When schools and Multi-Academy Trusts select an MIS, they are not simply buying the product that exists today. They are also, to some extent, buying into the supplier’s vision for what that platform will become over the next few years.
That makes the product roadmap an increasingly important part of MIS procurement.
Functionality that is missing today may already be scheduled for development. Equally, a feature described as “coming soon” may not arrive for months – or could change significantly before release.
WhichMIS? has therefore reviewed the latest publicly available roadmap information from four of the major suppliers currently competing in the UK schools MIS market: SIMS, Bromcom, Arbor and Compass.
The results reveal some significant differences, both in where suppliers appear to be concentrating their development effort and in how much visibility they provide to customers about what comes next.
In this, first Article, we’re concentrating on Arbor and base this information on the Arbor suite Product Roadmap
Arbor – AI, automation and expanding beyond the traditional MIS
Of the four suppliers reviewed, Arbor currently provides perhaps the clearest public view of its longer-term direction.
Its recently published 2026/27 Product Roadmap (link above) identifies four overall priorities:
- Set the new standard for MIS
- Help in whole new ways
- Do work for you
- Launch a new product designed for groups
Arbor says its development programme combines large strategic projects with responsive enhancements prompted by customer feedback, with roadmap priorities reviewed each term.
Perhaps the strongest theme running through the roadmap is automation and artificial intelligence.
Smart Reports are already live, allowing live MIS data to be turned into reports containing AI-generated summaries, tables and charts. Arbor is also developing Ask Arbor, Workflows and, further ahead, what it calls Arbor Agents – specialist AI agents intended ultimately to undertake multi-step tasks on behalf of school staff.
The ambition is significant. Rather than simply helping users complete an administrative process more quickly, Arbor’s longer-term vision appears to be an MIS capable of undertaking increasing amounts of that process itself.
What else is coming?
For teachers, Autumn 2026 developments include:
- meals visible from the register;
- quicker behaviour logging; and
- an enhanced My Classroom experience including room layouts, seating plans and additional pupil information.
A significant redevelopment of Assessment is scheduled for Spring 2027, including new marksheets and open integration with third-party assessment platforms.
A completely redesigned Parent App is also planned for Spring 2027, including management of children attending different schools through a single interface and more personalised reminders.
Other developments scheduled for Summer 2027 include:
- integrated safeguarding;
- medical incident and RIDDOR recording;
- admissions and applicant management; and
- a Free School Meal eligibility checker.
Safeguarding is particularly interesting because Arbor plans to combine safeguarding information with attendance, behaviour and pastoral information, while also providing group-level visibility for trusts.
There is also a clear MAT strategy. Arbor describes a new group-focused product bringing together central management, data warehousing, group dashboards, Smart Reports, Ask Arbor, Workflows and integrations.
WhichMIS? view
Arbor’s roadmap suggests that it increasingly sees the MIS as more than a database or school administration system. AI, automation, HR, workflow and MAT-level management are becoming increasingly central to the proposition.
Over the next few days, we’ll be publishing articles on Bromcom, Compass & SIM’s roadmaps.