SMS Text Messaging for the Education Sector
The Department for Education and Skills expects all students to achieve an attendance level of at least 90 percent in every school year and individual schools generally expect a much higher level.
We have worked closely with a number of schools to address attendance, focussing on truancy and child welfare. An integrated SMS solution, working automatically with, or alongside, electronic registration systems, enables schools and colleges to check with or notify parents immediately, should their child not attend registration.
Recent studies have shown that as a direct result of using text messaging, some schools are recording a drop in absenteeism by up to 50%. This is clearly an excellent result, but SMS is not only useful for tackling truancy and reducing the cost of associated phone calls -we have schools and colleges using Text Message Server for many other purposes, including the following:
- Contacting Supply Teachers
- Coursework and Homework deadline reminders / follow-ups
- Exam Date Notifications
- Notifying Parents of Detentions or Poor Behaviour
- Parent's Evening / Open Evening / After School Class Notification
- Student Praise - Good Test Results, Good Behaviour, etc
- Library Book Availability / Due Back Reminders
- Equipment Reminders - eg 'Swimming Tomorrow, dont forget your costume!'
- Information Subscription - Details of Adult Education, Clubs, etc
Text Message Server integrates with almost any application or system, including SIMS .net, CMIS, SITS:Vision and the Bromcom Electronic Register. SMS messages can be automatically generated and sent, or sent on an ad-hoc basis from the desktop, from within any email system or via the included user interface. There is very little need for training and as this is a two-way messaging solution, SMS messages can be received and routed directly into the intended recipient's inbox.
For more information, please see the links in the menu above, or phone us on 01962 835053.
Telford & Wrekin Council installed SMS in all thirteen of its Secondary Schools
One of the more obvious uses of the
Text Message Server system, is in helping to
reduce unauthorised absences across the
secondary sector, by providing a ‘rapid response’
method of alerting parents 
and guardians that children have not reported into school.
This application has two advantages over the
traditional method of chasing up suspected truants.
Once it is clear who are the non-attenders, a single
message, automatically personalised for each
child, can be sent. Apart
from saving time, a significant reduction in telephone
charges is realised.
The same SMS Server technology is being used to distribute other kinds of message, such
as when bad weather is forcing the closure of a
school.
“Staff can use a pre-formatted message or create their own message
when the need arises. Those that have used the system found that the
messaging interface was no more complex than for
sending an email.”
- Clare Gough, Telford & Wrekin Council