[3] SIMS uses a client-server architecture; the back-end service is based around Microsoft SQL Server with some business logic handled by a custom .NET Framework module.
Some legacy components (notably Nova-T6,[4] the timetabling package included with SIMS) are Windows API applications and store data in flat binary files.
SIMS is a modular application, the core offering covering storing basic school data with modules available to handle (among other things) legal registration, the recording of achievements and sanctions and the management and documentation of public examinations.
[10] In December 2020, Capita decided to sell their Education Software Solutions business (whose flagship product is SIMS) to private equity house Montagu in an effort to reduce debts.
[15] Capita Children's Services has been an active founding member of the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF) Association UK since 2006 and the company has had a representative on all of the organisation's boards.
It participated in both the first Becta sponsored proof of concept project in Birmingham between 2006 and 2007, with a second, involving Northern Ireland schools and the University of Durham in 2007.
The first complaint in 1999 was not upheld and the OFT in their concluding letter to Bromcom stated "it emerged that the information which you claimed Capita had refused to supply, had never in fact been requested by you".
[18] Capita Children's Services won an award at the 2009 BETT show for its SIMS Partnership Xchange product which allows school consortiums to securely share student information to aid in delivering the 14-19 Curriculum a key part of which is the 14–19 Diploma.
In March 2009, Capita SIMS were said to be responsible for sending a truancy warning notice to the family of a Cheshire school student who had died two months before.
[22] Capita Children's Services have stated that the software that was used is designed to keep track of pupils' attendance and the school is able to produce letters to parents based on this information.