starters.
New Special Needs category NEW
Reports | General Student List Report
Reports | Class List Report
Reports | Registration Group List
The More Able filter can be used in Student List reports to quickly generate a Yes/No (True/False) list to identify whether a student has been identified as More Able.
Student & Applicant welfare reports NEW
A new section for Child In Need (CIN) and young Carers has been added to the reporting dictionary, the PDO report and Applicant Report Dictionary.
Student List report update NEW
Reports | General Student List Report
Reports | Class List Report
Reports | Registration Group List
A Service Children In Education filter is now available in Student list reports.
SECURITY
Legacy Application Security Enhancement NEW
The following Software package’s user credentials login requirements have been updated:
- Examinations
- System Manager 6
- IEP Writer
- HR Assistant
- Apply Timetable
- Options 5 *
- Nova T6 *
* Nova T6 and Options 5 require authentication later in the user process, this is during the sending of data to SIMS.
When launching any of the above users will need to re-enter their Username and Password.
NOTE To access legacy apps visa SIMS7, users must have a SIMS-compliant password i.e. 1 letter, 1 number and 1 of !*@#$%.
STUDENTS
Student Leaver update NEW
Student | Leavers
When processing a Student’s Leaving details, clicking the Save button will open a pop-up message that will state that ‘This will update the entitlement records of the student if exists. Do you want to proceed?’. Users will need to click the OK button to complete the action.
Bulk deletion of linked documents from Student’s record NEW
Tools | Housekeeping | Document Management Server | Maintain Bulk Documents
To improve the housekeeping tools and meet GDPR policy and data retention requirements users can search for and select a specific Type of document to be deleted in bulk from Student records.