PRESS RELEASE
 |  |
Capita is at BETT on stand D20 and for the first time will be showcasing their SIMS and OPENHIVE solutions together.
Whether schools simply want to make the most of the information and systems already in place or want a complete overhaul of their hardware, software or ICT infrastructure, they will be able to come to the Capita stand for help.
SIMS is the management information system (MIS) used by 21,000 schools and OPENHIVE provide a set of in-school ICT services, a fully integrated cloud based managed learning environment and ISP services, which can help schools to significantly cut costs and make it easier to keep software up to date.
“The combination of SIMS and OPENHIVE together at BETT will ensure that schools can come to the stand with almost any query relating to their ICT infrastructure – their VLE, their MIS or network. We can help them optimise their systems to drive school improvement and meet the needs of teachers, students and parents,” says Phil Neal, managing director at Capita SIMS.
He adds: “With the products and services ranging from intuitive tracking and assessment of pupil progress software to target under achievement, to expertise on saving money by reducing the amount of on-site hardware – we can offer advice based on each school’s individual requirements.”
Visitors will have the opportunity to try out the powerful tools within SIMS that help teachers to analyse pupil progress, attendance and behaviour intuitively. By using criteria defined by the school, SIMS Discover can alert senior staff when they need to take action.
For example, it could identify vulnerable children who have begun to slip into a period of underachievement or those that should be recognised for exceptional performance. SIMS Discover does this by producing pie charts, Venn diagrams or other graphs in a manner that is totally intuitive.
New for BETT 2012 is SIMS Learning Gateway’s Homework Diary, which will allow teachers to enter homework tasks so parents can see them online from anywhere – making it easier for teachers to issue homework, and easier for parents to track and remind students what work they have to do and when it needs to be completed.
Visitors to the stand will also be able to ask about OPENHIVEeducation, a set of educationally focused ICT services, allowing schools to select only the modules they require for their school. OPENHIVEict, part of the OPENHIVEeducation suite of products, offers schools the opportunity to transform their ICT provision through virtualisation, ensuring they can reduce the number of on-site servers they use and therefore cut costs.
“Cloud computing, virtualisation and hosted MIS solutions are probably the most exciting developments and a viable alternative to reducing costs in schools in these cash strapped times, as they remove the need to keep and maintain costly server hardware in schools.” said Steve Smith, director of learning at Capita.
“By bringing the SIMS and OPENHIVE expertise together at BETT, schools can discuss all their ICT needs with a company that has a long history of helping schools make the most of their existing ICT infrastructure and choose the solutions that have been tried, tested and are known to make a demonstrable difference to the schools using them.”
ENDS
Ref: CAP731A
Capita contact:
Phil Neal, Managing Director, Capita SIMS, Tel: 01234 838 080 Email: phil.neal@capita.co.uk
You can follow Phil Neal on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Phil_Neal
Press contact:
To arrange interviews, for further information or photos, please contact,
Natasha North, Catherine Lane PR, Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY. Tel: 07843 052629. Email: natasha@catherinelane.com
About Capita SIMS:
Capita SIMS is the leading supplier of information systems to the education sector, providing a range of software and services to schools and local authorities to help raise standards and reduce administration. Capita’s SIMS is the most popular management information system for schools and is used every day by more than 21,000 educational establishments in the UK.
Website: http://www.capita-sims.co.uk/
About Capita OPENHIVE:
Capita OPENHIVE is a leading supplier of ICT solutions and managed services to education. Their expertise and experience is of providing integrated ICT solutions that have a positive impact on teaching and learning. Capita has brought together a suite of modular services – OPENHIVEeducation. Schools can pick and choose what they want from a unique set of connectivity, e-safety, security, access, content, learning platform, in-school technology, support, consultancy and training services that are designed to work in an educational context – and be confident that choosing Capita means choosing well.
Website: http://www.capita-its.co.uk/education
