Edtech company offers schools access to new MIS solution

An education software firm is inviting schools to sign up for access to the firm’s new MIS solution, SIMS.

SIMS Next Gen will see Education Software Solutions (ESS) invest up to £40m in SIMS and FMS over the next three years. As a result of this investment, schools that sign up directly with ESS will be able to enjoy the enhanced cloud-based functionality of SIMS Next Gen for a token £1 per annum.

Mark Brant, CEO of ParentPay, said: “We are pleased to offer those schools that previously engaged with us via their local authority the chance to sign up with us directly so that they can access SIMS Next Gen, with the enhanced functionality and powerful data insights this will offer.

“The move to direct contracts will also allow schools greater freedom to tailor SIMS to their specific needs.”

As part of the SIMS Next Gen programme, ESS is also undertaking a major customer listening exercise, with several hundred users currently participating in pilot programmes to help shape the future of SIMS.

Mark Brant added: “In mid-December the Department for Education advised SIMS Direct customers to proceed as they ordinarily would, in signing up to our new three-year SIMS direct agreement.

“With this week’s opening of the ESS Gateway, LA maintained schools can also now sign up for a new three-year direct agreement, and to encourage them to do so, for a limited period, we are offering to include a 6-month break clause in these new agreements.

“In the interests of equity this option will also be made available to all customers entering into new three-year annual entitlement agreements, including those who have already done so.”

SIMS Next Gen will start to be rolled out during 2022, with new components deployed as native cloud-based applications that sit alongside existing SIMS features, allowing SIMS users to adopt these features at their own pace and without disruption or data loss.

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