QRS Arranging Cover in SIMS - EiS Kent

Quick Reference SheetArranging Cover in SIMSThe cover diary enables you to view the details of members of staffwho are absent, together with their timetables for a selected day.From the Cover Arrangements panel you can add, edit and deletea staff absence. Reasons for absence must be set up prior torecording absences. This is achieved via Tools | Cover | Reasonsfor Absence.1. Select Focus | School | Arrange Cover to display the CoverDiary browser.2. Select the required coverdiary using the availablesearch options (AcademicYear, Week Beginningand Weeks) from thedrop-down lists.Ensure the Show only TTdays check box is selected ifyou want to view onlytimetabled days.3. Click the Search button todisplay matching coverdiaries then double-click therequired cover diary todisplay the CoverArrangements page.Selecting a Cover DiaryRecording Staff AbsencesIf the By Period radio buttonis selected, the From and Toselection criteria changes.1. From the Cover Arrangements page, click the New Absence button todisplay the Record Classroom Staff Absence dialog.2. Select the absent member of staff in the Staff panel (use the Ctrl key toselect multiple staff members).3. Select a reason for the absence in the Reasons panel.4. In the Duration panel, specify the required date range by entering a Fromand To date.5. You can record the absence for sessions of time by selecting the By Timeradio button and then the required options from the drop-down lists.Alternatively, you can record the absence by period by selecting the ByPeriod radio button and then the required options from the drop-down lists.6. Enter a description of the absence in the Notes panel if required, e.g.Interview for English Teaching Assistant.7. Click the Add Absence(s) button. The member of staff appears in thePending Absence panel.8. Click the OK button to add the staff absence to the Cover Diary.The absent member of staff is shown as requiring cover on the CoverArrangements panel.Unpinning the Available Staff WindowIt is possible to unpin or detach the AvailableStaff panel of the Cover Diary to maximise theviewing area.The list of staff members displayed depends onthe restrictions and rules specified through theGlobal Settings, Staff Weightings andOffsets and the Manage Rotas routines.1. In the Cover Diary page, select the periodor cell on the timetable that requires coverand click the Unpin button adjacent to theAvailable Staff panel to detach the SelectCover Staff for window.2. Once the page has been detached, click theMaximize button to view the entire page.All the members of staff who are free tocover the selected period or cell on thetimetable are displayed. The order of thedisplay is determined by the settings madein the Staff Prioritisation Rules panel onthe Global Settings page.It is possible to search for the relevant staffmember by completing the search fields onthe left-hand side of the page, this includesby staff code, any assigned roles, specialistsubjects, whether they are currently Freeand Can Cover the period or cell in thetimetable.The right-hand side of the page details theEvent, e.g. details of the lesson, periodnumber, etc. the number of Studentsexpected in the lesson, the name of theoriginal Staff member who is unable toconduct the lesson and the Room where thelesson is scheduled to take place.Change the order of Available Staff byclicking on any of the column headings.The Flag column may display an S toindicate that this teacher is free due to arule previously set up in the ManageSuspension Rules page.The Activity column indicates any teacherswho are assigned to the Cover Rotas duringthe period in question.The Day Covers, Week Covers, Covers toDate and Covers to Academic Yearcolumns show totals of how many coverseach teacher has already undertaken.The Week Frees column displays a figure inhours.The current timetable of the highlightedstaff member is displayed at the bottom ofthe Select Cover Staff for window whenthe Show Time Table check box is active.3. When you have made your selection, clickthe Assign button and then the Closebutton to return to the Cover Diary page.

Quick Reference SheetArranging Cover in SIMSRecording Room ClosuresRoom closures are added, edited or deleted from the CoverArrangements page. Reasons for closure must be set up prior torecording room closures. This is achieved via Tools | Cover | Reasonsfor Closure.1. Select Focus | School | Arrange Cover to display the CoverDiary browser. For more information on viewing a Cover Diary seeSelecting a Cover Diary.2. Click the New Closure button to display the Record RoomClosures dialog.3. Select the room to be closed from the Rooms panel (use the Ctrlkey to select multiple rooms).4. Select a reason for the room closure from the Reason panel.5. You can record the closure for a session of time by selecting the ByTime radio button and then the required options from thedrop-down lists. Alternatively, you can record the closure by period,by selecting the By Period radio button and then the requiredoptions from the drop-down lists.Booking a Known Supply PersonIf a member of staff is supplied via an agency and their details areknown, you can search for, and book them for a specific date range,duration and pattern.1. Select Tools | Cover | Organisations and Bookings | ManageBookings to display the Manage Bookings browser.2. Search for, then select the name of the required organisation. TheBooking Details page is displayed.3. Enter the booking details in the Booking panel, including the StartDate/End Date, Duration (e.g. All Day), Role and Subjecttogether with any required Notes.4. Click the Save button to save the booking.NOTE: A supply person is classed as an organisation even if theyhave not been supplied via an agency.Using the Resource List to Assign Staff6. Enter a description for the room closure in the Notes panel, ifrequired, e.g. heating failure.7. Click the Add Closures button to add the room closure which isdisplayed in the Pending Closures panel.8. Click the OK button to add the closures to the Cover Diary then theSave button on the toolbar to save the cover diary.Booking an Unknown Supply PersonA generic booking should be made if the name of the supply person isinitially unknown. You can book supply staff via the Add Bookingbutton on the Cover Arrangements panel.NOTE: When the unknown person has been identified, update thedetails for that person via Tools | Cover | Organisations andBookings | Manage Bookings. For more information, please refer toChapter 7: Arranging Cover in the Cover 7 in SIMS handbook.1. In the Cover Arrangement panel, choose an activity requiringcover and select the ??? cell, then click the Add Booking button todisplay the Select Organisation dialog.2. Select an Organisation and click the OK button to display the AddBooking dialog.3. In the Organisation panel, select a Person from the drop-downlist.4. Edit the booking details in the Booking panel, if required, then clickthe Save button to save any changes you have made and then clickthe OK button.5. Click the Save button on the Cover Arrangements panel to savethe booking.To arrange cover for members of staff who are absent, you can selectfree staff from the Available Staff panel on the Cover Arrangementspage and assign them to cover lessons and/or activities. Members ofstaff are listed according to priorities set up in Global Settings (Tools| Cover | Global Settings).1. In the Cover Arrangement panel, choose an activity requiringcover and select the ??? cell.2. In the Available Staff panel, ensure the Free check box isselected.3. Drag and drop or double-click a member of staff in the availablestaff list to add them to the activity requiring cover. Alternatively,highlight a member of staff, then select Enter.The selected member of staff’s initials are displayed inthe activity.This guide is based on the version of the software (7.116) inuse at the time of publication.© Capita Business Services Ltd 2009. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, photocopied,stored on a retrieval system, translated or transmitted withoutthe express written consent of the publisher.Capita Children’s Services, Franklin Court,Priory Business Park, Stannard Way, Bedford, MK44 3JZTel: 01234 838080 http://www.sims.co.uk