Summer Term Priorities for Schools and MATs: An MIS Perspective
For schools and multi-academy trusts, the summer term is one of the busiest periods of the academic year. Alongside examinations, assessments and year-end processes, it is also a crucial time for preparing data for the new academic cycle. From a Management Information System (MIS) perspective, this term involves a series of key operational tasks that ensure compliance, data accuracy and a smooth transition into September.
Below we outline the main MIS-related priorities that school leaders, data managers and trust central teams should keep firmly on their radar during the summer term.
Assessment and Examination Data Management
The summer term is dominated by statutory assessments and examinations. Secondary schools must manage the flow of data associated with GCSEs and A-levels, including candidate entries, access arrangements, and results preparation. For primary schools, the focus is on Key Stage assessments and the associated teacher assessment submissions.
Within the MIS, this means ensuring candidate records are accurate, examination entries have been checked, and pupil details align with awarding body requirements. Many schools will also be preparing mark sheets and assessment templates so that results can be imported quickly once awarding bodies release outcomes later in the summer.
Data accuracy at this stage is critical. Errors in pupil identifiers, qualifications, or candidate numbers can create significant administrative challenges when results are published.
Census Preparation and Data Quality
While the School Census itself takes place earlier in the year, the summer term is often when schools carry out important data quality checks. This includes verifying pupil demographic information, attendance records, safeguarding indicators and funding-related data.
For MATs in particular, trust-wide reporting becomes increasingly important at this time. Central teams often use MIS analytics to review attendance trends, behaviour incidents and assessment progress across schools before the end of the academic year.
Ensuring that data is clean and consistent not only supports statutory returns but also improves the quality of leadership reporting and decision-making.
Year-End Processes and New Academic Year Setup
The summer term is when schools begin preparing their MIS for the transition to the next academic year.
Typical tasks include:
- Creating the new academic year structure within the MIS
- Rolling forward tutor groups, classes and timetables
- Updating staff roles and permissions
- Preparing admission data for new pupils joining in September
- Managing leavers, including Year 6 and Year 11 transitions
For MATs with centralised MIS management, this is also the time to ensure consistent configuration across schools. Trust-wide templates for assessment, behaviour and reporting are often reviewed and updated ahead of the new academic year.
Reporting to Parents
Many schools use the summer term to produce annual reports for parents and carers. The MIS plays a central role in this process, bringing together attendance, assessment and pastoral information.
Schools increasingly rely on integrated parent communication tools linked to their MIS to distribute reports digitally. Ensuring report templates are correctly configured and staff understand the data entry process can significantly reduce administrative workload at what is already a busy point in the school calendar.
Data Migration for Pupils Moving Phase
Another important MIS task is managing pupil transitions between phases. Primary schools prepare data for Year 6 leavers moving to secondary education, while secondary schools prepare destination data for Year 11 and sixth-form students.
Accurate export and transfer of pupil records is essential to ensure receiving schools can import the information correctly into their own MIS systems. Errors or incomplete records can create unnecessary work for admissions and data teams.
Thinking of changing your MIS
For schools and trusts considering a change of MIS before the end of March 2027, the summer term of 2026 is the ideal time to begin early preparation.
MIS transitions are significant projects that typically involve procurement, stakeholder consultation, data migration planning and staff training. Starting preparatory work in the summer term allows organisations to:
- Review their current MIS usage and identify pain points
- Consult with school leaders, data managers and IT teams
- Explore alternative MIS platforms and understand their capabilities
- Begin planning data migration and integration requirements
Early preparation also helps schools avoid the compressed timelines that often occur when decisions are delayed until the autumn term. A structured planning phase during the summer can make the eventual transition smoother and reduce operational risk.
A Strategic Opportunity
Although the summer term is operationally demanding, it also provides an opportunity for schools and MATs to take a strategic look at how their MIS supports teaching, learning and administration.
With the increasing shift towards fully cloud-based platforms and integrated school systems, many organisations are using this period to review how effectively their MIS supports analytics, parental engagement and trust-wide reporting.
By ensuring core data processes are robust and beginning strategic planning early, schools can position themselves for a far smoother start to the next academic year.