What's New

Watch our latest SIMS Next Gen Webinar!

Next Gen is the new look SIMS in the cloud, that works alongside your existing version of SIMS. It allows your school to take advantage of the new cloud features at your own pace, as they become available.

We teamed up with ESS to deliver a FREE SIMS Next Gen webinar. If you missed out, watch our recording to learn about the latest features. 

We are helping schools' prepare for SIMS Next Gen!

SIMS Next Gen offers a new and easy to use interface as well as features not available in the on-premise version of SIMS.

Learn more about the cloud-based version of SIMS from ESS!

8X8 Digital Telephony Available Now!

Prepare your School for the PSTN and ISDN Switch-Off in 2027!

Our new Digital Telephony Service provides an option for our Broadband and Online Services subscribers to meet the requirements and offers a solution tailored for the needs of schools and multi-academy trusts (MAT).

Find out more here.

SIMS - The Year Ahead: The Autumn Term

Watch our short video and learn about the key tasks ahead and how the Schools Applications team can help you to prepare for the Autumn Term! 

Preparing for Autumn 2024 

We understand how hectic the Autumn Term can be!

That is why we have created the 'Preparing for Autumn term' checklist, our annual services can provide support and solutions to the ever growing to do lists that come with the start of a new term. 

ESS SIMS Next Gen 

Next Gen is the new look SIMS in the cloud. To help support schools, ESS have created powerful new cloud features to make running a school, group or MAT easier.

Watch our latest webinar recording to learn about the benefits of SIMS Next Gen and the support we are offering. 

Microsoft 365 - Using this Cloud Service in your School 

We want to ensure that schools are taking advantage of the benefits of Microsoft 365 and the cloud services it offers schools.

Watch our latest webinar recording to learn how your school can use Microsoft 365 and OneDrive for file storage in the cloud and to improve how you can share access to files. 

Microsoft Annual Licensing - Benefits of our New EES Agreement

We have arranged a single framework agreement that allows school customers to join a centrally managed Microsoft Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES) Annual License Agreement.

Watch our latest webinar recording to explore the Microsoft EES Annual license agreement and to learn about the benefits of the new Agreement and what's included.

Digital Safeguarding - 3 Key Reports in Netsweeper 

Netsweeper Web Filtering & Online Protection service provides safe, filtered and logged web access for both staff and students for your school's broadband connection.

Watch the latest webinar recording to learn how to access and use 3 key digital safeguarding reports within you Netsweeper web filtering. 

8X8 Digital Telephony

Our latest webinar recording for the 8X8 Digital Telephony webinar is available to view now. Click here to watch the recording and learn more about digital telephony (VoIP) and the analogue switch off in 2025. 

Making Unique Identities and Multifactor Authentication easier to use in Schools - Video Three

Multifactor authentication increases the security of staff accounts and can protect your school from many cyber threats such as hacking, social engineering, phishing and pharming. With conditional access and single sign on, school staff can sign on to systems efficiently without compromising on security. 

Watch video three to find out more about conditional access and single sign on.

The Importance of Unique Identities in Schools - Video Two

It is important that all schools ensure that staff have unique online identities, their own staff email account in Office 365. Staff should never share email addresses or online identities. This helps ensure that access to online systems is kept secure. Watch video two to learn why unique identities are so important and when a role-based identity should be used. 

For more information and advice on implementing unique identities, please visit our How to Set up Office 365 Identities support page.

SIMS Training Courses 

From January 2024 Education Digital Services will become the SIMS training team for Lancashire schools. We also offer SIMS training services to schools outside of Lancashire.

We offer a wide range of SIMS training courses designed to help your school use SIMS effectively and to ensure staff within your school have the necessary skills to undertake their role confidently. 

Visit our SIMS Training Courses page to learn more. 

SIMS and Power BI Data Analysis 

Microsoft Power BI is a powerful data analytic tool which allows schools to view their student data metrics in a concise and easy to use Report. It presents complex data in meaningful and relevant formats which can be interrogated to identify patterns and trends.

Redstor - Office 365 Backup

Our Remote Data Backup (RBUSS) service is based on Redstor's RBUSS and is a secure, cloud-hosted backup service suitable for all schools with options to protect both administration and curriculum data, as well as business critical information in SIMS and FMS.

The Importance of Unique Identities in Schools - Video One

It is important that all schools ensure that staff have unique online identities, their own staff email account in Office 365. Staff should never share email addresses or online identities. This helps ensure that access to online systems is kept secure. Watch our short video to learn why unique identities are so important.

For more information and advice on implementing unique identities, please visit our How to Set up Office 365 Identities support page.

Implementing Multifactor Authentication 

Lancashire County Council strongly recommends that all schools in Lancashire secure their staff email accounts with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This is essential for information security and to help protect your identity from cyber-attacks.

Find out more information about the importance of MFA by visiting our Microsoft O365 Multifactor Authentication FAQ's support page.  

Introducing ParentPay Clubs

ParentPay Clubs is a cloud-hosted club management solution for schools. It fully integrates with ParentPay, offering convenience for parents when managing other payments and communications for breakfast, after-school and enrichment clubs.

Please visit our ParentPay (Online Payments and Income Management) Annual Service page for more details.

Nominate your Discovery Champion

If you subscribe to Discovery Education, you can now nominate one of your teaching staff to be your school's Discovery Champion to receive extra free support. Please log in to our Discovery Education support page to learn more about the role of a Discovery Champion and how to nominate.

Introducing Meal Manager

ParentPay® Meal Manager (also known as CYPAD Meal Manager) is a cloud-hosted meal management and ordering solution for schools. This optional add-on feature fully integrates with ParentPay, offering convenience for parents when managing other payments and communications.

Please visit our ParentPay (Online Payments and Income Management) Annual Service page for more details.

We're Going GigaFast!

Find out more about the great plans we have for our Broadband and Online Services Bundle, featuring more bandwidth, new safeguarding features and emergency backup broadband!

Schoolcomms - Our New Parental Communication Service

Introducing Schoolcomms... Our new parental communication service! Schoolcomms Messaging is an easy to use, dynamic smartphone app for schools' day-to-day messages, texts and email engagement with parents, staff, and pupils.

Cutting down on text and printing costs are key to the success of Schoolcomms, by using inclusive app messaging with the SchoolComms School Gateway App.

Please see the flyer for more details, or visit the Schoolcomms service page.

Sophos Central

Check out the new features released by our anti-virus and threat protection product, Sophos Central, such as Multi-Factor Authentication and Intercept X. Read more on our Support page.

My ICT Incidents

Report your ICT incidents via our website. There are a number of benefits to using this form as opposed to telephony or email:

• It's convenient
• Saves time
• Track your incidents and communicate with ICT staff online

Why not give it a try? Feedback from schools using the facility has been positive. 

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