E-Registration & Access Control System
Added: (Thu May 16 2002)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sentinel e-registration & Access Control System for Schools and Colleges.
For an online overview, visit http://www.sentinel-2000.com
The ONLY Real-Time solution for Schools & Colleges.
During the last decade computers have provided one solution to the ever-increasing demand
for management efficiency. With the high cost of bespoke software, hidden training costs,
software maintenance and hardware upgrades, has this solution been cost effective one? Add
to this the final frustration that one piece of software will not link or transfer data without an
extortionate amount of time and hours, and the cost of administration begins to escalate.
Now we face the additional problems of security, statistic gathering, complying with various
government policies etc. As a result, many schools and colleges are looking for a change to
an all-embracing management system, to include an easy cost effective registration system.
Sentinel e-registration uses proven swipe card technology to provide the ONLY REAL-TIME
solution in currently available in the UK. This is currently making life significantly easier for a
number of schools and colleges throughout the UK.
To ensure compatibility with existing software the system uses ODBC and Microsoft Office
platforms, this allows the users greater control of their system, and more independence from
the supplier.
Using swipe cards to track pupil movements throughout the school day has no 1984 hidden
agenda, but aims to make them more aware and responsible for their own actions.
This can be a real solution for spreading the load of registration, moving it away from the
teachers thus providing them with more time for teaching. In practice, each pupil is issued
with a multi-purpose card (similar to bank cash cards) which has a unique identity.
For the purposes of electronic registration, each room in the school is fitted with a card reader
which reads the card and sends the data back along a cable to a central computer. The
computer registers the time that the card is swiped through the reader as well as the location.
In this way it is possible to track all of the pupils as they move from room to room throughout
the day. Not only does this REAL-TIME information give a quick and accurate first instance
register, but it also allows for period by period attendance checks.
Standard facilities include the ability to look back at previous weeks' attendance and, in the
event of an emergency, can be automatically generate attendance registers upon activation of
the fire alarm, showing students by classroom.
Further enhancements of the system are:
1. Previous weeks attendance.
2. Registers by classroom in an emergency.
3. Cashless cafeteria.
4. Integration with present Library &/or Management systems (e.g. SIMS, FACILITY, Voice
Connect)
5. Photocopying ID card systems.
6. Bar codes etc.
7. Many DfE and Customer requested reports inc. parameter driven reports
It is also possible to obtain printouts that identify persistent absenteeism, show absences on a
particular day or period, track all pupils who have a significant number of absences, and
immediately identify pupils who have failed to attend a particular lesson at the start of each
period. (See website for details)
Concerns have been expressed about the possible abuse of the system in one or more of the
following ways:
1. Students swiping for each other.
2. A particular student having more than one card.
3. Vandalism such as filling card readers with superglue or similar substances (Out of all
installations to date, only one incident of this type has ever been reported).
Simple procedures can be put into effect to deal all the above, including the possibility of
students losing or forgetting their card, replacement cards are paid for by the student or
parents (In practice, less than one percent of the cards in use are lost).
Although at face value this system may seem expensive, it is perhaps the most cost effective
on the market allowing ongoing savings to be devoted to teaching time, possibly improving
overall grades and attendance.
Ongoing costs are small compared to other systems, once installed the cost of running the
system other than the maintenance contract is negligible.
Consumable costs (new cards) can be covered by the sale of replacement cards.
Long-term hardware costs are also kept to a minimum due to the quality products used,
average replacement term is 7 years.
Sentinel e-registration can be the catalyst to improving the status of any school and, with the
current change in legislation, it must be a priority for any school to re-evaluate their old paper
chase system and take control of the attendance problem.
Sentinel e-registration is in essence an information management system which has
tremendous potential and it is more than certain that as it becomes more widely used, the
cost will come down.
The current debate about social inclusion truancy is in many ways a separate issue and is
about ensuring the appropriateness of the delivered curriculum. There are also the security
concerns of the parent to be considered, with recent incidents at schools involving
unauthorised entry these concerns can also be alleviated by the use of Sentinel. This system
is about Security/Access Control and effectively recording pupil attendance with a view to
assisting with the management of the school and provide the necessary government statistics
and it is on this basis that it should be judged.
We have installations in schools throughout the country that have been using Sentinel for
nearly 10 years - one school has logged in excess of 20 million swipes and is still proud of the
system.
Now is a great time for finding the budget for e-registration, there are several government
initiatives available that will provide either full or part funding to purchase & install.
Maintenance costs are obviously an important factor as these will be met from the schools
existing budget.
For details of the Sentinel System contact:
Miss Laura Stuart
Marketing Department
Radun Controls Ltd
Marco Polo House
Cook Way
Bindon Road
Taunton
Somerset TA2 6BG
Tel: 01823 358911
Fax: 01823 352791
Email: laura@tech-rep.co.uk Or visit our website www.sentinel-2000.com
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