What is Power BI? Power BI is a data analytics and visualisation tool that can create powerful interactive reports and dashboards. Reports can be run from many areas of SIMS, loaded into Power BI where they may be manipulated, relationships between data established, and visualisations created. This course introduces the principles of extracting the data from SIMS, loading it into Power BI, carrying out some basic transformations and establishing data relationships. It will provide you the skills necessary to ensure that schools are best placed to further explore the power of Power BI reporting.

Delegates are taken through the preliminary preparation for the census return, including the procedure for creating a return and correcting any outstanding validation errors. The course also explores the current return together with requirements for other returns. The course does not cover Course Manager functionality, Post-16 Programmes of Study or Prior Attainment in English or Maths. This course is not suitable for delegates from an independent school.

Delegates are taken through the preliminary preparation for the census return, including the procedure for creating a return and correcting any outstanding validation errors. The course also explores the changes to the data requirements of the current return together with requirements for other returns. This course is not suitable for delegates from an independent school.

This course introduces delegates to the report designing process.

Examinations Organiser supports all aspects of managing external examinations. This course covers reviewing the setup of the software, importing and structuring basedata, creating and submitting files for entries, coursework marks, managing and seating candidates.

Whenever a school moves to SIMS Connected and/or SIMS Next Gen, the assigned school administrator will have access to the SIMS ID administration site. The website can be used to add/maintain user accounts as well as setting certain preferences such as Third Party Sign in and two-factor authentication. This crucial role is paramount to the successful implementation and continued functionality of both SIMS Connected and SIMS Next Gen.

A school’s management information system (MIS) holds a vast amount of data, which if accurately maintained can be used to inform school improvement strategies and support a wide range of school management activities including processing statutory returns. The school office is the hub of day-to-day pupil data management. Using typical scenarios encountered on a regular basis, this course takes a new user through the main procedures for maintaining accurate and useful data within the school’s MIS.

This half day course explores the budget management functionality present within FMS and explains how to use this functionality to actively manage the school budget.

This course explores how the Course Management functionality of SIMS links the areas of Nova-T, Academic Management and Examinations Organiser. This course does not include Post 16 functionality, if this is required, please also book onto the PLA-05-05 Post-16 Learning Aims.

Course manager exists in SIMS for schools to be able to manage memberships and courses and schools with sixth form provision the post 16 learning aims. Nova-T, Examinations Organiser, Course Manager and Academic Management support the collection, maintenance and reporting of this data. For schools with sixth forms, Course Manager is an important part of SIMS which feeds into Autumn Census and maintaining it correctly will lead to an appropriate post-16 funding for a school. We strongly recommend schools to have someone in charge of Course Manager. This course does not include Course Manager functionality, if this is required, please also book onto the CM-05-05 Course Manager