Stay up to date with the latest functionality in SIMS Next Gen and Finance Next Gen, the evolution of SIMS and FMS in the cloud. Each month, we'll provide a quick overview of key releases from the previous month, giving you all the information you need in just a few minutes.
Whether you're a teacher inspiring young minds, a school leader guiding your team to success, a MAT leader driving school improvement, or an office professional keeping everything on track, this update is tailored for you.
What we released last term
For teachers:
New DfE Attendance Codes:
The Department for Education has introduced new attendance codes for the 2024/25 academic year. These new codes are now available to those using SIMS Next Gen.
For school leaders:
Attendance Reports – a set of highly configurable attendance reports, designed to adapt to each school's requirements and streamline their reporting
We have released three attendance reports to our early adopter schools.
- Attendance by Category Report: Analyse and present high-level attendance data for sharing with governors and MAT leaders
- Percentage Attendance Report: Identify persistent absences and understand their causes
- Attendance by Code Report: See a detailed breakdown of students’ attendance codes
Attendance Reports will be available for all schools this term.
Finance Next Gen Reporting – a user-friendly, cloud-based reporting solution designed for schools and school groups
We’ve launched our first set of finance reports, making it easier to prepare and share Cost Centre reports in your school/school group. Here are the key benefits:
- Effortless reporting: Get a quick snapshot of your costs with our summary information and use the filter-by-category feature for a detailed view of your spend.
- Cloud-powered flexibility: Built in the cloud, you can enjoy secure, on-the-go access. Easily manage your reports anytime, anywhere.
- No extra cost: The best part? Finance Next Gen Reporting is available at no additional cost to SIMS/FMS Connected customers.
Ledger Code Reports will be released this autumn term, followed by Supplier and Bank Reports to offer a complete cloud-based financial reporting suite.
For office staff:
Admin Console:
We’ve centralised the SIMS Next Gen settings into one easy-to-navigate Admin Console, making it simpler for users to customise Next Gen to meet their schools' specific needs. The first release includes register settings and staff department settings, with more module settings—like staff absence and conduct—coming soon.
Pupil Profile - quick access to essential pupil information, all in one place
We’ve made significant updates here too:
- Language and Identity: This information is now editable within Next Gen, and any changes are automatically reflected in SIMS 7.
- Registration Edit: With the right permissions, users can view and manage a comprehensive set of registration data for each pupil, organised into five main subsections for better clarity: Class Details, Registration, Exams, School Arranged Alternative Provision Placement, and Part-Time Education.
- Medical Information: You can now view, edit, and update medical details like allergies, conditions, and disabilities linked to a student. These updates also populate the new Medical Indicator on the Pupil Profile, ensuring critical information is always up to date.
Staff Profile – your go-to hub for key staff information
Admins and HR managers can now assign multiple roles to each staff member, even if no contract is set up. This flexibility enhances how you sort and view absence lists in Next Gen and offers more detailed staff reporting and analytics.
Useful links
Thank you!
Finally, a massive thank you to each and every one of you. Whether you’re in the classroom, the office, or the boardroom, you’re making a difference every day, and we’re honoured to support you in your mission.
Here’s to another fantastic term ahead. Stay tuned for more updates and keep up the amazing work!