Recognising the importance of student wellbeing in fostering a supportive and effective learning environment, The Armidale School (TAS) recently undertook an important journey with their school management system to address and support student wellbeing. The key criteria for TAS was a school management system that provided well-rounded reporting on student wellbeing, rather than focusing solely on discipline. They recognised that student Wellbeing is crucial for fostering a supportive and effective learning environment.
The Armidale School determined that Sentral offered a robust Wellbeing module solution. Unlike their previous system, Sentral allowed the school to give balanced feedback to parents, which the school felt would have a better positive influence on student behaviour. This comprehensive approach helps to shape how student data is perceived by emphasising positive information first, thus promoting a more supportive atmosphere.
“... [We] wanted to encompass everything. It wasn't just discipline, [Sentral] was a more well-rounded reporting system.“
“I think it's a positive way of looking at behaviour and things like that... I think that's more what [we] were looking at…you can give positive and negative feedback to parents…’ Dominique Riddell Senior Service Desk (IT) and Project Lead
Facilitating positive change in school data migration and implementation
Implementation and change management can be challenging. One difficulty faced by The Armidale School was the lack of an internal database analyst (DBA) with the required technical skillset and experience. Recognising this skill gap, the Sentral team guided the school through the process, offering a clear vision of what was needed. This was a significant step and highlighted the importance of understanding how everyone in the school uses the data system.
“...[Sentral] had the insight from [working with other] schools, [Sentral listen, and… there were certain areas where [they questioned] do we need that… everyone made decisions [and provided input towards] what we wanted it to look like...” Dominique Riddell, Senior Service Desk (IT) and Project Lead
“...[Sentral has] always gone way over and above to try and help us out.” Dominique Riddell, Senior Service Desk (IT) and Project Lead
Rollout and adoption
During the roll-out phase, the Armidale School decided to roll out all the modules in one go, the school was careful to manage staff expectations providing basic training on using the new Sentral platform, including marking rolls and accessing student timetables. Despite some initial resistance, most teachers adapted well to Sentral. There were challenges in accessing commonly used data, but with clear expectations, staff managed effectively.
“You'll always have resistance. But the teaching staff [have] pretty much embraced it … We had a few tough periods where we were trying to work out where we got data from and where we got stuff that they usually want from.” Dominique Riddell, Senior Service Desk (IT) and Project Lead
Achieving student wellbeing goals, and looking forward with confidence
After a few months with Sentral, The Armidale School found that their initial goals for managing wellbeing were successfully met. However, some platform modules needed better alignment with the school's requirements. For Dominique Riddell, key takeaways included the importance of recognising differences when transitioning from another platform ‘‘being more aware of [the key differences] when you're coming off different platforms’’ as part of the school’s early due diligence. Despite this, the school found workarounds and solutions to address the process gap for teachers.
Another insight was the importance of testing and exploring the platform further to get a more intimate feel for the platform, when asked what they would do differently the school said that they could “probably test a little bit more and maybe go into the modules a little bit more thoroughly.”
Despite this, the school felt very positive about the future.
“...I think (academic) reporting will be fantastic, although we're not there yet because we haven't done our first reports…. So the teachers are looking forward to that. I think the Wellbeing module [has made teachers ] feel more in control of what's happening… [our] advisor groups [are] they're feeling well informed [and] up to date. I think it's encouraging better behaviour across the board.” Dominique Riddell, Senior Service Desk (IT) and Project Lead
TAS's transition to Sentral marked a pivotal shift toward prioritising student wellbeing and fostering a supportive learning environment. While facing challenges during the implementation phase, the school fully embraced Sentral's comprehensive approach, guided by the expertise of the Sentral team. Despite initial hurdles, TAS reported a positive staff's adoption of the platform. With a positive outlook, the school is eager to explore the platform to improve the student experience, wellbeing and learning outcomes.
"Sentral has always gone way over and above to try and help us out."
