FIFE COUNCIL
Education and Children’s Services Committee
8 January, 2009
Agenda Item No:
E1: MIS IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE REPORT
1.0
Purpose of the Report
1.1
This report is intended to provide an overview of the proposed implementation
of the new Management Information System (MIS) in our schools. The new
system is called e1 from Pearson’s Phoenix UK Ltd.
2.0
Background
2.1
Over the next 12 months the Management Information System in all schools
in Fife will be replaced. This project is large by any standards and will involve
training 10,000 staff in over 180 institutions. The business case, tender
specification process, scoring and site visits have involved a number of
professionals and key partners.
2.2
The implementation of Phoenix e1 system is intended to be take place in all
schools between February 2009 and December 2009.
2.3
The aims of the new MIS are:
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Single entry
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Web based – access from anywhere
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Impact – it must ultimately impact on the learning and teaching
experience of the children of Fife
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Holistic – must be able to share information and receive information from
our partners e.g. Social Work, Police, NHS, Educational Psychologists etc
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Functional – simple to use
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Consistent – common processes and templates should be used in all
schools in Fife
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Flexible – must be sufficiently flexible to cope with innovation at the local
level and new national initiatives e.g. ACFE
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The system must be properly funded and planned including training.
2.4
The MIS system is about learning and teaching and raising attainment and not
only about information technology (IT) systems. The acronym MIS, which
stands for Management Information System (MIS) in most people’s mind, is
connected with IT. However, it is crucial that we see MIS as standing for
Meeting Individual Students’ needs. MIS is not a big machine; it is a process
of how we use information to meet learner’ needs more effectively.
2.5
Shortly, the MIS system will be able to share information with other services
through the multi –agency store as part of the e-care strategy. This will
improve decision making when planning the educational packages for the
young people of Fife.
2.6
The multi-agency store should, in time, radically improve the gathering of
information for Council score cards or the outcomes in the single outcome
agreement, improving the efficiency of the service.
2.7
The new MIS, E1, provides an enormous opportunity to transform the way we
meet the needs of children. Tracking is one of the big levers of the raising
attainment strategy and it underpins the rest. It is for this reason that the MIS
roll out should not be seen merely as an IT project but a roll out of a culture of
tracking and personal learning planning. Personal learning planning is at the
heart of good learning and teaching and formative assessment. This project
should have major impact on the big eight priorities - raising educational
attainment and achievement for all.
3.0
Governing Principles of the Implementation Programme
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4.0
Child Centred Thinking– this is about meeting children’s needs, raising
their attainment, planning for their learning and not merely a centralised
system for administration purposes
Simple Key Messages
Targeted Support – training should be appropriate to the user
Holistic thinking – every effort should be made to ensure that key
thinking by all interested parties is brought to bear on the roll out
programme to take full advantage of the opportunities, for example,
Personal Learning Planning, Trade Union involvement, Raising
Attainment Strategies, Best practice in partnership working, Best practice
in Inclusive schools e.g. integrated support plans etc.
Cluster Focused Working– roll out should be done in a way that allows
clusters to develop a network. Policy at transition points and information
sharing processes should be reviewed and revised at the same time.
Enablement – the ultimate aim is to leave teachers, schools and
partners enabled to explore and develop the culture of tracking on their
schools and not be dependent on centralised support. Every school
should deliberately develop ‘experts’ and aim to be largely autonomous.
Key Ambitions
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All staff use the system daily
All teachers use the system regularly to track children’s learning
Middle and Senior Management use the system regularly to help develop
intervention strategies with key groups of children and individuals
Attainment is raised
Personal learning planning is improved
All partners can access the relevant information on the system to make
more informed and faster decisions about meeting children’s needs
Partnership working is strengthened
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5.0
Key Messages
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6.0
Transition information and processes are smoother leading to improved
experiences for children
Communication with parents on children’s learning is improved.
Child at the Centre – in the past information on children’s learning lay in
a number of locations. We need to make more informed decisions about
their learning and plan systematically for intervention where necessary.
Raising attainment – Tracking, coaching and mentoring are a big lever
in the raising attainment strategy. The most successful schools and
teachers make it a top priority
Personal Learning Planning – Pupil targets, formative feedback,
teacher comments, parent comments, standardised assessment
information, medical information, and much more on the MIS system
should all be used to make more informed decisions about planning for
children’s learning.
Single entry – no longer should anyone enter data twice for anything.
Completing summative reports should be much quicker.
Web based – systems designed to be accessed from anywhere to fit in
with a more modern approach to working and learning.
Information governance – users must share information in a
responsible and confidential manner.
Patience – we won’t achieve our ambitions overnight. As with any major
change in a system the first run through might not run to plan.
Partnerships – this system is designed to speak to our partners through
a multi-agency store e.g. Social Work, Health etc., Psychological
services, ICS and other partners. Once complete access to this has been
organised they will be able to access information on a day to day to basis
which should speed up communication processes between partners and
lead to more informed decision making. Opportunity should be taken to
strengthen links when the system is being rolled out.
Pilot Projects
Pilot projects are currently ongoing in Pitteuchar West PS, Kirkcaldy West PS,
Leuchars PS and Kirkland HS.
6.1
Feedback from the schools so far has been very positive.
6.2
Specification of the tracking functionality has begin with the implementation
team carrying out a number of meetings with schools and groups to gather
information, invite comment and increase awareness.
6.3
Full evaluations of the pilot projects will take place in February
before the full roll out takes place.
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7.0
Recommendation to Committee
7.1
It is recommended that the Education and Children’s Committee note the
content of this Committee Report.
Kenneth Greer
Executive Director (Education)
Education Service
Craig Munro - Telephone: 08451 55 55 55 extension: 444206
Rothesay House
Rothesay Place
Glenrothes
KY7 5PQ
18 December 2008
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