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Just as the classic floppy disk, or the Commodore 64 have had to evolve over the years since their dominance in the 80’s, management information systems (MIS) used in schools, have also moved on. In fact, now there are several viable MIS providers in the market, each offering something different for schools - from clever new features and apps to price competitive bundles. This is great news! Strong competition in the market means a huge opportunity for schools to seek out the best deal - just as we did a decade ago, when we realised we could switch energy suppliers, or bank account, in just a few clicks!

In a recent report published by The Key on the academy trust landscape, it was heartening to see such enthusiasm for technology. As many as 70% of the respondents reported using tech to a moderate or greater extent to run their trust more effectively. Clearly, edtech is gaining traction as a central part of trust leaders’ strategies.

As Damien Hinds stated in last year’s Strategy for Education Providers and the Technology Industry, ICT can play a fundamental part in helping tackle some of the challenges that we face in education. But, as he points out, it can be difficult for education leaders to separate evidence-based practice and products from technological gimmicks. There is one recommendation, however, that has been generally accepted as highly beneficial to the sector - the adoption of the Cloud.