Arbor MIS is the fastest-growing management information system for primary and secondary schools in the UK. Over 6,000 UK schools are enjoying Arbor, and our Arbor support is here to help you use or are planning to migrate your existing MIS. The benefits of Arbor with Classroom365 include:
- Arbor support for schools and 20 years of MIS experience.
- A cloud-based MIS means a dedicated server is no longer required. This is a significant advantage over on-site servers that require constant patching and updates (SIMS!).
- Enhanced DBS-approved ICT support from Classroom365 will ensure your Arbor cloud experience is fast, thorough, and seamless.
Arbor is for UK state schools. For private schools, please read our article on independent and international school MIS solutions.
If you would like impartial advice on changing your MIS or for further information, please get in touch with our friendly team using the contact form below.
Arbor MIS Support Partner for Schools
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Classroom365 is an approved Arbor MIS support partner for schools. MIS support with Classroom365 works closely with secondary schools, primary schools and MATs, and we know the nuances and demands of working in the education sector.
- A wealth of experience working with on-site and cloud MIS systems.
- Migration strategies and supporting schools’ transition to a cloud MIS system. We were at the forefront of migrating many South London schools from a Microsoft Access database to ScholarPack MIS, a popular cloud-based MIS solution purchased by Arbor in 2018.
- Did you know that The Key Group, Arbor Education’s parent group, bought RM Integris, another widely used cloud MIS, in 2022?
Our clients in education have never looked back.
What is Arbor Used for in Schools?
Arbor MIS is a cloud management information system that enables schools to manage data such as pupil attendance with a digital register, school assessment data, and parental communication. With many MIS integrations available, from Target Tracker to Wonde, Arbor is a single online resource for successfully managing a school or multi-academy trust.
The Key Benefits of Arbor for Schools
In addition to recording attendance, monitoring student performance, and reporting on SEN and student well-being, Classroom365 likes the following Arbor benefits, which help differentiate the Arbor MIS from the crowded scene of school management software options out there.
Easy-to-use MIS interface
Arbor MIS, being cloud-based, benefits schools with its ease of use, troubleshooting and fresh, clean interface. The whole system is managed through an internet browser with a desktop shortcut opening the Arbor desktop – log in and go for it.
Arbor app
With the Arbor app, parents can use iPads or phones (iOS and Android) to monitor attendance, book trips, and stay updated with the latest news from their school. No more newsletters!
Multi-academy trusts
With SIMS, cross-school compatibility was, let’s face it, an issue. Connecting sites over a wide area network via a VPN wasn’t fun for schools or any company providing ICT services and solutions. Arbor Cloud is the best MIS for multi-academy trusts as it has a single website page for the entire MAT. You can then choose which school you want to access when you log in. No more VPNs and troubleshooting network problems!
Primary and secondary school Arbor support
It’s the same interface, but many features are enabled or disabled depending on primary and secondary school requirements. Arbor is the most popular cloud MIS in primary schools, with Bromcom as its main competitor in secondary schools. Bromcom is favourable for those schools that need a more granular MIS.
Many features are in common in primary and secondary schools, of course. Some of the differences include:
- Secondary schools can have exam management.
- Primary schools have seating plans and additional SEN management for early years.
You can read about all the features for secondary and primary schools on Arbor’s website.
Migration to the Arbor Cloud
So, you have decided to take the plunge and change MIS? Schools need to consider two technical requirements before handing over the keys to Arbor Education or any other provider!
- Schools need a stable and fast internet connection because your school’s Arbor system is hosted in the cloud. Many schools have a managed WiFi network, and to take advantage of the flexibility Arbor brings to the classroom, schools need reliable WiFi, especially with school attendance being recorded via an iPad or laptop. If you are considering upgrading your WiFi, Classroom365 provides WiFi for schools at competitive prices with a free site survey and quotation.
- Ensure your existing MIS is backed up daily and the backup data has been checked for integrity. If you have SIMS, we recommend a whole SIMS server backup and not just the SIMS database. Should the worst happen, your ICT support can easily restore the system. Ideally, you should have an online backup for schools in place with Redstor, Veeam, or another backup provider.
With these technicalities in place, you are ready to go ahead with your Arbor migration.
Arbor Integrations and Compatibility
There are over 100 integrations that work with the Arbor MIS – many we work with and many we don’t! Most work on a read-only basis, which means a third-party application requests access to the Arbor data but can’t change it. Applications such as Salamander and TimeTabler are integrated in this way using an API.
Visitor signing-in systems for schools can be given two-way access to the MIS data with their API. For example, InVentry, which Classroom365 supports, is a popular sign-in system that records when students arrive on-site and sign in. Their attendance is then recorded in the Arbor system. Of course, you don’t have to have this read-and-write feature, but it can be helpful for secondary schools. You will need more than one InVentry console!
Another popular visitor management system, Sign In App, which Classroom365 recommends, integrates in the same way by providing read-and-write access to the Arbor data using the Wonde API.
The complete list of third-party Arbor integrations can be found here.
Classroom365 hopes the information and resources provided enable you to make an informed decision about Arbor or at least contemplate it as your new MIS. Please get in touch for more information about the MIS solutions from Arbor Education.
Mark Friend, BSc (Hons), is a Company Director at Classroom365 and has worked in technology for nearly 30 years. His IT career started with Rothschild Bank in Sydney, Australia, before working as a Global VPN Project Manager for the British Council. Mark has 20 years of experience in the UK education sector, helping schools integrate the latest tech into their curriculum and ICT vision.