Archived decisions

Contact: Fliss Dickinson, 01962 847996, [email protected]

1. Overview

1.1 Impulse SEN specific issues:

· 60 issues in total were outstanding or newly identified

· 36 have now been resolved, of which 6 were resolved in the VS 8 upgrade in April 2008 and 3 have been confirmed as resolved by the system supplier (CACI) in the VS 9.1 upgrade, proposed for Summer 2009

· 17 are work in progress

· 7 are still to be addressed

1.2 Schools Data Loader (SDL) issues affecting SEN data quality:

· 7 issues in total were outstanding or newly identified

· 1 was resolved in the September 2008 SDL upgrade

· 6 are work in progress

1.3 New functionality in Impulse SEN:

· 6 features were identified

· 3 are work in progress

· 3 are still to be addressed

2. SEN Software and Functionality

2.1 Significant steps have been taken to ensure the following are now available in Impulse Version 8:

· Task Lists - these aid work scheduling, have been streamlined, are relevant and now print out in MS Word format.

· Summary Report - this is a function which searches and extracts details by Establishment, Year Group and Cohort, and displays in MS Word format.

· Auto-generated SEN letters - these have been updated to reflect information changes. These merge pupil/parent/carer/professional details accurately. Letters will continue to be refreshed on a regular basis.

2.2 Upgrading to Impulse version 9.1, proposed for Summer 2009, should realise improvements improvements included by the the system supplier to resolve the following issues:

· Accurate Annual Review Reports - These re-coded reports will ensure accurate data is retrieved and will print out in a format which can be sent directly to the appropriate establishment.

· Professionals who have ceased involvement - These professionals will no longer appear in drop-down pick lists.

· Rejected placements - Placements which have been rejected will display correctly in the Placement screen.

3. SEN Data Quality

3.1 Queries

A variety of queries identifying pupil records with data errors and discrepancies have been created, run and records are being amended by the IT Systems Support Officer (ITSSO) and SEN teams, as appropriate. By regular amendment, there has been a significant reduction in errors identified, month by month. A further 10 queries are being prepared by IT Services and the ITSSO, which will identify records with specific issues for amendment. There should be minimal, or in some cases, no reoccurrence of these errors, since some of the root causes were functionality-based and were rectified in version 8 of the software, implemented in April 2008. Some current issues affecting data quality have been resolved by the system supplier (CACI) and incorporated into version 9.1 of the software.

3.2 Schools Data Loader software (SDL)

In response to continuing issues for SEN data caused by the Schools Data Loader (SDL), the supplier provided a further new version of SDL which was tested and implemented with the Autumn school census data upload. Work is continuing to monitor the results and to achieve a significant and sustained improvement.

4. SEN Reporting

4.1 Flexi-Reporting

This reporting tool will be tested by SEN team members on a 4 month trial from January to April 2009. The tool will give users the functionality and independence to create their own basic reports using Impulse data. The tool will be evaluated by the ITSSO and test user group. Go-live is anticipated for May 2009.

4.2 Business Objects (SEN Management Reports)

Business Objects has been adopted as the standard reporting tool for Children's Services. This will replace Hummingbird BI. A Decision has yet to be made on when the implementation will begin for SEN.

4.3 SEN2

This is the annual (January) major statistical return to the DCSF on pupils with statements maintained by Hampshire County Council. The use of an automated reporting function within the SEN database is currently being investigated. This will require establishment code changes and subsequent testing before implementation in the live system. This is scheduled for completion in summer 2009.

4.4 Practitioner's Report

Subject to funding and a successful implementation of Flexi-Reporting, the SEN Practitioner's Report function will be tested, and if positively evaluated, implemented during the financial year 2009/2010. This facility will further assist caseworkers in task planning.

5. SEN Low incidence statement allocation system (LIAS)

Work is continuing on the replacement for the system currently used to make £5.5 million of financial allocations to schools for children with low incidence statements. The current system is a bespoke application developed over 15 years ago using Lotus. IT Services and SEN together are currently developing a replacement which will use more up to date Business Objects reporting software. Progress is good and implementation is on schedule to go live in April 2009. The plan is to run the new system alongside the existing one until Autumn 2009, and if all is well, to then decommission the existing Lotus application.

5. Conclusion

There have been significant and positive steps made since the appointment of the ITSSO in August 2008. Progress continues to pick up pace and already user confidence is improving as issues are resolved, addressed and escalated, and as functionality is tested, approved and made available for use.