What's new in SIMS

Now live in SIMS Next Gen

This marks a major milestone ahead of the mandatory move later this year, giving schools a simpler, smarter way to prepare and submit their Census — with everything in one place and clearer visibility throughout the process.

What’s new

Everything in one place

All Census data is visible on a single screen, removing the need to switch between reports or search for validation information.

Clear priorities

Sections and sub-sections clearly show how many errors or queries need attention, helping staff focus on what matters most.

Easy collaboration

Teams can assign tasks, add notes and track progress together, making it easier to stay aligned and ensure nothing is missed.

Guided error resolution

Each error includes plain-English guidance and a direct link to the relevant record, removing guesswork and saving time.

Instant compliance

Any DfE updates are applied automatically — no patches, no delays, and confidence that Census submissions are always up to date.

Why it matters

• One single place for all Census checks and validation
• Clear priorities so staff know where to start
• Improved collaboration across the team
• Step-by-step guidance for resolving issues quickly and accurately

Now live in SIMS Group Hub

This release brings census visibility together in one place at trust level, allowing trust teams to quickly see how schools are progressing, identify where support may be needed, and drill through to the relevant school MIS for more detail when required. 

What’s new

• Trustlevel view of historic censuses completed in SIMS Next Gen  

• Notes on historic returns, allowing trust teams to record additional context (e.g. DfE authorisation dates)  

• Progress by school at a glance  

• Queries and errors grouped by section and subsection to highlight followup areas  

• Drillthrough to the school MIS for full detail and resolution  

• Export functionality

Why it matters 

Census returns operate within a fixed window and are a highly dataintensive process. Trust teams often need quick, trustwide insight to support schools efficiently and intervene early where required. 

Census Overview helps by: 

• Reducing the need to log into multiple school MIS instances to get a trustwide view.

• Providing clear, consistent visibility of census progress across all schools.

• Surfacing queries and errors by school, helping teams prioritise support earlier.

• Making deeper analysis quicker by linking directly to the relevant school MIS for full detail and resolution.