A GREAT Yarmouth school is looking to raise the achievement of its pupils by investing in new technology. St Nicholas Priory Junior School has already received a good Ofsted rating and hope the new software will help raise pupils' achievements.

A GREAT Yarmouth school is looking to raise the achievement of its pupils by investing in new technology.

St Nicholas Priory Junior School has already received a good Ofsted rating and hope the new software will help raise pupils' achievements.

The software will enable teachers to get a full picture of how each child's is progressing. The information will make it easier to identify any children falling behind so teachers can step in early to address any gaps in their learning.

Head teacher Mark Adams said: “When it came to choosing the software we were very clear about what we wanted it to achieve.

“We did not simply want something that defined a child in facts and figures. We were looking for a system that would correlate all the information about a child that we have; their photograph, personal details, attendance record, their behaviour, their successes and their test results.

“The new software allows us to store this data in one place to give us a rounded view of a child's performance. This will help teachers to do their job more effectively and ensure we have all the information we need about a child when we make any decisions relating to their learning.”

The technology that the school has chosen is called SIMS, a management information system from Capita Children's Services used by over 21,500 schools across the country.

SIMS allows schools to enter details about numerous aspects of a child's school life and then brings all this information together. Schools can then use it in many ways including to help improve behaviour or personalise pupils' learning.

Phil Neal, managing director of SIMS at Capita, said: “We are delighted that St Nicholas School has decided to use SIMS. They are committed to searching for ways to improve their pupils' experience and attainment at the school and we believe our software can help.

“They rightly recognise that systems are not about the data that goes into them but the information that you get out and how effectively this can be used by professionals who know what is right for their pupils.”