Managing Waiting Lists in SIMS

Managing Waiting Lists in SIMS

Updated 7th July 2011

Background

Pupil admission waiting lists can be managed using the Admissions processes in SIMS.

A Preadmission group can be created with a label that identifies it as a Waiting List for the next entry point to or admissions cycle for the school. There may be 1 admissions cycle per year in September or 2 or 3 with further entry in January or March and suitable dates of admission. Pupil details can be added in the Admissions routine, each new pupil added is put in this admissions group regardless of whether their anticipated DoA is the next admission cycle or further in the future.

At each admission cycle a specific admission group can be created for that DoA, for example September 2011 Admissions, January 2012 Admissions, April 2011 Admissions and the pupils to be admitted at that point can be transferred from the Waiting List Admission group to the specific admission group for that cycle using transfer routines in SIMS, leaving behind those to be admitted later in the future. The full admissions process can be completed for that group admitting the relevant pupils. Meanwhile the Waiting List Admissions group can be adjusted so the DoA represents the next admissions cycle.

Process

Create a Waiting List Admission Group

·  Use Routines | Admission | Admission Groups | Setup:

·  Click New to add a new Admission Group

In the Intake Group panel...

·  Select an admissions year – the next year for admission, this will be moved on after each admissions cycle

·  Select an admission season – any will do

·  Select a Year group – usually the normal admission year for the school, say Reception

·  Enter the Planned Admission Limit – this will not restrict any entry and is merely a guide to numbers, use the correct PAL for the school

·  Click in the Name box and a default name will be created from the components already entered. Overtype this with a suitable label – Waiting List

In the Admission Group panel...

·  Click in the Name box and a default name for the admission group will be created from the Intake Group name accept this label or adjust

·  Select a Date of admission for this group – the next admission cycle DoA will do as this will be changed when that cycle has been processed

·  Click Save to save your admission group

Add Pupils to the waiting list

·  Use Focus | Admissions | Application:

·  Click New to add a new pupil

·  Enter details for the pupil, Surname, Forename, Gender, Date of Birth and click continue:

·  Add additional details as available, minimum required fields are highlighted in red:

·  Select Intake Group – Waiting List; this will populate additional fields, Admission group, Year group, Year taught in, Date of Admission:

·  Click Save to complete

Note – pupils can be added to the admission group via CTF import but most waiting lists are maintained manually. Continue to add any prospective new pupils to this list regardless of their anticipated year and date of admission.

Create a Specific admissions cycle Admission Group

Use Routines | Admission | Admission Groups | Setup (as before)

Click New to add a new Admission Group

In the Intake Group panel...

·  Select an admissions year – the next year for admission,

·  Select an admission season – any will do

·  Select a Year group – usually the normal admission year for the school, say Reception

·  Enter the Planned Admission Limit – this will not restrict any entry and is merely a guide to numbers, use the correct PAL for the school

·  Click in the Name box and a default name will be created from the components already entered. Accept this label or overtype this with a suitable label.

In the Admission Group panel...

·  Click in the Name box and a default name for the admission group will be created from the Intake Group name accept this label or adjust

·  Select a Date of admission for this group – the next admission cycle DoA will do as this will be changed when that cycle has been processed

·  Click Save to save your admission group

Transfer pupils to the cycle Admissions Group

·  Use Routines | Admission | Admission Groups | Transfer Applications:

·  On the left hand panel select the Waiting List Intake Group from the drop down

·  The current members of that list will be displayed in the panel below:

·  On the right hand panel select the live Intake group for the current admission cycle

·  Clearly the first time this is selected the group will contain no pupils:

·  In the Left hand panel highlight the pupil(s) to be transferred and admitted and click the right pointing chevron between the two panels:

·  The pupil(s) will move across to the live admissions group

·  Click Save and acknowledge the warning about updating date of admission

Adjust DoA for Waiting List

·  Use Routines | Admission | Admission Groups | Setup and click the Search button to populate the browse

·  Locate the Waiting Group and double click to select it for editing

·  In the Intake Group panel change the intake year if required to the next live intake year:

·  In the Admission Group Panel change the Date of Admission to the next valid date (or any date as this will never actually be used)

·  Click Save and acknowledge the warnings

·  Continue to add pupils to the waiting list as required. If pupils approach the school for admission and the next live admission group is the valid group for their membership then use this rather than the Waiting list.

Process Admissions cycle

Using the live admission group, complete the processing of admissions for the pupils transferred into that group

Leave the waiting list for further pupils approaching the school for admission at some point in the future

Note: It should be understood that the Intake and Admission Group associated with the Waiting List will never actually be used to complete the admissions process. Consequently, admission years and dates of admissions will continually be adjusted as time moves on.

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