Are you overwhelmed by the numerous MIS software options available for schools? Here, we overview the most popular school management software in the UK state education market.
MIS reviews for independent and international schools are separate as many are global companies, and the private school sector is a considerably smaller market. Not that many MIS providers cross over to both sectors.
- Choosing the right MIS provider is crucial for the smooth operation of your school.
- Your chosen MIS software will depend on your requirements, such as school size, primary or secondary, multi-academy trust, or special needs schools.
Please use the contact form below to get impartial advice on the best school MIS software for your unique needs.
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School MIS Provider – Which To Choose?
Choosing the right school management software is crucial
Choosing the right MIS system provider is vital for your school’s smooth back office operation. Now, with modern cloud MIS solutions, all staff can use the MIS with a single login, allowing attendance, incident recording and student reporting to be recorded.
Classroom365 are MIS partners with Bromcom and Arbor Education, the UK’s leading cloud MIS providers. Arbor is a good choice of MIS for multi-academy trusts, whereas Bromcom specialises in secondary schools. Our support team has 20 years of working with SIMS software for schools, from patches and upgrades to complete SIMS server migrations.
Many clients use ScholarPack and Integris, which we support. These are now integrated with Arbor Education. Arbor’s parent company, The Key Group, purchased RM Integris G2 and RM Finance in June 2023, and ScholarPack’s acquisition was in 2018.
New MIS providers are constantly popping up, from HUBmis and Compass to the free School Tool MIS.
We don’t know every MIS in-depth, but we can help advise you.
You are in safe hands. Please get in touch.
Management Information System Providers for Schools
ESS SIMS Software for Schools
ESS SIMS (formerly Capita ESS) is the most well-established school management system in the UK, with over 30 years of experience. SIMS MIS for schools, though, is rapidly losing market share to the cloud MIS solutions. It’s unsurprising to us at Classroom365 as you need a dedicated server, constant updates, and technical support, often onsite.
SIMS software for schools still has the largest market share of MIS software providers, which makes the MIS sector so competitive.
Bromcom MIS
Established in 1986, Bromcom is another MIS provider in the UK market. Initially focused on providing hardware solutions, the company pivoted towards software development and launched its cloud management in 2011, quickly gaining market share in schools nationwide.
Particularly suited to secondary schools and well established in the North of the UK, Bromcom Cloud MIS is a complete cloud-based MIS software for schools solution.
Arbor Education
Arbor is a relatively new player in the school management software marketplace. Founded in 2011, it quickly gained popularity with its user-friendly interface and integrations with other school service providers, for example, CPOMS and ParentPay.
Over 5,000 schools across the UK now trust Arbor, and with the recent acquisition in 2023 of RM Integris G2, it is growing fast.
ScholarPack MIS
ScholarPack is a simple, easy-to-use MIS software for primary schools. It is popular across London and was brought out by The Key Group, in 2018. Still popular, our support team was heavily involved with migrations from Microsoft Access databases to the online ScholarPack platform in the early days of cloud MIS software.
Integris Education
Formerly RM Integris G2 and before that simply RM Integris, it was ubiquitous in schools as there wasn’t much competition! We remember supporting it when it was server/client software before it went to the cloud-based G2 interface in 2008. Now owned by Arbor and integrated into their MIS system software.
Compass MIS
Compass MIS is the new MIS software from Australia. Adapted to the UK’s educational requirements, it is proving popular and has been used by some of our clients with our support. Over 40 modules can be incorporated into the single website interface. It is easy to use and continues to grow as the SIMS MIS market share falls.
Making the Right Choice: Factors to Consider
Effective school MIS software should offer the following:
- Intuitive interface and usability for all staff.
- Reliable MIS support for schools.
- Cost effective contract with agreeable terms if you need to exit.
- Scalability of your school grows and joins a MAT.
- Installation and data migration costs on top of the MIS software contract.
You can learn more about School MIS with our comprehensive guide, by clicking here.
Final thoughts on choosing the right school MIS provider
Selecting the right MIS provider is critical for your school’s success. Consider each provider’s features, interface, customisation, data management, security, and pricing to make an informed choice that meets your needs and budget.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is MIS software?
Management information system software in education is used for essential school administration. It includes attendance data, incident reporting and reporting purposes. It can be cloud-hosted or an onsite server-based application.
What is a MIS provider?
MIS providers are software companies providing management information systems for successfully running schools and other organisations. Examples include Arbor, Bromcom and ESS SIMS.
Can an MIS provider help with GDPR and data protection compliance?
Yes, school MIS providers typically offer features, reporting and support to help schools comply with GDPR and other data protection regulations. Classroom365 have our own Data Protection Officer for schools who can help with consultancy and GDPR compliance.
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.