School Spending: Which Financial Management System is the Best for Your School?

For a school business manager, running a school requires a lot of plate juggling, making sure that everyone is able to do their job properly whilst keeping on top of an ever-changing budget and changes in government policy. Having a robust financial management system is one way of being in control of a pivotal area of your job, whilst also being able to delegate tasks to others and keeping on top of a multitude of areas at once.

There are various systems out there, each claiming to suit a school’s needs. The three main contenders are successful in their own right and can claim to provide a system for thousands of schools. But how do you distinguish between them and what makes one the right fit for your school?

This article will focus on the main providers – Bromcom, SIMS and Arbor – looking at their pros and cons to help you decide the most suitable fit for your school.

1. Bromcom

What are the advantages of Bromcom?

Bromcom is a cloud-based management information system that has increased in popularity over the last few years. It offers the ability to send texts and emails directly to parents, rather than incorporating a third-party app. The conversion from one system to another is completed by Bromcom themselves, with training offered to staff. Users have commented that parent reports are good and also straightforward to produce. 

What are the disadvantages of Bromcom?

Users of Bromcom have stated that it is hard to link third-party apps to the system, although this is the case for many management information systems. Users need to have some familiarity with the system, in order to make the most of it. This usually requires training from the provider, which is an extra cost to schools. It is worth highlighting that Bromcom is cloud-based, therefore very different from a programme like SIMS.

2. SIMS

What are the advantages of SIMS?

SIMS is a well-known system that is used widely by schools. It is set up like a spreadsheet, where you can input data and control what you see. SIMS works best when you are trying to compare different pupil groups and identify trends, as the data is easy to see and understand. For school business managers, the emphasis is not just on you; teachers can access and use their own class data to analyse and draw conclusions, giving them ownership of their pupils and the independence to make changes to their practice as a result.

What are the disadvantages of SIMS?

SIMS does not have web access, so needs to be installed onto school computers. This makes it harder to incorporate into MATs or academies, as data cannot be accessed across multiple sites. It can be ‘clunky’ to operate, in that specific reports are hard to find within the system. When it comes to data drops or inputting results, this can take time and often requires a set of instructions to follow.

3. Arbor

What are the advantages of Arbor?

Arbor is a web based product that allows schools to build their own assessment system and take ownership of how they want an MIS to look. The migration from other products such as SIMS is straightforward, although does take time, which needs to be factored into the process. Reports can be found easily and finding information on specific children can be done quickly. Arbor is good at comparing various pupil groups and allowing individual schools to highlight the children that they want to focus on.

What are the disadvantages of Arbor?

Arbor have had success primarily in the primary sector, which may be a decisive factor for secondary schools when deciding which system to use, due to the more complex nature of a senior school (timetabling, etc). Users have claimed that the parent portal has had issues with design and usability, particularly when looking at timetables. Training and time will need to be given to using Arbor successfully, especially when migrating over from SIMS; however, this is an issue for all web based products, rather than just Arbor.

In conclusion, there is a product out there that will fit any school’s individual needs. The main competitors have their strengths and weaknesses, but all provide the requirements for a school to run successfully. Cost will probably play a decisive role, as well as research and discussion with the providers themselves.

Contact Us

If you’d like to know more about how Paper Plus can provide your school with the supplies and stationery it requires, please get in touch. Call us on 01444 238 050 or pop us an email at sales@paperplusuk.com