SIMS & ICT Support

Current ICT support for your school

All current and relevant information regarding ICT in schools can be accessed here.  You are advised to check this page on a regular basis.

If you have any queries regarding the information please contact  ICT Service Desk at [email protected] or telephone on 0151 233 8600.

SIMS ICT Support

School Census

The Spring 2024 Census is due on Thursday 18th January 2024.  It is recommended you carry out a dry run before this date.

 

The SIMS Guidance notes for this Census are available below

 

You will need to check both the Preparation guide and the handbook for your school type.

 

ESS have now released Census Fileset version 2604. This version should show at the top of the Census Screen before submitting your return.

 

If your school is not showing this fileset version (or Higher) please log a call and we can import the latest file.

 

 

Key dates 

  • Census day 18/01/2024
  • Attendance collected from 01/08/2023 to 31/12/2023
  • Exclusions collected from 10/04/2023 to 31/12/2023
  • Alternative Provision Placements collected from 05/10/2023 to 18/01/2024
  • Funding and Monitoring collected from 01/08/2023 to 18/01/2024
  • Free School Meal Eligibility collected from 06/10/2023 to 18/01/2024.

 

For any SIMS queries regarding the School Census please log a call with the ICT Service Desk on 233 8600- or email [email protected] 

SIMS Helpsheets

 

SIMS End of Year Processes 2024

SIMS Guidance notes for the End of Year Processes will be available in your SIMS Document centre – or below in May 2024,

 

These procedures must be completed before the start of the new academic year.

 

It is critical that the new academic year is created and promotion routines run before the old year ends.

 

These processes determine the year groups and registration groups into which pupil/students are placed in the new academic year.

 

We therefore suggest you start these processes as early as possible, allowing sufficient time to complete before the start of the new academic year.

 

For any SIMS queries regarding the School Census please log a call with the ICT Service Desk on 233 8600- or email [email protected] 


 

Recording Enforced Closures


The following information outlines how schools record enforced closures within SIMS.net due to exceptional circumstances ie weather conditions; snow, boiler breaking, etc. 

The report can be imported into SIMS to report on Y codes between a date range. Download and unzip the folder, then save the file to your PC and import via Reports | Import.

 


SIMS Tidy and Merging Addresses

Schools should be using the SIMS Housekeeping Routines and included in this is the Address Tidy and Merge Routines.  This is particularly required as part of schools moving towards using the SIMS Address Validation Service. This routine should be run on a regular basis to keep addresses tidy.


SIMS Interventions


SIMS Interventions is a new module available to all schools within your SIMS system. 

See the quick reference sheet below for an overview of how to set up and use.  Full documentation is available from within your SIMS Document Centre.


SIMS Special Educational Needs


See the quick reference sheet below for an overview of the Special Educational Needs Process.

 

If you have any queries regarding this SIMS upgrade please log a call with ICT Service Desk on 233 8600 or email [email protected]

SOLUS

There are 3 SIMS upgrades each year, these upgrades are scheduled in advance of the Termly Census returns and contain the Staturtory updates required to complete the Census as well as other software updates and fixes.

 

All SIMS and FMS upgrades are now scheduled to run overnight using SOLUS.   

 

The latest versions and release notes can be found in your SIMS Document Centre – or by visiting this link. 


Schools will be emailed in advance of the upgrade to advise what date the upgrade is scheduled to deploy for your school.

 

Schools using SIMS Connected will be automatically upgraded by ESS.

 

Schools should ensure their school admin email is correct on the LCC global address list as this will be used to notify when the upgrade is scheduled.

 

 If you have any queries regarding this SIMS upgrade please log a call with ICT Service Desk on 233 8600 or email [email protected]

School Workforce Census

The School Workforce Census (SWC) 2024 is due on Thursday 7th November 2024

 

The SIMS Preparation and production of the return guidance notes will be available closer to this date. The current DFE guidance is still available.

 

Key Dates

  • Census Date: 07/11/2024
  • Absence collected from 01/09/2023 to 31/08/2024
  • Continuous Contracts collected from 01/09/2023 to 02/11/2024.
  • Snapshot data: Staff in regular service on 07/11/2024 (census reference date)
  • Historical date: Staff with regular service who have either or both for the following to report.
    • Contracts/service agreements which started/ended between 01/09/2023 and 06/11/2024
    • Absences in the period 01/09/2023 - 31/08/2024

 

For any SIMS queries regarding the School Census please log a call with the ICT Service Desk on 233 8600- or email [email protected]