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Schools keep using spreadsheets because they can be quick to adapt to local tasks, inexpensive to start with, and familiar to staff. They are often part of a mix that also includes paper records and dedicated school software—not necessarily a sign that a school has no management system. Whether spreadsheets remain useful or have become a burden depends on what the school needs to record, connect, report, and protect.
Why do schools still use spreadsheets?
Schools do not all collect or manage information in the same way. UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics describes countries using a mix of paper, spreadsheets, and online or offline software, with practices varying by country. That describes a range of approaches; it does not establish how many schools currently use spreadsheets or how often they use them. UNESCO Institute for Statistics
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Spreadsheets can be useful when a school needs a simple, editable way to organise information for a local task. Staff may know how to use them, and a school can tailor a sheet to a particular reporting or administrative need without first redesigning the whole process around a shared system. In practice, a spreadsheet may sit alongside paper forms or a dedicated system rather than replace them.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA study of schools in England by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), published in 2005, offers historical evidence about why users valued these tools. Among respondents who identified advantages of their data-management tools, 71.7% cited ease of use, 67.9% ease of interpreting information, 67.4% ease of entering their own data, 55.6% easy data export, and 51.3% low cost. These are findings from that study’s respondents, not current estimates of spreadsheet use in England or elsewhere. NFER, School Data Management
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What do schools use spreadsheets for?
A school might use a spreadsheet to organise a locally defined list, track a short-term activity, prepare a report, or move data between tools. The right use depends on the school’s own process and requirements; the available evidence does not establish a universal list of spreadsheet tasks or a standard way schools use them.
The key distinction is whether the task is self-contained or depends on reliable links between records over time. A sheet can be a workable fit for a limited, clearly defined job. When information must be kept current across classes, schedules, attendance, grades, parent details, and other records, maintaining separate files can become harder to coordinate. That is a question of fit and workflow, not proof that spreadsheets are inherently unsuitable.
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What does a dedicated school information system add?
OECD material describes student information systems (SIS) as systems that may organise student demographics, classes, schedules, parent information, attendance, grades, and other learning information. A longitudinal information system can connect student-level data collected at different times and provide tools for reporting, visualisation, and analysis. These descriptions explain possible system capabilities; they do not establish the results of a particular product or migration. OECD, Digital Education Outlook
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A dedicated management information system (MIS) or SIS is more compelling when a school needs shared records, standardised processes, or recurring reporting that draws on connected information. It may also help make a process more consistent, but adopting software alone does not guarantee that records are accurate, staff will use the system well, or workload will fall.
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Why can replacing spreadsheets take time?
Changing tools involves more than paying for software. In the Department for Education’s 2024–25 Technology in Schools Survey, 85% of teachers cited budget constraints and 85% cited high technology costs as barriers to greater technology uptake. School leaders also reported staff skills and confidence, the time and cost of training, connectivity, safeguarding and data concerns, and limited procurement guidance. The survey concerns technology adoption generally; it does not show that these factors specifically cause schools to retain spreadsheets. Department for Education, Technology in Schools Survey 2024 to 2025
For a school considering a change, the work can include agreeing what information is genuinely needed, preparing records, choosing a system, training staff, and arranging ongoing support. DfE implementation research identifies preparation, training, support, and monitoring as important implementation processes. Department for Education, Implementing a new management information system in schools
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How should a school decide whether to keep or replace spreadsheets?
Start with the job the spreadsheet performs, rather than assuming that a new system is automatically better. For schools in England, the Department for Education’s MIS selection guidance, updated 17 July 2026, is a current reference for procurement. It says schools should include its core principles in procurement and require prospective suppliers to confirm acceptance. DfE guidance says: “An appropriate MIS can have a clear impact on pupil outcomes and staff workload.” That is guidance language, not a measured causal estimate. Department for Education, School management information systems (MIS)
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute- Fit to the task: Does the current tool support the school’s actual data and reporting needs, or have workarounds become routine?
- Connected records: Does the school need to link information about pupils across different dates, classes, or processes?
- Ease of use and training: Can the people who need the tool use it consistently, and what training will a change require?
- Reporting and export: Are recurring reports, analysis, and data transfers manageable and dependable?
- Access, stewardship, and supplier terms: Who can see or update records, how will data be managed, and what terms will a supplier accept?
- Operational requirements: What connectivity, support, and ongoing staff time does each option require?
- Total change cost: Consider procurement and implementation as well as the software itself.
- Purpose of each field: Check whether every data collection has a clear purpose. The DfE Data Management Review Group calls for “ensuring that every data collection has a clear purpose, and that the process is as efficient as possible.” Department for Education, Data Management Review Group report
The available sources do not compare specific vendors or establish one best option for every school. The decision is whether a tool and its implementation meet the school’s real needs, with manageable costs and responsibilities.
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