School Management Systems and cloud technology – how schools can capitalise on the benefits

What are the biggest challenges right now for schools and how can a great School Management System help?

To explore the challenges faced by schools and trusts (MATs), we’ve been surveying school leaders and business managers to identify their issues and pain points.

On a positive note, 76% of respondents stated they are ready and willing to evolve to new technological solutions and 75% reported having cloud-based IT in place. However the more we dug, the more 4 common themes emerged.

What do schools really want?

1. Cloud technology
If school business managers and leaders are to use data to its full potential, colleagues need the flexibility to upload and manage data wherever and whenever. On-premises data management makes this hard for staff.

2. Effective and timely analysis
Schools need secure access to information to help with all activities, from writing reports to tracking attendance, all from a single platform. Of all the top considerations demanded by respondents, the effective use of data (86%) and saving of time (86%) appeared most in the top three priorities.

3. Integrated systems
Current school management systems are clunky, hindering schools’ more pressing learning and welfare matters. Yet, moving data manually from one application to another is time-consuming, hence why schools want to integrate all their communication, management, and financial systems in one place.

4. Intuitive features
Intuitive features can offer ease of communications, revolutionise report-writing, and create simple audit trails across teams to relieve time pressures and increase effectiveness.

A future-fit Schools Management System

School Information Management Systems (also known as SIMS or MIS) of the future need to be everything to everyone in schools and trusts, adaptable, versatile, and easy to use.

But what does that look like? We believe a series of integrated modules serving the exact requirements of different teams is going to be the most agile and flexible model.

To find out more about what schools need for a future-fit Schools Management System, click here to download our whitepaper.

Simon Freeman

Managing Director for Education

Simon Freeman is Managing Director for Education at IRIS, where he leads the strategic evolution of the organisation’s education portfolio. He is responsible for leading the team to deliver innovative, technology‑led solutions that support schools, multi‑academy trusts and independent institutions worldwide to be more effective, and improve student outcomes.

Driven by a strong commitment to improving outcomes in education, Simon brings extensive senior leadership experience from large‑scale technology and services organisations.

Simon is focused on positioning IRIS as the partner of choice for institutions navigating increasing operational, financial and regulatory complexity.