28th January 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We would like to inform you that Cardiff Council is moving all schools in the city from the SIMS Management Information System (MIS) to Arbor. Our school will be going live with Arbor on Monday, 23rd February 2026. This council‑led change aims to provide a more modern, efficient, and user‑friendly system for managing pupil and school information.
What this means for you
- The SIMS Parent App and related SIMS services will be phased out.
- We will begin using the Arbor Parent Portal and Arbor Parent App to communicate with families and share important information after Monday 23rd February.
- From Monday 23rd February until the end of the Summer Term 2026 the Arbor Parent App will not be able to update parents on achievement and behaviour points. We are hoping to be able to communicate these through the Arbor Parent App from 1st September 2026.
What happens next?
During the first week after we go live with Arbor, all existing parents and guardians will receive a Welcome to Arbor email. This email will include instructions on how to set up your Arbor account and access the Parent Portal.
Please remember to check your inbox — and your junk/spam folder — as you will need this email to get started.
No action is required from you until this welcome email arrives.
What to expect from Arbor
Arbor offers a clearer, more streamlined experience for parents. You will be able to access important information such as your child’s attendance, timetable, and school communications once you have set up the Arbor Parent App. Please note that the full Parent Portal, accessed through a web browser, provides access to all available information. Achievement and behaviour information will be available from 1st September 2026 via the web-based portal. We believe the system will significantly improve the way we share information with families in the longer term.
Thank you for your support and patience while we complete this transition. We are confident that Arbor will make accessing information about your child easier and enhance communication between home and school.
Yours faithfully,
Stuart Davies(Headteacher)
