PRESS RELEASE:
Clarion Highlights Time-Saving Benefits of Phone System and MIS Integration in UK Schools
“The ability to now see who is calling in to the school and having their individual profiles pop up automatically has really helped with accessing and recording key information.”
Gareth Richards, Deputy Headteacher at Sunnyfields
Clarion Communication Management is urging school leaders to consider the operational and safeguarding benefits of integrating their phone system with their Management Information System (MIS).
London, UK – 13th November 2025
With over 500 UK schools supported by Clarion’s voice and IT solutions, the company is well-placed to observe the increasing demand for smarter, joined-up systems that streamline administration and improve communication between staff, parents and guardians.
“Schools are under pressure to do more with less,” says Jim Eagers, Head of Marketing at Clarion. “MIS and phone system integration is a practical, proven way to reduce administrative burden, enhance safeguarding and improve the parent experience – without any major upheaval.”
“Having the Arbor Integration has been a huge help across the school, particularly for the administrative staff.”
Key Benefits for Schools
Clarion’s integration service – delivered through 3CX and Yeastar, the integration works with leading MIS providers including Arbor, Bromcom, Databridge (a Clarion exclusive), iSAMS, ScholarPack, SIMS, WCBS (HUBMIS) as well as CPOMs (Safeguarding). It provides:
- Caller preview and screen pop-ups with student data
- Click-to-dial from within MIS records
- Attendance writeback directly into school MIS systems
- Automated CPOMS incident creation from flagged callers
- AI-powered voicemail classification for absence management
- Increased levels of Safeguarding
Schools using these features report saving 2–3 minutes per call and up to an hour a day saved just on attendance logging alone. This in turn frees up time across the school day for attendance officers, administrator teams and safeguarding leads.
Market Shift Towards Cloud and Integration
Recent data shows a significant shift in the UK MIS market. While SIMS remains widely used, newer platforms like Arbor and Bromcom are gaining ground due to their cloud-first architecture and integration readiness.
Arbor, now used in over 9,000 UK schools, reported that 74% of staff say the system has improved their working life, with 92% stating it has transformed how they work. Similarly, Bromcom has gained more than 400 schools in the past academic year and is now deployed in over 2,100 schools, particularly within multi-academy trusts.
“MIS and phone system integration is a practical, proven way to reduce administrative burden, enhance safeguarding and improve the parent experience – without any major upheaval.”
“Integration is no longer a ‘nice to have’,” notes Jim Eagers at Clarion. “It’s becoming an expectation – particularly as safeguarding requirements increase and admin teams face tighter resource constraints. Slicker communications are now within reach of all schools.”
Sunnyfields Primary School is one of many seeing tangible results. “Having the Arbor Integration has been a huge help across the school, particularly for the administrative staff,” explains Gareth Richards, Deputy Headteacher at Sunnyfields. “We can easily see which children are away… and the ability to now see who is calling in to the school and having their individual profiles pop up automatically has really helped with accessing and recording key information.”
Developed for the Education Sector
Clarion has over 20 years’ experience supporting schools, academies and trusts with voice, data and IT infrastructure. Unlike generic telecoms providers, the company works predominantly with education-focused technology, supported by a UK-based team.
About Clarion Communication Solutions
Clarion Communication Management is a trusted provider of IT, telecoms and cloud services across over 500 UK education establishments. From small primary schools to multi-site colleges, Clarion helps institutions simplify their digital infrastructure, stay connected and meet compliance with confidence.
Clarion is currently offering free demonstrations of its MIS and phone system integration to schools, MATs and specialist education providers. The trial allows schools to assess functionality with their existing MIS, view safeguarding and attendance workflows, and determine the operational value first-hand.
