About SIMS

Introduction

In this lecture we'll explore the background to SIMS and explore the reasons why SIMS is such an important part of school administration.

History

The first SIMS database was written by a teacher back in the early 1980s. At the time, it was one of the first Management Information Systems (MIS) ever created. It was further developed by a local education authority and eventually SIMS Ltd became an independent company in 1988 before being taken over by the huge Capita group in 1994.

SIMS Today

In every city, town and village in England and Wales you'll find the majority of schools are using SIMS. Over 80% of schools in England and Wales use it, that's over 21,000 schools. Capita still maintain and develop the system. There are other systems used by schools in England and Wales (Scotland use a different system) but no other system has anywhere near the popularity of SIMS.

SIMS Support

Because SIMS is so popular, you'll find a lot of support is available if you have a problem. Most schools will have purchased a support service from one of many local SIMS support units. Local support units are often based within the local council but are increasingly independent companies. They can provide telephone or email answers to your questions, they often run training courses and they can also provide on-site support

What does SIMS stand for?

The initials SIMS stands for School Information Management System.

What is an MIS?

During this course (and in school) you'll see the initials MIS used frequently. MIS is a general term for the computer programs used in schools (and in businesses) to manage data. It stands for Management Information System. SIMS is an MIS.

SIMS for Beginners