Background

Rotherfield Primary School migrated to Arbor in June 2024. Earlier this year, Schools ICT analysed usage data and identified a low functionality adoption score, highlighting untapped potential within the system. Recognising this opportunity, we reached out as part of our Arbor Improvement Programme: a proactive initiative designed to help schools build confidence, capability, and strategic value from their MIS.

At the time, the school had recently completed a major eco heat pump installation, which had understandably taken priority. With capacity returning, the leadership team was keen to explore how Arbor could better support their operations and streamline key processes.

Our Approach

We began with a discovery meeting involving the Headteacher and Business Manager to understand the school’s priorities and current Arbor usage. This was followed by two targeted consultancy sessions, one virtual and one onsite, delivered by our MIS specialists. These sessions provided tailored guidance and hands-on support, helping the school identify two
key opportunities:

• Launch the Arbor Parent Portal and App to consolidate parental
  communications and manage wraparound care more efficiently
• Phase out a third-party parental engagement tool, reducing costs and
  simplifying access for families

Following the consultancy, our team continued to provide responsive support as needed,  ensuring the school felt confident and well-supported throughout the transition and beyond.

Results and Impact

The school’s use of Arbor has grown significantly, with increased confidence across all staff groups, including admin, SLT, and teaching staff, with plans to extend usage to teaching assistants. Over £1,000 has already been saved by cancelling third-party subscriptions, with further savings anticipated.
Operational improvements include:

• Streamlined parental payments and easier balance management
• Behaviour insights now accessible to SLT for strategic decision-making
• Weekly absence reports automatically emailed to the Headteacher,
  supporting timely interventions

Future Plans

With proactive engagement and tailored consultancy from Schools ICT, the leadership team is confidently expanding Arbor’s use. Clubs have already launched, with Parents’ Evenings set for October and Trips planned for January 2026, reflecting a clear commitment to continuous improvement and maximising the value of their MIS investment.