News

System updates for each development release, such as new functionality, features and bug fixes and other non development news items relating to Get Information about Schools (GIAS).

All news items show what was originally displayed at the time of publication, therefore some links in these news items may no longer work.

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Sytem Update
10 December 2024

The release this evening has been cancelled, we will let users know the new release date once we have one. Apologies for any inconvenience.

System update
6 December 2024

Final release candidates for Tuesday 10/12/2024 at 18:00

  1. Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS
  2. New features
  3. Bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience

1. Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS

Following the Secretary of State’s announcement that, from September 2024, inspections of state-funded schools will no longer include an overall effectiveness judgement, the GIAS service will be making the following changes to the existing Ofsted fields in GIAS:

  • Remove the rating (code and name) fields
  • Remove the Ofsted last inspection field
  • Rename the Ofsted report link field to Ofsted rating and reports (the hyperlink to the Ofsted website for the establishment will remain on the user interface (UI) so users can access this directly from GIAS if they wish to)

All fields will no longer be present in the:

  • Various search and filter pages, and subsequent results, including for individual establishments
  • Bulk update tool
  • Public downloads
  • Non-public downloads
  • SOAP based API functionality, including the ‘Get’ and extract methods

Users will need to take action if they are using any of these methods for their services/products/analytical or delivery purposes/etc.

This approach has been agreed with Ofsted.

We have also taken this opportunity to remove the following, no longer used fields from the public and non-public downloads and the API functionality (including the ‘Get’ and extract method) where currently present:

  • Ofsted special measures (code and name) fields

For reference appendix A shows all the relevant service development tickets for this work.

2. New features

  • Addition of a new governance role called governance professional for those establishments and academy trusts that legislation states must supply governance information to the Department for Education (DfE).
Establishment / group typeApplicable role(s)
Local authority-maintained school – not in a federationGovernance professional to a local authority-maintained school
Local authority-maintained school – in a federationGovernance professional to a federation
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with local governors onlyLocal governance professional to an individual academy or free school
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with shared governors onlyShared governance professional - establishment
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with local and shared governorsLocal governance professional to an individual academy or free school

or

Shared governance professional - establishment
Single-academy trust (SAT) (establishment level record)Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT)
Multi-academy trust (MAT)Governance professional to a multi-academy trust (MAT)

and (if required)

Shared governance professional - group

Secure single-academy trust (SSAT)Governance professional to a secure single-academy trust (SSAT)

For reference appendix B shows all the relevant service development tickets for this feature.

Users may need to take action as this is a new governance role although it is part of the existing functionality.

3. Bug fixes and fine-tuning to improve the overall user experience

  • Removing validation that automatically assigns a sixth form to independent schools if they have children of 16 years of age or more.
  • General updates to improve the performance of extracts.
  • Adding friendly user messages where the governance searches are taking longer to reassure users that a search result will occur, and if not clearly state this.
  • Content updates for consistency in the governance search and filter.
  • Allowing shared governance roles at establishment level to be searched for through all search options.
  • Making the governance role and term of office identifier (GID) visible.
  • Changes to the non-public governance downloads so the correct shared governance roles are displayed.
Download nameChanges
All governance data non publicAdding the following roles:

Shared chair of local governing body – group

Shared chair of local governing body – establishment

Shared local governor - group

Shared local governor – establishment
All academy governance records (non-public)Adding the following roles:

Shared chair of local governing body – establishment

Shared local governor – establishment

Please note the new governance professional roles will be added to the appropriate public and non-public governance extracts also.

Due to the above changes and the addition of the new governance role (governance professional) users will therefore see an overall increase in result numbers immediately and as the new governance professional roles are added to records.

  • Updates to Gov.Notify emails for service exceptions and failures.
  • Technical improvements for the service and administrative purposes.

A post release note will follow.

Regards

GIAS support team



Appendix A: Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS

The following are the relevant service development tickets for reference:

  • 232199 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields
  • 232202 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures (where applicable) fields from the scheduled extracts
  • 232200 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures fields from the SOAP service XSD
  • 232468 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields from the bulk update establishments tool
  • 234873 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures (where applicable) fields from the public downloads
  • 232608 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields from the establishment bulk update guidance
  • 232329 – Amend the wording for the Ofsted hyperlink to, ‘Rating and reports’ and add information text

Appendix B: New features

The following are the relevant service development tickets for reference:

  • 132829 - Use existing add governance role functionality as far as possible
  • 132830 - Apply validation of specific roles to specific establishment types
  • 132831 - Apply validation for only one governance professional at a time to the backend code
  • 133953 - Set the appointed by field for governance professional to N/A in the database tables
  • 132894 - Add governance professional to the bottom of the drop-down option list on the user interface
  • 132800 - Ensure view mode for a public (non-logged in) user matches the UED
  • 132799 - Ensure view mode for a logged-in user matches the UED
  • 132812 - Ensure the user interface field names and order match the UED and are mapped to the relevant database field name
  • 132809 - Ensure the governance role identifier (GID) field is visible for all governance roles and records (terms of office) including governance professional
  • 135237 - Removal of edit rules for live and historic records
  • 135249 - Make the GID visible and spell out

(referenced under bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience also)

  • 135232 - Edit rules follow existing rules
  • 135234 – User interface (UI) edit screen design
  • 135235 - Edit and remove functionality to reflect current functionality for live and historic records
  • 135238 - Use existing functionality for adding governance professional to a group
  • 135243 - Governance professional types possible for the MAT
  • 143327 - Governance professional minimum fields required
  • 135242 – Layout and content on UI and in database - logged in
  • 135247 - Public user view of layout and content
  • 135248 - Logged in user view of layout and content
  • 135250 - Edit permissions for governance professional on groups follows existing rules
  • 135251 - Group UI matches user interface in edit mode for layout and content
  • 135252 - Edit reflects current live and historic record functionality
  • 135253 - Replicate removing functionality for live and historic records
  • 146233 - Downloads - all local authority-maintained governance records non public
  • 146230 - Downloads - all academy records non public
  • 146036 - Downloads - all multi academy trust governance
  • 146035 - Downloads - all academy governance records
  • 146034 - Downloads - all local authority (LA) maintained governance records download
  • 146033 - Downloads - governor field download
  • 132827 - Apply validation to the governance professional role from the front end and middle tier code
  • 135239 - Validation for the governance professional
  • 162525 - Searches - able to search by the GID for live and historic records
  • 146227 - Downloads - all governance data non public
  • 162523 - Searches - governance professional on name or role filter
  • 162543 - Searches - all governors search option for live and historic records
  • 162545 - Searches - name or role and governance professional type in searches
  • 173959 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history download for governance professionals on old backend
  • 173960 - Searches - establishment and group download governance change history for governance professionals
  • 173961 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history for governance professionals on old Edubase backend
  • 162546 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history download for governance professionals on old backend
  • 162524 - Searches - governance professional to appear in historic searches
  • 193395 - Governance professional to a secure single-academy trust (SSAT)
  • 162554 - Bulk governance update template contains governance professional roles
  • 135244 - Governance professional for establishments in a MAT - local or shared
  • 132830 - Apply validation of specific roles to specific establishment types
  • 191037 - Bulk update tool, validating governance professional role by establishment or group type
  • 162522 - Extracts - new governance roles
  • 153564 - Users must not be able to enter an appointment date before a former appointment ended date
  • 191487 - Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT)
  • 205763 - Governance professional - staff roles
  • 194036 - Capitalisation of staff role names
  • 195888 - Shared governor professional governor to a MAT - remove appointment date and date appointment ended
  • 232829 - Governance professionals display consistent sharing information for governance roles in GIAS
  • 232251 - All governance data non-public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 234889 - All governance data non-public extract - shared governance professionals - group governance roles not showing
  • 232256 - Extract - all academy governance records (non-public) extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 232259 - Extract - ESFA_CRM_Governance_Download extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 231735 - Cannot search for a shared governance professional - establishment on role or name
  • 232502 - Date validation is happening at establishment level while adding shared local governor against governance professional
  • 232249 - Extract - governor fields public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's name not showing
  • 231938 - Extract - all academy governance records public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's name not showing
  • 220832 - Cannot create two live governance professional roles to a local authority-maintained school indent line highlighting wrong role in drop down option box
  • 223255 - Drop down option list - governance professional for a secure single-academy trust (SSAT) needs renaming
  • 222655 - Drop down option list - governance professional for a single-academy trust (SAT) needs renaming
  • 222656 - Search for governors - filter - governance professional to a local authority-maintained school
  • 222657 - Search for governors - filter - shared governance professional - establishment – amend
  • 222658 - Search for governors - filter - shared governance professional - group – amend
  • 220831 - Local authority-maintained school governance professional role historic and live records can be created with overlapping dates
  • 222589 - Same issues for a live governance professional role when removing a local authority-maintained school from a federation for the user interface visibility, editing and the change history
  • 222574 - Live governance professional to a local authority-maintained school is not visible, and therefore editable on the establishment record when it has been added to a federation
  • 222576 - Historic left within the last 12 months governance professional to a local authority-maintained school is not visible, and therefore editable on the establishment record when it has been added to a federation
  • 222580 - Where a live governance professional to a local authority-maintained school has transferred over cannot add a governance professional to a federation
  • 222582 - The change history is correct but has a reference to removal of the governance professional(s) to a local authority-maintained school which it should not
  • 222593 - Same issues for a historic left within the last 12 months governance professional role when removing a local authority-maintained school from a federation for the user interface visibility, editing and the change history
  • 223175 - Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT) role historic and live records can be created with overlapping dates
  • 223706 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment shares local governors with other academies in the trust option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 223702 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment has local governors, not shared governors option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 223699 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment has local governors and also shares governors with other academies in the trust option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 230911 - Governance sharing: has local governor and shared governors - when selecting shared governance professional - establishment should not need to add appointment end date
  • 231733 - Need to be able to add multiple shared governance professional - group at the MAT record level
  • 230908 - Naming conventions use dash instead of to a for governance professional
  • 236176 - Historic - shared governance professional - establishment - change date and error message come up
  • 203168 - Update existing governance guidance with secure 16-19 academies and secure single-academy trusts (SSATs) and governance professionals

Appendix C: Bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience

The following are the relevant service development tickets:

  • 189508 - Other independent schools – remove the validation linking the high age range and official sixth form fields and automatically assigning official sixth form if high age range is 16 years of age or above
  • 189577 - Improve the performance of the extract generation process
  • 215376 - Granular HTTP request timeouts from the C#, to allow governor search API requests longer than other requests generally
  • 206466 - Friendly message to be displayed in GIAS for governors’ search results and when delays occur
  • 210658 - Search results for governors’ error message in GIAS
  • 225218 - Search for governors - filter - member - individual amend to make case consistent
  • 225221 - Search for governors - filter - member - organisation amend to make case consistent
  • 135249 - Make the GID visible and spell out as governor identifier

(referenced under governance professional new feature also)

  • 236122 – Update governance extracts missing shared governance roles
  • 194750 - Scheduled extract failure email
  • 206833 - Add environment to email template for exceptions
  • 217880 - NuGet packages – part 1 (updates and patches)
  • 221867 - NuGet packages – part 2
  • 217881 - NPM packages – part 1 working (updates and patches)
  • 227829 - Vue Migration
  • 227833 – Polly
  • 230268 - GovUK-Frontend
  • 235765 - System.Text.Json vulnerability
  • 220917 - User in SOAP service is not identifiable
  • 194023 - Move HttpClient code from DownloadsController
  • 198726 - Add debouncing to the search suggestions
  • 208253 - Error code lookup

System update
4 December 2024

Initial release candidates for w/c Monday 09/12/2024

  1. Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS
  2. New features
  3. Bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience

1. Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS

Following the Secretary of State’s announcement that, from September 2024, inspections of state-funded schools will no longer include an overall effectiveness judgement, the GIAS service will be making the following changes to the existing Ofsted fields in GIAS:

  • Remove the rating (code and name) fields
  • Remove the Ofsted last inspection field
  • Rename the Ofsted report link field to Ofsted rating and reports (the hyperlink to the Ofsted website for the establishment will remain on the user interface (UI) so users can access this directly from GIAS if they wish to)

All fields will no longer be present in the:

  • Various search and filter pages, and subsequent results, including for individual establishments
  • Bulk update tool
  • Public downloads
  • Non-public downloads
  • SOAP based API functionality, including the ‘Get’ and extract methods

Users will need to take action if they are using any of these methods for their services/products/analytical or delivery purposes/etc.

This approach has been agreed with Ofsted.

We have also taken this opportunity to remove the following, no longer used fields from the public and non-public downloads and the API functionality (including the ‘Get’ and extract method) where currently present:

  • Ofsted special measures (code and name) fields

For reference appendix A shows all the relevant service development tickets for this work.

2. New features

  • Addition of a new governance role called governance professional for those establishments and academy trusts that legislation states must supply governance information to the Department for Education (DfE).
Establishment / group typeApplicable role(s)
Local authority-maintained school – not in a federationGovernance professional to a local authority-maintained school
Local authority-maintained school – in a federationGovernance professional to a federation
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with local governors onlyLocal governance professional to an individual academy or free school
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with shared governors onlyShared governance professional - establishment
Academy or free school in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with local and shared governorsLocal governance professional to an individual academy or free school

or

Shared governance professional - establishment
Single-academy trust (SAT) (establishment level record)Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT)
Multi-academy trust (MAT)Governance professional to a multi-academy trust (MAT)

and (if required)

Shared governance professional - group

Secure single-academy trust (SSAT)Governance professional to a secure single-academy trust (SSAT)

For reference appendix B shows all the relevant service development tickets for this feature.

Users may need to take action as this is a new governance role although it is part of the existing functionality.

3. Bug fixes and fine-tuning to improve the overall user experience

  • Removing validation that automatically assigns a sixth form to independent schools if they have children of 16 years of age or more.
  • General updates to improve the performance of extracts.
  • Adding friendly user messages where the governance searches are taking longer to reassure users that a search result will occur, and if not clearly state this.
  • Content updates for consistency in the governance search and filter.
  • Allowing shared governance roles at establishment level to be searched for through all search options.
  • Making the governance role and term of office identifier (GID) visible.
  • Changes to the non-public governance downloads so the correct shared governance roles are displayed.
Download nameChanges
All governance data non publicAdding the following roles:

Shared chair of local governing body – group

Shared chair of local governing body – establishment

Shared local governor - group

Shared local governor – establishment
All academy governance records (non-public)Adding the following roles:

Shared chair of local governing body – establishment

Shared local governor – establishment

Please note the new governance professional roles will be added to the appropriate public and non-public governance extracts also.

Due to the above changes and the addition of the new governance role (governance professional) users will therefore see an overall increase in result numbers immediately and as the new governance professional roles are added to records.

  • Updates to Gov.Notify emails for service exceptions and failures.
  • Technical improvements for the service and administrative purposes.

Confirmation of the timing and final release candidates to follow.

Regards

GIAS support team



Appendix A: Removal of Ofsted data from GIAS

The following are the relevant service development tickets for reference:

  • 232199 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields
  • 232202 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures (where applicable) fields from the scheduled extracts
  • 232200 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures fields from the SOAP service XSD
  • 232468 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields from the bulk update establishments tool
  • 234873 - Remove the Ofsted rating, last inspection date and Ofsted special measures (where applicable) fields from the public downloads
  • 232608 - Remove the Ofsted rating and last inspection date fields from the establishment bulk update guidance
  • 232329 – Amend the wording for the Ofsted hyperlink to, ‘Rating and reports’ and add information text

Appendix B: New features

The following are the relevant service development tickets for reference:

  • 132829 - Use existing add governance role functionality as far as possible
  • 132830 - Apply validation of specific roles to specific establishment types
  • 132831 - Apply validation for only one governance professional at a time to the backend code
  • 133953 - Set the appointed by field for governance professional to N/A in the database tables
  • 132894 - Add governance professional to the bottom of the drop-down option list on the user interface
  • 132800 - Ensure view mode for a public (non-logged in) user matches the UED
  • 132799 - Ensure view mode for a logged-in user matches the UED
  • 132812 - Ensure the user interface field names and order match the UED and are mapped to the relevant database field name
  • 132809 - Ensure the governance role identifier (GID) field is visible for all governance roles and records (terms of office) including governance professional
  • 135237 - Removal of edit rules for live and historic records
  • 135249 - Make the GID visible and spell out

(referenced under bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience also)

  • 135232 - Edit rules follow existing rules
  • 135234 – User interface (UI) edit screen design
  • 135235 - Edit and remove functionality to reflect current functionality for live and historic records
  • 135238 - Use existing functionality for adding governance professional to a group
  • 135243 - Governance professional types possible for the MAT
  • 143327 - Governance professional minimum fields required
  • 135242 – Layout and content on UI and in database - logged in
  • 135247 - Public user view of layout and content
  • 135248 - Logged in user view of layout and content
  • 135250 - Edit permissions for governance professional on groups follows existing rules
  • 135251 - Group UI matches user interface in edit mode for layout and content
  • 135252 - Edit reflects current live and historic record functionality
  • 135253 - Replicate removing functionality for live and historic records
  • 146233 - Downloads - all local authority-maintained governance records non public
  • 146230 - Downloads - all academy records non public
  • 146036 - Downloads - all multi academy trust governance
  • 146035 - Downloads - all academy governance records
  • 146034 - Downloads - all local authority (LA) maintained governance records download
  • 146033 - Downloads - governor field download
  • 132827 - Apply validation to the governance professional role from the front end and middle tier code
  • 135239 - Validation for the governance professional
  • 162525 - Searches - able to search by the GID for live and historic records
  • 146227 - Downloads - all governance data non public
  • 162523 - Searches - governance professional on name or role filter
  • 162543 - Searches - all governors search option for live and historic records
  • 162545 - Searches - name or role and governance professional type in searches
  • 173959 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history download for governance professionals on old backend
  • 173960 - Searches - establishment and group download governance change history for governance professionals
  • 173961 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history for governance professionals on old Edubase backend
  • 162546 - Searches - establishment and group governance change history download for governance professionals on old backend
  • 162524 - Searches - governance professional to appear in historic searches
  • 193395 - Governance professional to a secure single-academy trust (SSAT)
  • 162554 - Bulk governance update template contains governance professional roles
  • 135244 - Governance professional for establishments in a MAT - local or shared
  • 132830 - Apply validation of specific roles to specific establishment types
  • 191037 - Bulk update tool, validating governance professional role by establishment or group type
  • 162522 - Extracts - new governance roles
  • 153564 - Users must not be able to enter an appointment date before a former appointment ended date
  • 191487 - Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT)
  • 205763 - Governance professional - staff roles
  • 194036 - Capitalisation of staff role names
  • 195888 - Shared governor professional governor to a MAT - remove appointment date and date appointment ended
  • 232829 - Governance professionals display consistent sharing information for governance roles in GIAS
  • 232251 - All governance data non-public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 234889 - All governance data non-public extract - shared governance professionals - group governance roles not showing
  • 232256 - Extract - all academy governance records (non-public) extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 232259 - Extract - ESFA_CRM_Governance_Download extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's information not showing
  • 231735 - Cannot search for a shared governance professional - establishment on role or name
  • 232502 - Date validation is happening at establishment level while adding shared local governor against governance professional
  • 232249 - Extract - governor fields public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's name not showing
  • 231938 - Extract - all academy governance records public extract - shared governance professionals - establishment individual's name not showing
  • 220832 - Cannot create two live governance professional roles to a local authority-maintained school indent line highlighting wrong role in drop down option box
  • 223255 - Drop down option list - governance professional for a secure single-academy trust (SSAT) needs renaming
  • 222655 - Drop down option list - governance professional for a single-academy trust (SAT) needs renaming
  • 222656 - Search for governors - filter - governance professional to a local authority-maintained school
  • 222657 - Search for governors - filter - shared governance professional - establishment – amend
  • 222658 - Search for governors - filter - shared governance professional - group – amend
  • 220831 - Local authority-maintained school governance professional role historic and live records can be created with overlapping dates
  • 222589 - Same issues for a live governance professional role when removing a local authority-maintained school from a federation for the user interface visibility, editing and the change history
  • 222574 - Live governance professional to a local authority-maintained school is not visible, and therefore editable on the establishment record when it has been added to a federation
  • 222576 - Historic left within the last 12 months governance professional to a local authority-maintained school is not visible, and therefore editable on the establishment record when it has been added to a federation
  • 222580 - Where a live governance professional to a local authority-maintained school has transferred over cannot add a governance professional to a federation
  • 222582 - The change history is correct but has a reference to removal of the governance professional(s) to a local authority-maintained school which it should not
  • 222593 - Same issues for a historic left within the last 12 months governance professional role when removing a local authority-maintained school from a federation for the user interface visibility, editing and the change history
  • 223175 - Governance professional to a single-academy trust (SAT) role historic and live records can be created with overlapping dates
  • 223706 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment shares local governors with other academies in the trust option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 223702 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment has local governors, not shared governors option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 223699 - MAT - establishment level - this establishment has local governors and also shares governors with other academies in the trust option selected allows overlapping dates
  • 230911 - Governance sharing: has local governor and shared governors - when selecting shared governance professional - establishment should not need to add appointment end date
  • 231733 - Need to be able to add multiple shared governance professional - group at the MAT record level
  • 230908 - Naming conventions use dash instead of to a for governance professional
  • 236176 - Historic - shared governance professional - establishment - change date and error message come up
  • 203168 - Update existing governance guidance with secure 16-19 academies and secure single-academy trusts (SSATs) and governance professionals

Appendix C: Bug fixes and fine tuning to improve overall user experience

The following are the relevant service development tickets:

  • 189508 - Other independent schools – remove the validation linking the high age range and official sixth form fields and automatically assigning official sixth form if high age range is 16 years of age or above
  • 189577 - Improve the performance of the extract generation process
  • 215376 - Granular HTTP request timeouts from the C#, to allow governor search API requests longer than other requests generally
  • 206466 - Friendly message to be displayed in GIAS for governors’ search results and when delays occur
  • 210658 - Search results for governors’ error message in GIAS
  • 225218 - Search for governors - filter - member - individual amend to make case consistent
  • 225221 - Search for governors - filter - member - organisation amend to make case consistent
  • 135249 - Make the GID visible and spell out as governor identifier

(referenced under governance professional new feature also)

  • 236122 – Update governance extracts missing shared governance roles
  • 194750 - Scheduled extract failure email
  • 206833 - Add environment to email template for exceptions
  • 217880 - NuGet packages – part 1 (updates and patches)
  • 221867 - NuGet packages – part 2
  • 217881 - NPM packages – part 1 working (updates and patches)
  • 227829 - Vue Migration
  • 227833 – Polly
  • 230268 - GovUK-Frontend
  • 235765 - System.Text.Json vulnerability
  • 220917 - User in SOAP service is not identifiable
  • 194023 - Move HttpClient code from DownloadsController
  • 198726 - Add debouncing to the search suggestions
  • 208253 - Error code lookup

System update
9 July 2024

An updated version of the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) service has been released to all users.

This release will include the following:

  • 171990 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from scheduled extracts – database change which will affect the following scheduled extracts:
    • 3180 - All_data
    • 13889 - GIAS_Establishment_Daily
    • 13894 - Eapim_Daily_Download
    • 13896 - CAPITALCRM
    • 13899 - TribalDownload
  • 171993 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from extracts – code change which will affect the following public extracts:
    • Establishment fields
    • State-funded school fields
    • Children's centre fields
    • Legacy_acmathis
  • 171994 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from location tab user interface – code change which will remove the on-screen field
  • 213706 - remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from SOAP service XSD – XSD only
  • 176276 - archive regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field values in the database – database change

Users will need to assess if changes are needed to their processes and systems and update accordingly.

Further information

1. Office for National Statistics (ONS) updates

The update to the geo spatial fields that are updated from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) quarterly has now taken place.

2. Yearly update of data from the underlying data of the schools, pupils and their characteristics statistical release

The yearly update of data from the underlying data of the schools, pupils and their characteristics statistical publication is being undertaken this week.

The fields that will be updated are the:

  • total number of pupils
  • total number of boys
  • total number of girls
  • number of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM)
  • percentage of children eligible for free school meals (FSM)

3. Yearly update of data from the school level annual school census (SLASC) for independent schools only

The yearly update of data from the school level annual school census (SLASC) data collection for independent schools only will take place shortly.

The public fields that will be updated (where applicable) are:

  • number of pupils
  • number of special pupils under a special educational needs (SEN) statement/education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • number of special pupils not under a special educational needs (SEN) statement/education, health and care (EHC) plan

4. Establishment users – email addresses

The main establishment email address field and the alternative establishment email address field (if applicable) must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored email address. There should be no personal establishment email address or personal email address added to these fields.

The headteacher email address field must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored work email address for the headteacher/principal/manager (as applicable).

Kind regards

GIAS support team

System update
9 July 2024

The regional schools commissioner (RSC) regions no longer exist so GIAS will be removing this data field from the user interface, all scheduled extracts, extracts, webservice functionality and public downloads where it is currently present this evening, Tuesday 09/07/2024

This release will include the following:

  • 171990 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from scheduled extracts – database change which will affect the following scheduled extracts:
    • 3180 - All_data
    • 13889 - GIAS_Establishment_Daily
    • 13894 - Eapim_Daily_Download
    • 13896 - CAPITALCRM
    • 13899 - TribalDownload
  • 171993 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from extracts – code change which will affect the following public extracts:
    • Establishment fields
    • State-funded school fields
    • Children's centre fields
    • Legacy_acmathis
  • 171994 – remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from location tab user interface – code change which will remove the on-screen field
  • 213706 - remove regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field from SOAP service XSD – XSD only
  • 176276 - archive regional schools commissioner (RSC) region field values in the database – database change

The regional schools commissioner (RSC) regions no longer exist so GIAS will be removing this data field from the user interface, all scheduled extracts, extracts, webservice functionality and public downloads where it is currently present. Users will need to assess if changes are needed to their processes and systems and update accordingly.

Kind regards

GIAS support team

System update
2 May 2024

An updated version of the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) service has been released to all users. You do not need to take any specific action unless otherwise indicated below.

This release includes the following improvements:

  • bug fix, including:
    • 197245 – to resolve governor search loading results when selecting "All" in the filter section
    • 204172 – to resolve update issues when changes are made to the accommodation changed field - for the DfE independent schools’ team only
    • 204489 – to resolve update issues on the user interface and the change history when the start date and end date of a shared governance role is made

Kind regards

GIAS support team

System update
27 February 2024

An updated version of the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) service has been released to all users. You do not need to take any specific action unless otherwise indicated below.

This release includes the following improvements:

  • bug fixes and fine-tuning to improve the overall user experience, including:
    • 196400 – bug fix to remove semi colon on the governance tab
    • 131309 – bug fix to correct the error message on closing a multi-academy trust (MAT)
    • 195691 – bug fix to allow relevant users to create federations
    • 196085 – update to the service to show the new royal cypher

Further information

1. Office for National Statistics (ONS) updates

There will be another update shortly and we will let users know once this work is completed.

2. Establishment users – email addresses

The main establishment email address field and the alternative establishment email address field (if applicable) must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored email address. There should be no personal establishment email address or personal email address added to these fields.

The headteacher email address field must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored work email address for the headteacher/principal/manager (as applicable).

Kind regards

GIAS support team

System update
15 February 2024

An updated version of the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) service has been released to all users. You do not need to take any specific action unless otherwise indicated below.

This release includes the following improvements:

  • bug fixes and fine-tuning to improve the overall user experience, including:
    • 189702 – bug fix on the validation error message for secure single-academy trust (SSAT) when adding a member individual or member organisation
    • 31309 – bug fix to ensure change request rejection reason is going through to users
    • 188944 – fix to display the unique property reference number (UPRN) field on the establishment location tab user interface to all users. This field is already displayed in extracts.
    • 189352 – allow other independent special school users and DfE staff to select from a number of options on the official sixth form field
    • 181747 – fix to allow the deleted field to be set correctly in the database for deleted governance records

Further information

1. Office for National Statistics (ONS) updates

The update to the geo spatial fields that are updated from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) quarterly was undertaken.

There will be another update shortly and we will let users know once this work is completed.

2. Establishment users – email addresses

The main establishment email address field and the alternative establishment email address field (if applicable) must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored email address. There should be no personal establishment email address or personal email address added to these fields.

The headteacher email address field must contain an up-to-date, valid, and actively monitored work email address for the headteacher/principal/manager (as applicable).

Kind regards

GIAS support team

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