how do you choose? Karen Faux reports.
Forward-thinking nurseries are embracing management software as a tool to make their workload easier and improve their performance. But it is all about choosing wisely and investing in the right software that will help a nursery to stand out from the crowd.
Catherine Lyon(below right) corroborates this view. She runs a small group of nurseries in Essex and has developed some software, Easy Solution 4 Nursery Education, through a separate enterprise.
She believes the sector is becoming increasingly aware of how effective software can enhance a business. 'Not so long ago, the sector appeared to be afraid of technology and of justifying the expense,' she says. 'But change is ongoing and there is always something new to get one's head around, so if an electronic system helps with that I think it is welcomed.'
While the need to choose wisely is certainly something that providers are well aware of, it can prove challenging. There is a bewildering range of systems on the market and it takes time to compare them. Many nurseries say they don't have the time or know-how to run trials, but do not want to make an expensive mistake.
So where to start? Having a clear idea of the questions to ask about a system is the first priority, according to Tariq Ayyub (below), a nursery owner who has developed a system called Prism through his software development company Astec Solutions. He believes there are two key questions.
'The first is: how easy is it to use and is it intuitive? Second: does the supplier understand your business and how it needs to work for you?' he says. 'Essentially, the software needs to address your problems. If these are not identified and understood then it cannot provide the solution. Nurseries also need to gauge the package as a whole in terms of back up and training support. It's a big investment and needs to give a worthwhile return.'
As far as Connect Technology Group is concerned, whatever size a client is, its priorities are in essence the same. Chief executive officer Chris Reid (below) says that everyone tends to start by asking for a system that frees up practitioners to spend more time with children.
'Nurseries have to comply with legislation and they have to deliver good practice within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS),' he says. 'A software solution should be able to manage complex aspects of the business such as the free entitlement, for example, where nursery groups have to deal with different local authorities' invoicing requirements.'
GROWTH OF TABLET USE
One of the most significant trends in technology is the increased use of tablets. Recent research from Laing & Buisson highlights that 23 per cent of nurseries now use them and this is rising fast.
Mr Reid says, 'The majority of nursery staff are pretty young and touch screen technology is something they are familiar with. Touch screen is fantastic for an area such as observations, which has traditionally been paper based. Key workers used to use Post-it notes to link children's progress to the early learning goals, and then spend hours on file time, turning the notes into a learning journey. Now staff can collate the information on the tablet immediately in the room, and store it in a database straightaway.'
Ms Lyon agrees tablets are increasingly becoming indispensable. 'More nurseries are certainly using them and many are sourcing reconditioned tablets to make them more affordable,' she says. 'As many settings now have PCs or laptops in each nursery room and senior staff are using the tablets, it is very important that software can work across all platforms.'
WHAT TO CONSIDER
- Will it do what you want it to do?
It is important to look at the system's flexibility and practicality in terms of what you hope to achieve. There are two distinct facets of support - business administration and operations, and delivery of good practice within the EYFS. An efficient system will pull both together.
Key administration aspects
Managing occupancy levels on a daily, weekly, monthly or termly basis.
Calculating bills, funding, free entitlement; handling nursery vouchers.
Managing data about people: child details, family details, start dates and attendance, moves between rooms, permission forms.
Managing data about staff, including contracts, qualifications and salary, shift patterns, rotas, holiday and sickness records, induction and professional development.
Managing invoices, cash transactions, payroll, sales and ledgers.
Supporting delivery of the EYFS
Supporting learning requirements of the EYFS, and ideally up to Key Stage 1.
Tracking quality assurance, managing improvement of your provision.
Auditing staff training and continuing professional development.
Assisting staff with observations and recording them.
Monitoring staff team literacy and numeracy; understanding the Characteristics of Effective Learning.
Supporting staff with assessments.
Supporting home learning.
Supporting the two-year-old check.
Can you afford it?
Is the system within budget and will it be cost-effective to run on an ongoing basis? How quickly will it provide a return? Is there flexibility on the purchase price? Check if there is a money-back guarantee.
- How easy is it to use?
Connect Software applies a three-click rule - where basic applications should be accessible through just three clicks. More complicated applications may carry the need for training and this could incur additional cost. Establish what training is provided by the supplier as part of the overall package, and how easy training is to cascade down to all members of staff. Ask if the software will work across all platforms, such as PC, Apple Mac, smartphone and tablet.
- Will it help the nursery to engage better with parents?
This is now an important consideration and systems are very sophisticated in giving parents immediate access to their child's day in the nursery. Whether through images, video or regular emails, technology gives nurseries increased scope to be creative when engaging parents in their child's progress.
- What level of customer support is available?
Software suppliers offer different levels of customer support and updates, within different price bands. Updates on legislation that affect staff and operations should ideally be part of the package.
- Will it stand the test of time?
You want to know it will do the job for you in the long-term, so it is important to establish the extent to which it can be upgraded. Find out from the supplier what the scope is for incremental changes, and what level of support is there.
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