Since the announcement in February 08 of the partnership with RM and Netmedia to deliver SWGfL Merlin, the SWGfL team have been hard at work with Local Authorities on the development of SWGfL Merlin.

February saw the construction of the infrastructure to deliver this unique service, and in March focus groups worked to develop the interfaces for the service in preparation for the pilots.

We're now in the pilot phase, working with LAs and schools across the region to explore the functionality of the service, and ensure effective processes are in place for MIS integration at a school level.

SWGfL are also working closely with local authorities to prepare for roll out of this exciting new service across the region, on track to go live from August 08. There'll be a host of materials to guide schools as they prepare to implement SWGfL Merlin. There'll be a focus on support for change management so that school staff feel prepared, as well as plenty of top tips for starting points, depending on your school's needs.

The latest timelines for SWGfL Merlin are as illustrated below.