The Survey - Questions

For the most part, the survey is in a "multiple choice" format. The main parts of the survey are:

	Information about your school and the person completing the survey. This is very brief.
	Information about which SIMS modules are available in your school, and which ones you actually use.
	Your evaluation of the service levels you are receiving in a number of key areas.

The questions are set out below. This is so that you can read the questions in advance and decide whether you need to obtain any information from specialists within the school before completing the online survey.

Two vital points to bear in mind

1. Please do not print this page and answer the questions on paper! We cannot include any survey results unless they are sent electronically, using the on-line survey. This page is for reference only.
2. The survey is designed to help us assess the services you are receiving in support of your use of SIMS software. Please do not let your opinion of the software itself influence your assessment of the quality of the support. Also, if your support team provides services for you that are not connected with your use of SIMS, please try to direct your comments only to the SIMS-related part of the service.

The survey in detail

Part 1: Your Details

You are asked to provide the following information:

1. The title, forename, surname and job title of the person completing the survey.
2. The school postcode

Part 2: SIMS software in use:

You are presented with a list of processes that are supported by SIMS software. Where required we show the corresponding SIMS module in brackets. The exact contents of the list will vary, depending on whether yours is a primary or secondary school. For each module on the list, you are asked to indicate which of the following applies:

1. The software is unavailable in your school (i.e. not installed or configured for use)
2. The software is installed and available, but you do not currently use it
3. The software is available and you are currently using it.

Please note that the processes and modules listed include many that would be used by only a small number of people within most schools. In order to make an accurate return, you may need to check whether or not the software is in use. The full list of is as follows (this list may change if the software available changes):

Processes Supported by SIMS Suite software
Pupil Records and Reporting (SIMS.net)
School Census
Pupil Data Transfer (CTF)
Photograph Importer
Staff Records and Reporting (Personnel)
Statutory Attendance (Attendance)
Pupil Reports (Profiles)
Financial Management (FMS)
Budget Planning (FMS)
Equipment Management (Equipment Register)
Special Needs (SENCO)
Parents Evening (NOVA P)
Assessment Recording, Reporting and Tracking (Assessment Manager)
Assessment Analysis (Performance Analysis)
Key Stage Date Returns (Assessment Manager)
Registration and Admissions (R and A)
Examinations (Exams Organiser) #
Timetable (NOVA-T6) #
Academic Management (Academic Manager) #
Curriculum Options (Options) #

Processes Supported by other SIMS software
School Meals (Dinner Money) *
Lesson attendance (Lesson Monitor) #
Individual Education Plans (IEP Writer)
Parental Access to Data (Parents Gateway)
Parental, Staff and Student Access to Data (SIMS Learning Gateway)

* = primary only    # = secondary only

Finally in this section you will be asked to name any SIMS software you are using that was not included on the list and any SIMS software you may have heard about or used elsewhere which you would like to use but which is not available to you through your support team. Please note that it is only SIMS software that is relevant here.

Part 3: Assessment of Service

In this section, you are asked to assess the service you receive in a number of important areas. In each area, a number of specific factors are assessed. You are asked to rate each of these on a scale of 1 to 6, where 1 represents very poor service and 6 represents first-class service. For your information, scores below 4 are considered unsatisfactory in the context of the accreditation process.

In each section, you will first be asked whether or not you have used services provided by your support team in the last year. If you respond "Yes" you will be asked to assess the service on the 1-6 scale. If you respond "No" you will be asked to give an indication of the reason for this. In the latter case, three options are offered:

1. you did not require the service in question
2. your SIMS team does not provide this service, so you used an alternative supplier
3. although your SIMS team does offer the service, you nevertheless preferred to use an alternative supplier

In case none of these explanations is suitable, or you wish to be more specific, there is also space for a comment.

Section 1 - Training

These are the factors you are asked to assess:

	Appropriate to need
	Timeliness of course publication
	Quality of delivery
	Quality of course materials
	Value for money
	Courses actually taking place as published
	Training facilities
	Overall quality of the training service

Section 2 - Technical Services, including hardware and network support

	Range of technical services available
	Quality of installation service
	Quality of consultancy support services
	Quality of technical advice
	Response time to requests for technical support
	Overall quality of technical services

Section 3 - Help Desk Services

	Help desk opening times (term time)
	Initial response time to your queries
	Knowledge of the help desk staff
	Quality of the resolution of the problem
	Overall quality of the help desk services

Section 4 - Requested On-site visits

	Speed of response
	Initial effectiveness of the resolution
	Lasting effectiveness of the resolution
	Overall quality of requested SIMS-related on-site services

Section 5 - On-site visits initiated by the SIMS support team

	SIMS-related knowledge of the visiting support team member
	School/education related knowledge of same
	Timeliness of visit (e.g. to fit with PLASC process)
	Overall quality of SIMS support team initiated visits

Section 6 - Remote Support

	Speed of response using remote support
	Effectiveness of resolution using remote support
	Overall quality of remote support service

Section 7 - Other communications

	Effectiveness in dealing with complaints and praise
	Usefulness of user group meetings
	Usefulness of advice and guidance material
	Overall quality of communications with the support team

Section 8 - Overall satisfaction

	Value for money of your SIMS support service
	Overall quality of your SIMS support service

Part 4: Comment

In the last part, you are invited to make any additional comment you wish about your support service. You can enlarge on answers already given or comment on anything you feel was important but which was not covered elsewhere. Once again, please remember that the focus of the survey is the service provided by your support team in support of your SIMS software.