Development of SMIS - Schools Management Information Systems
The team receiving accreditation in Spring 2011
In 1988 EMU formed an administrative service with the advent of LMS. The three parts of the service began to emerge, Curriculum, Administration and Technical. Two staff, Bob Jackman and Mark Peate introduced the original SIMS software into Sandwell Schools. Mark Peate later moved to the Curriculum side of EMU. By 1993 the number of staff increased to five when Paul Butler, Chris Hollyhead (now Chris Hinson), Paul Nash and Pat Davies joined the Team and the number of modules being supported rose proportionally.
Pat Davies retired in 1996 and Paul Nash left for a post in Shropshire in 2000.
In 1994 EMU became the first Sandwell service to be delegated to schools. The customer/client relationship became established. Service Level Agreements and annual charges evolved as the mechanism for providing ICT provision in Sandwell.
In 1999, schools, through their representatives and consultative bodies, requested that EMU be split into three strands to enable greater choice. EMU Curriculum, EMU SIMS and EMU Technical were then offered as separate delegated services to schools.
Jackie L'Herroux joined the team in 2001 originally on secondment, but she was then appointed to a permanent position later in the same year. Bob Jackman moved to Tyneside in 2002 and Paul Butler was appointed Strategic Manager.
The SMIS Team was then formed from the EMU SIMS Team, after being restructured and reorganised within the Strategy and Resources Division of the LEA. EMU Curriculum and EMU Technical became part of Sandwell’s e-Learning Unit.
Julie Duffell and Sue Stevens were recruited in 2003 and Mark Golder became Technical Advisor in 2004 to bring the staffing compliment to six. Janet Smith was appointed Business Manager in December 2004 and Matt Griffin joined the Team as Technician in February 2007. Finally SMIS provide their own dedicated Telephone Support on 0121 544 2001 when Chris Robberds was appointed SMIS Receptionist in August 2006. Chris was upgraded to Assistant Busimess Manager in September 2008. The SMIS Team now comprises of nine full time staff.
In September 2008 Sharon Cox, (formally Office Manager at Jubilee Park Primary School in Sandwell) was appointed Schools Procurement Partner, a post funded by the DCSF. Based with SMIS, Sharon delivers the OPEN e-Procurement Project for Schools.
The name change from SIMS Support to Schools Management Information Systems (SMIS) reflects the changing role of the Team in supporting diverse IMS systems for both schools and Local Authorities nationally. SMIS currently delivers services to schools in seven different LAs.
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