Getting Started with the SIMS Parent App Lite Parents’ Guide

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What do I need to register for the SIMS Parent App Lite?

Before beginning the registration processes, you will need the following:

Your unique registration email. Your school will send to you a registration email that contains a registration link and an invitation code. This email will be sent from Capita SIMS (noreply@sims.co.uk). If you cannot find this email, please check your junk mail and ensure it has not been marked as SPAM.
The date of birth of one of your children who attends the school.
Either a Microsoft (including Office 365), Google, Facebook, Twitter or SIMS ID account. You can use an existing account (e.g. a Hotmail account) or create a new one online – they are free, easy to set up and you can use any valid email address and password.

View a tutorial on the registration process

How do I Register for the SIMS Parent App Lite?

1. Open your unique registration email and click the link as instructed. A new internet window will open and you will be asked to log in.

2. Most users will not have a SIMS ID account and should register with either a Microsoft (including Office 365), Google, Facebook or Twitter account. Click the icon for the relevant Third Party account and you will be directed to sign in using your existing details.

Only users (some school staff) with an existing SIMS ID account can enter their details in the Username and Password fields that are displayed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before completing the registration process, you should be signed out from the chosen account you’re planning on using to register with e.g. Facebook. Alternatively, the registration process should be carried out in a private browser window.

3. You will be guided through the login process. Once logged in, you will be asked if you want to authorise SIMS Parent to use your account.

4. You will now be asked for an Invitation code.

If you had to select the web address in the email, you will need to copy the invite code from the email and paste it into the space provided.

5. Enter the Date of birth of one of your children attending the school. This is for security purposes only and this information will not be used in the SIMS Parent system

6. Click the Register button to continue.

NOTE: Users with multiple roles need to register only once. For example, users who are both a parent and a teacher should register as either a parent or a teacher but should not register as both. Once registered, all of the relevant parent and teacher information will be available.

How do I Download the SIMS Parent App?

The SIMS Parent app can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store (iOS) or the Play Store (Android).

Open the Play Store or Apple Store on your device.

Using the Search facility, enter SIMS Parent.

Select SIMS Parent by Capita Plc from the search results.

Tap READ MORE for more information or INSTALL to download the app.

Once the app has downloaded successfully, tap Open to register and start using the app.

Please click here to view a short tutorial that guides you through the download process.

How do I sign in to SIMS Parent App Lite?

Click the icon for the relevant Third Party account that you registered with e.g. Google. Enter your Sign in details.

(Parents must not attempt to register using SIMS ID. The SIMS ID option is for use by school staff only.)

I don’t have a smart phone, how can I access the SIMS Parent App Lite?

If you have access to a tablet device, laptop, desktop computer you can sign in via the following website https://www.sims-parent.co.uk , selecting the icon for the relevant Third Party account that you previously registered with.

How to use the Data Collection Sheet feature

Once you have signed into the SIMS Parent App or SIMS Parent website, you will be able to see your child(ren), tap on each child to go through to the options available, in this case Data Collection Sheet. (The other features shown in the example below, Attendance, Conduct, and Timetable etc. are only available where your school have bought the full SIMS Parent App.)

Tap (or click if you are using a computer/laptop) on the Data Collection Sheet to view the data which your school has requested you to add/update. Please note that they may vary from the example below, as schools are able to configure the app themselves.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The first Addresses and Telephone & Emails section you are able to see, underneath your child’s name are their contact details, not your contact details.

If you wish to amend the emergency contacts, including your own, scroll down the page, and you will see a Contacts section.

If, once you have reviewed the data, there are no changes, please ensure that you tap/click the Confirm No Changes button. If you have made any changes, please make sure you tap/click the Save button to ensure the changes are submitted back to the school.

Once the school has reviewed your changes, you will received a message, within the SIMS Parent App Messages section to confirm that they have been approved.

If you have submitted changes, but haven’t had them approved, the Data Collection Sheet will show with a Padlock icon, which means no further changes can be made until the school has approved the last submission. Once they have approved the previous changes, the Padlock icon will disappear.

How to access the School Details screen

On the right hand top corner of the screen, there is a Menu option. If you tap/click on Menu, a list of options will be presented. If you tap on School Details, you will be presented with the Address and Contact Details of the school, as well as useful Term Dates for the current Academic Year, including any planned Inset Days.

Help

If you have a question about your SIMS Online Services Account, please contact your child’s school. Once you have signed into the SIMS Parent App, further help is available by selecting Help from the Menu.

FAQS:

Question	Answer
What devices can I use to access SIMS Parent?	SIMS Parent can be accessed via any desktop PC or laptop. The SIMS Parent app can be accessed on Apple or Android devices. SIMS Parent supports Android version 4.4 (kitkat) and above, and IOS version 8 and above.
How do I download the app?	The SIMS Parent app can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store or the Play Store. Please refer to the guide above.
How do I log in for the first time?	Full instructions for registering a SIMS Parent account can be found in the guide above.
I can’t find my account registration email. What should I do?	If you cannot find the account registration email, please check your junk mail and ensure it has not been marked as SPAM. If you still have not received your account registration email, please contact your school directly to check whether they have sent the email to the correct email address.
How do I log in?	You will have received an email invitation from your school directing you to complete the registration process for SIMS Parent. Parents can access the SIMS Parent website by going to https://www.sims –parent.co.uk or via the SIMS Parent app. Once the SIMS Parent app is downloaded onto a mobile device, an icon will be available on the device menu that will take you directly to the app. Registration for SIMS Parent is completed via the SIMS ID website, where you can select the account provider you wish to register and sign in with.
I can’t remember my password. What should I do?	Visit the website of your account provider (i.e. Microsoft, Google, Facebook or Twitter) and follow their instructions for resetting your password.
Do I need to register separately for each of my children attending this school?	No. When you sign in to SIMS Parent, events and information for all of your children attending this school will be displayed in one place.
If I have children who attend different schools, and if each of the schools is using SIMS Parent, can I view all of my children in one place?	It is possible for parents to use the same login details to register with multiple SIMS Parent schools. This will allow users to change school once inside SIMS Parent from a drop-down menu located on the school name in the top right-hand corner of the page.
Why can’t I access the SIMS Parent site or why does the page not load correctly?	Ensure your internet browsers are up-to-date. If your internet browser is up-to-date and you are still experiencing problems, please contact your school directly for assistance.
I have signed into SIMS Parent before but I can’t sign in now. What should I do?	Ensure you are logged in with the correct account (i.e. the account you used during the SIMS Parent registration process).
	To sign out of an incorrect account, visit the account provider’s website (e.g. Google, Facebook, etc.) and sign out. Close the browser completely. Open a new browser window and log in to SIMS Parent, using the account details you used during the registration process. If you still cannot sign in to SIMS Parent having followed the advice in this section, please contact your school directly for assistance.
I have signed into SIMS Parent but I can’t see any data. What should I do?	If you cannot see any data, please contact your school directly for assistance.
Why can’t I see all of my children or all of my data?	If you have children who attend multiple schools and you wish to see them all in one account, you must register with the same sign in details. If you have used different details, please contact one of the schools and ask to be re-registered. Ensure you register with the details you use to sign into the other school. This will allow users to change school once inside SIMS Parent from a drop-down menu located on the school name in the top right-hand corner of the page. If you have re-registered and still cannot see your data, or if your children are at the same school and you cannot see all of their data, please contact the school directly for assistance.
Why can’t I open the Data Collection Sheet for my child?	If the Data Collection Sheet is not visible from SIMS Parent for your child, you may not meet the criteria required for submitting changes to your child’s account. Currently a registered child contact must have parental responsibility, be priority 1 or 2, have no court orders in place. Some schools may also opt in to the contact having to live at the same address as the child.
There is a padlock icon on the Data Collection Sheet area, what does this mean?	If you can see the Data Collection Sheet but it is locked (a padlock icon will be displayed), the Data Collection Sheet has been previously submitted and is waiting for a school administrator to authorise and apply the changes. Once the changes have been applied, the Data Collection Sheet will become available again.
How do I stop my child’s other contacts seeing my contact details in the Data Collection Sheet?	It is possible to hide your details from your child’s other contacts. Please contact your school for further assistance.
I can only see my own contact details and none of my child other contacts?	If you are only able to see your own details, and not those of any other contacts you know you have previously informed the school of, this is likely because of how your school has set up the app.