May 2012

The know zone

  • Anti-Social Media
    With the use of social network sites becoming a daily ritual for the vast majority of us, Richard Bird explains why personal photographs, inappropriate comments and hackers are still causing problems for staff in schools and colleges. More
  • Tough love
    Jo Shuter CBE is headteacher of Quintin Kynaston School, a community academy in London. She co-founded QK House, a charity for homeless sixth formers at the school. More
  • Great rewards
    The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) offers grants to help schools support the most disadvantaged children. More
  • A partnership to support school improvement
    Capita SIMS has renewed its partnership with ASCL for the next three years, meaning that members will continue to have access to great deals on SIMS support. More
  • Same difference?
    Now that the DfE has published the final list of vocational equivalencies, is it a step backwards, a step too far or just right? More importantly, what effect will it have on curriculum pathways or options in schools and colleges? ASCL members share their views. More
  • Leaders' surgery
    Advice on careers advisers and School behaviour policies More
  • Decisive deliberations
    As the March Council meeting took place a few weeks before ASCL Annual Conference 2012, government messages about the education system, as well as recently announced proposals to change school inspection, were high on the agenda. More
  • A brighter forecast?
    In his speech to delegates at ASCL’s Annual Conference in March, Brian Lightman challenged members not to be sucked into the splenetic tornado of negativity coming from some corners of government and the media. In this excerpt from his speech, he lays down the challenge. More
  • You can’t win...
    Leading a school is nothing compared to coaching an under 8s football team, although the similarities are striking. More
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A partnership to support school improvement

Capita SIMS has renewed its partnership with ASCL for the next three years, meaning that members will continue to have access to great deals on SIMS support. The partnership is part of Capita SIMS’s continuing efforts to improve its understanding of schools and the ever-changing challenges faced by school leaders.

It is Capita’s experience that many school leaders have not fully explored how SIMS can help them manage daily challenges and help them make the most of school data to meet new accountability measures.

As a starting point, SIMS Discover which is part of the SIMS Assessment Suite, provides a powerful data analysis tool enabling school leaders to target and track specific groups of pupils and produce complex graphical analysis quickly and easily.

For bespoke advice on making better use of SIMS, there is a special 50 per cent discount on the SIMS Strategic Planning consultancy day, available only to ASCL members where an experienced consultant visits the school to work with staff and understand how data is used. ASCL members also receive a 10 per cent discount on all SIMS training courses.

  • For further information on making the most of SIMS or for details of the offers available to ASCL members, please call Claire Ashton 07917 307 966 or email ascl@capita.co.uk

One of the benefits of ASCL membership is discounts and special rates on a range of personal and educational products and services. There are healthcare products, online staff well-being systems financial advice and self-evaluation surveys. Check out the full list at www.ascl.org.uk

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