School Information Management System

What is a cloud-based School MIS?

Although the term ‘cloud’ is banded around on a regular basis these days, it’s not often used in the right context and its meaning can be quite confusing. In essence, the ‘cloud’ is referring to servers on the internet, rather than ones being physically installed at your school. So when school software is cloud-based, it means that it’s all neatly tucked away on a remote server away from your school and you will be accessing it via the internet.
This means you won’t have to keep paying to run, maintain and upgrade any physical servers at your school and you have the added benefit of a third-party (Bromcom) providing all of your upgrades and ensuring everything is in order, 24/7. One of the key advantages of cloud-based school software is that you can access them from anywhere, so instead of only being able to logon to your student management system at school, you can effectively work from home, the playground, the school bus and so on. This comes in handy when you’re on a school trip and want to take a register or record behaviour incidents right there and then. You’ll be glad that all of Bromcom’s software for schools is cloud-based so you can reap the benefits and save money whilst you’re at it!

What is a School MIS?

A School MIS or Management Information System is software that is designed to carry out a wide range of administrative duties at a school. It began as a digital student management system to replace pupil records, so that schools didn’t have to keep reams and reams of paper-based folders. These days, a modern School MIS is a behemoth that can record and analyse some of the key elements of pupil performance such as assessment, behaviour and attendance.

What School Timetabling software can I use?

Our school management system includes the Bromcom E-Timetable module, allowing you to create complex school timetables based on your curriculum and rooming needs. This module allows you to take your current curriculum model in Bromcom and generate a lesson by lesson timetable for individual teachers. Blocks and carousels can be built and draft timetables can be printed for school staff to review before implementation.
Once your timetable is complete it can be easily imported into your School MIS so that it is ready to go live at the time you choose. This allows you, if needed, to have multiple timetables changes across the academic year. Small ad-hoc timetable changes, such as a change of teacher or movement of one lesson can be done easily and directly from within the School MIS. When developing your timetable, you are also able to import from other timetabling systems such as Capita’s NOVA-T, KJ Timetabler and Edval timetabling.

What is Classroom Management in the context of a school management system?

When we talk about Classroom Management in a student management system, we’re referring to all of the digital tools that help teachers effectively carry out their role. It could be our Teachers Dashboard that brings all of their pupils information into one area (assessments, registers, behaviour, class and seating plans). Or our Google and Microsoft integration so you can easily manage your digital classroom and associated educational software.
Rather than looking at a School MIS as merely a student data system, we aim to provide school software that benefits the school environment. We’re trying to remove some burden from teachers and offer some new ways of working that can enhance student outcomes when paired with robust school processes and support.

How does Bromcom handle student attendance management?

Our school management software provides quick and efficient attendance registration using any device including mobile or tablet, via the MIS or our teacher app. Statutory (AM/PM), lessons, club and trip registration are included, and you can automate SMS/email/Push notifications to parents alerting them to their child’s absence.
School cloud systems often boast of their analysis tools but at Bromcom we’re really wanting to get the best out of your data. Our Attendance dashboard offers a full suite of analytics so you can measure performance, analyse trends and drill down to the detail. Compare year on year and benchmark against DFE statistics or school targets.

Isn’t a School MIS just a School Administration Management system?

Traditionally, you would be right in thinking that the humble School MIS is just a tool for the admin team to record information about pupils and staff, but over the past decade it’s prevalence as a tool for teachers has been steadily increasing. Teachers need information just as much as the admin team, be it a lesson plan, previous assessment results or information about a student’s behaviour. When school software can provide this is at your fingertips, it allows you to get on with the task at hand and focus on the students themselves.
As school management software becomes more rife in the classroom, it opens up a wide range of new opportunities for how to assist pupils with both their performance and well-being. What if your School MIS warned you that a student had been the victim of bullying at lunch break? This small slice of information allows you to adapt your approach with that pupil and potentially enhance their lesson experience. This is something that our School MIS includes in the teacher dashboard and it’s one of many handy tools and snippets of information that are designed to make teachers lives that little bit easier.

Is Student Data Management statutory?

Schools are required keep and maintain educational records and also make them available to parents on request. As per The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005 records include both current and former pupils and schools should adhere to the retention policies set out but the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Our School MIS is designed with these rules in mind and includes an array of tools to disclose information to parents, automatically deal with pupil retention and process right to be forgotten requests. We develop our student management system in line with DFE guidance and ensure that any new regulations are promptly accounted for in all of our school software.

Does Bromcom include class registration management?

Of course! We see it as an essential part of the School MIS as opposed to an additional bolt-on. You can manage the structure of the school day, academic calendar and the timetable, which covers everything from a morning/afternoon form/tutor group registration to a full subject class-based schedule over a multi week cycle. Maintain classes, forms and groups, including dynamic groups that the system will then automatically maintain according to defined rules such as “all pupil premium boys in KS3 with less than 85% attendance” and “all pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) who received a ‘Good Class work’ commendation this term”. As well as lessons, you can schedule after school clubs and trips, then monitor participation accordingly. Our School Software is designed with the modern school in mind, so we understand that attendance is more than just AM and PM.

What types of school MIS solutions can Bromcom provide?

We’re well known for our Primary and Secondary School MIS solutions but we can also cater for any type of school. Our school management system is used by Nurseries, Alternative Provisions, All-Through Schools, Special Schools, Sixth Forms, Virtual Schools and International Schools. Our School MIS is highly adaptable and we’re often willing to develop functionality if there’s something unique about your school or Trust. It’s well worth getting in touch with us regardless of your establishment type, as our staff want to find the right solution for each individual school.

Do you produce Primary School MIS Software?

Whilst our School MIS is highly popular with Secondaries, we also offer a Primary School version which has it’s own range of functionality, developed specifically for the primary phase. It includes our lauded Primary Tracker software which allows you to setup your own bespoke assessment policy via a simple wizard. It includes our Teacher Dashboards, Attendance/Behaviour analysis and parent portal, all in one easy to use package. Our student management system is rapidly becoming the go-to choice for Primary Schools so make sure you book a demo for your school today.

Do you produce Secondary School MIS Software?

We do indeed! As of the 2019 Autumn census, over 70% of Secondary School’s making the switch from SIMS chose Bromcom as their School MIS. Our combination of one SLA, all functionality and all data in one place, has won over countless schools, so make sure you book a demo for your school today.

Do you produce MAT & LA Software?

Bromcom Vision-X is a solution designed for Multi-Academy Trusts, School Federations and Local Authorities with a role in overseeing the performance of their schools. It works with any School MIS, providing an online portal for analysing and collating data from multiple schools without the need to manage arduous data transfer routines. Vision-X offers insight on everything from student attendance, behaviour and attainment to staff absence and demographics, bringing it all into one central school management system. It’s accessible anytime, anywhere and is entirely cloud based, so there’s no software to install and no upgrades to manage.

Do you produce School Finance Software or an alternative to FMS?

Bromcom Finance is a robust, Cloud-Based accounting system that is fully integrated with our School MIS, making it a truly unique offering in the marketplace. Rather than having to jump between applications, Bromcom Finance is accessible within the same interface, just like any other part of the school management system. It’s a great alternative to FMS as it’s designed purely for Schools and MATs, with familiar terminology to ease the transition.

How Many Schools Use School Information Management Systems?

There were 22002 schools that submitted the statutory Census in Spring 2020. Of these, only 23 didn’t have a formal School MIS. For those who love a statistic, that’s 0.1%!

What does the Bromcom school management system offer?

Bromcom has been the innovator of School Management Information Systems for 30 years. Bromcom is a cloud system, offering feature rich and financial saving for student management and classroom management. It offers bespoke solutions for Primaries, Secondaries, MATs/LAs. Bromcom has released an integrated Finance Software and Power BI Analytics. The MIS, or school information management system, is compatible on tablets, mobile phones, we have a parent communication management portal app and a student communication management tool.

Our training service provides experienced, patient and knowledgeable staff who deliver on-line or on-site training to your school. Bromcom provides clear training plans, extensive online webinars on how to run MIS, also known as tstudent software, or classroom management system or staff software.

What makes Bromcom different to any other MIS or school information management system?

Bromcom has over 10 years of experience of delivering using the Cloud; we are the most experienced MIS provider. We are constantly developing our system to reduce bolt-ons. We present our school management software via up to date browser technology and an intuitive user-friendly interface making everyday tasks simple to find and execute. Web information management systems are more user-friendly and accessible anytime, anywhere, meaning that classroom management and student management are possible through multiple devices with the same login.

Is Bromcom available on cloud or web?

Bromcom is a modern web management system hosted on cloud, and therefore accessible anytime, anywhere. It’s much more flexible and agile than previous versions of school information management systems, generally referred to as SIMS.

Does Bromcom facilitate classroom behaviour management?

Yes, Bromcom offers several behaviour management tools for schools to devise their behaviour strategies. Class behaviour management and tracking tools are very intuitive and able to generate automatic reports and alerts - all accessible through the same information management system. School records management can inform later behaviour strategies.

Does Bromcom facilitate class attendance management?

Yes. Bromcom offers tools for tracking and monitoring attendance. Classroom attendance management is seamlessly integrated within the solutions for primary and secondary schools as well as MATs and LAs.

What are the Bromcom features for school business management?

Bromcom is a complete school management system. Bromcom Finance is a robust accounting tool and school fees management software or school bills management software that is fully integrated with Bromcom MIS making it unique in the market place. Once Finance is licenced, just update access rights for the relevant MIS users and/or add additional finance only users to give access to the Finance facilities.

Does Bromcom integrate school timetables?

Yes. Bromcom integrates its own school timetable tool and can also integrate other school timetable software, if the school is already using one by a different provider.

What are Bromcom’s other features?

As well as classroom behaviour and attendance management, Bromcom includes features for students’ activity management, parent and staff communication management, and finance management. Please click here for the Bromcom features.