Our Pay-for-One promise
What is the Pay-for-One Promise?
Switching MIS isn’t just a system change – it’s a real opportunity to change the way you work for the better. And given the impact switching MIS can have – on everything from workload, to staff happiness, parental engagement and school collaboration – you shouldn’t be prevented from switching by your budget.
The Pay-for-One Promise is our commitment that your school should only pay for one MIS at a time. Put simply: if you’re locked into paying for SIMS until March 2025*, we won’t ask you to pay for your core Arbor license until that contract ends. You get all the benefits of switching to the UK’s leading cloud MIS, but don’t have to worry about double-paying in the process.
*If you have a different SIMS contract, the Pay-for-One Promise may still apply. Please get in touch here and the team will talk through the best option for your school or trust.
Step 1
Review Arbor
Get in touch with us to let us know about your school, what you’re looking for and where you are in your SIMS contract
We’ll then arrange a personalised demo or meeting, depending on your needs
Or, you can join a webinar to see a demo alongside other schools
Step 2
Decide which features are right for you
We’ll review the way you use SIMS and any third-party apps, and agree which features you’d like to replace with Arbor
We’ll discuss moving dates and pricing, and send you a proposal to review
Step 3
Sign your contract
Using the Pay-for-One Promise, your core Arbor license is free. This license gives you all the tools you need to replace your core SIMS system
If you want to replace extended SIMS functionality and third party systems with Arbor, you’ll pay to upgrade to a higher Arbor tier
You’ll also pay for support through your current partner or by switching to Arbor support
How to meet us
Join an online demo
You can watch our demos live with other schools or on-demand. It’s a great way to see how Arbor works as you explore your options.
We’ll show you core Arbor functionality, and answer any questions you have about the Pay-for-One Promise too. You’ll leave knowing whether we’re a good fit for your school.
Talk to one of the team
If you’re not sure what to do next, we recommend speaking to our team as a next step.
Our expert Partnership Specialists will ask about your current situation, including what you need from Arbor, which systems and apps you currently use, and who will be involved in the project. We’ll then make a plan tailored to your school.
Why it’s worth it
Switching MIS isn’t just a system change
It’s a real opportunity to change the way you work for the better. And given the impact switching MIS can have — on everything from workload, to staff happiness, parental engagement and school collaboration — we believe you shouldn’t be prevented from switching by your budget.
Designed for everyone at your school, at last
Schools work best when all your staff have the right tools to do their jobs well, so we’ve created an MIS with features tailored to teachers, office staff and leaders — supporting your whole team in one shared system
Make a measurable difference to the way you work
92% of our schools say Arbor has transformed the way they work for the better — whether that’s through easier collaboration, clearer data, or just making day-to-day work that bit smoother
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Pay-for-One Promise for?
Any school or trust who is locked into paying for SIMS until March 2025 can use the Pay-for-One Promise. This may be because you are on ESS SIMS’ new 3-year contract, or because you have an agreement through your Local Authority.
What do you mean by “core” Arbor features?
Under the Pay-for-One Promise, you’ll get an Arbor Core license for free until your SIMS contract ends in March 2025. Arbor Core includes the following features, which should replace your core SIMS license: Attendance, Behaviour, Progress Tracking, Census and Statutory Reporting, Custom Report Builder, Student and Staff Profiles, Email and SMS.
What if I want to replace more of SIMS or a third-party app I currently use alongside SIMS?
We’ll review the right Arbor feature set for your school or trust during the sales process. In this scenario, we’d recommend you choose Arbor Comms or Arbor Perform (our packages with more features). We’d ask you to pay to upgrade to these packages.
Is there anything else I need to know?
To use the Pay-for-One Promise, you must agree to fully use Arbor and stop using SIMS, which can be measured via the census. You will also need to give notice to SIMS to indicate that you’re leaving at the end of your existing contract with them.