We finally have the data from the Spring census, where we see which MIS each school used to submit their return and, as expected, we continue to see the decline in numbers using ESS SIMS and the growth in their competitors.
The very large increase in English State Schools submitting their census using Arbor was not unexpected since Arbor have continued to be successful in gaining school customers, however the majority of their increase on this occasion has come from the transfer to them from the other Key Group owned MIS platforms, Integris and Scholarpack, which are being closed down.
Arbor’s numbers increased by a whopping 1,287 schools since the last figures in the Autumn term, but 1,104 of these gains were due to Integris (651 schools) and ScholarPack (453 schools) customers having to transfer to Arbor now that their previous MIS has been made end of life. Having said that, a net gain of 183 schools from other MIS providers, almost exclusively from ESS SIMS schools, is still an impressive achievement.
Bromcom also gained significantly, increasing their English State School numbers by almost 100 schools in the same period. At the same time, Bromcom are also being successful in the Welsh schools market, having now won several Welsh Local Authority tenders.
Compass continue to grow also, lifting their school numbers by 37 since the last census return, and are showing that they are a serious player in the English schools market.
In terms of market share percentages for the English State School market, Arbor now hold an emphatic 49.82% of this market in their own right, and this rises to a dominant 51.4% market share when the other two Key Group MIS platforms are taken into account.
ESS SIMS remains in second place, but with a continually reducing market share, now down to just 29.9% – incredible when you consider that they held the lion’s share of the market, at 84%, just 10 years ago, and still held 72% only 5 years ago.
Bromcom continue to grow, now rising to 16.3% market share. Their further growth comes from the wider UK market, with major gains in Northern Ireland and Wales.
These three providers continue to dominate the market, leaving all other competitors with just 5% market share between them.
Looking at the wider UK market, taking in not just the English State Schools but also those within Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we can see a slightly different picture emerging, with ESS SIMS continuing the downward trend but also seeing Bromcom making larger strides within the Welsh market, having gained 6 of the 8 authorities that have moved to date, and also winning the entire Northern Ireland schools tender too.
We think Wales is at an inflection point:
Only ~25–30% of authorities have formally moved away from SIMS but we understand most of the others are expected to review their positions before March 2027
The stats across the wider UK, however, still have Arbor/The Key Group in a dominant position with 11,149 out of the 27,018 schools (41.3% market share).
Whilst ESS SIMS remain in second place, they drop to 7,181 schools and 26.6% market share, whilst we see Bromcom increasing their school numbers overall to 5,109 schools and a healthy 18.9% market share.
So, we continue to see the MIS market across the UK shifting, with multiple tenders and hundreds of schools and MATs switching MIS as they attempt to determine the solution that meets their individual needs.