FileMaker is a cross platform database programme which is being used in schools increasingly as an effective data management solution. Here we take a look at how it has been used in Bedford Modern School to enable staff to track attendance throughout the day, reduce the administration time involved in academic reporting and give teachers access to student data from both on and off site.
A rapidly developing independent school with 1163 students and 120 teachers, Bedford Modern had to constantly adapt their information management system to provide its staff, students and parents with accurate information. In order to improve this, the school’s working committee took the decision to build and implement a unique data management system using FileMaker.
The school considered its current database software for the task but following a trial it was decided that FileMaker Pro offered far more flexibility and potential for customisation than any other solution they had seen.
Gary Jones, Head of the Art, Design and Information Technology, developed the test system for the school; “After a successful and problem-free development and trial, our decision was easily made. FileMaker ticked all the right boxes, and for the past three years its adaptability has enabled us to evolve the system to suit our needs”.
The software filled the school’s initial criteria of being easy to use, keeping training costs to a minimum, reducing the ‘man-hours’ involved in managing academic reports and giving teachers access to student data from any location. “All our teachers now view FileMaker as an integral and essential part of their roles”, says Jones.
An additional benefit for the school was the ability to improve the design and quality of the student reports and trackers sent to parents and the information they included. With six academic tracking points to monitor, including behaviour and homework, as well as attainment levels for 1163 students twice a year, it making reports easier to create and evaluate was a valuable bonus. Also, being cross platform, FileMaker could be used with all the school’s current and future technology, making it a safe investment.
The most demanding of the schools criteria, however, was the need for electronic registration of students in each of the six periods in the school day. The ultimate aim was to provide staff with the ability to combat lateness and monitor attendance throughout the day, rather than just at morning and afternoon registration. Students are also able to benefit from the new system, giving feedback on co-curricular activities that can be verified by heads of house before being included in reports.
The school has made considerable financial savings by developing and improving its FileMaker database in-house. Next year, the school will trial emailing PDFs of yearly academic reports to parents, which will save them a large portion of their budget in print costs alone.
Jones concludes, “Because FileMaker has been so effortless to evolve in line with the school’s needs we are constantly striving to add more and more functionality. We are able to adapt the system as and when we spot a potential cost saving which, considering the current economic climate, is a real benefit.”