Legacy Modernisation for UK EdTech — ICO AADC Built In

EdTech Legacy Platform Landscape

Common UK EdTech legacy platforms: Moodle 3.x (widely deployed, but moving to 4.x and custom builds), Blackboard Learn (being replaced — licence costs driving migration), Desire2Learn/Brightspace (universities), SIMS (school MIS — Capita, widely deployed), Bromcom (modern MIS replacing SIMS — migration projects common), and in-house PHP 5/7 custom platforms (built 2008–2016 — typically the highest-risk legacy). Migration drivers: AADC compliance (under-18 data protection), accessibility (PSBAR WCAG 2.1 AA — EHRC enforcement), and Ofqual digital assessment requirements (paper-based workflows no longer viable at scale).

SIMS to Bromcom/Arbor Migration for UK Schools

SIMS (School Information Management System — Capita): legacy MIS used by majority of UK state schools. Bromcom and Arbor are modern cloud-native alternatives replacing SIMS. SIMS migration technical complexity: (1) SIMS data export (CTF — Common Transfer File format for pupil data, B2B XML), (2) data mapping (SIMS data structures mapped to Bromcom/Arbor schema — UPN as primary key), (3) historical data migration (attendance records, assessment data, behaviour logs — 3–5 years history), (4) integration re-wiring (EdTech platforms connected to SIMS need reconnecting to new MIS). ClickMasters role: the custom EdTech platforms that integrated with SIMS need re-platforming to Bromcom/Arbor APIs — ClickMasters rebuilds the integration layer without replacing the EdTech application itself.

Moodle to Custom LMS Migration

Moodle → Custom LMS migration: Moodle is PHP-based, complex to host securely, and increasingly difficult to maintain and extend. Migration approach: (1) content export (Moodle backup format — courses, quizzes, SCORM packages exported), (2) content import (SCORM packages work in any LTI 1.3-compatible platform), (3) user migration (username + hashed password export — force password reset on first login), (4) historical results migration (Gradebook data — Moodle export to CSV, imported to new platform). ICO AADC migration: learner data migration requires legal basis review (new platform, new purposes — consent refresh may be required for under-18 learner data). ClickMasters Moodle migration: data mapping tool converts Moodle export format to new LMS import format — automated migration for 50,000+ learners.

PSBAR Accessibility Retrofit for EdTech Legacy

PSBAR (Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations): all public sector EdTech platforms must be WCAG 2.1 AA compliant. Legacy EdTech accessibility failure modes: (1) inaccessible quiz interfaces (time-limited quizzes with no screen reader support), (2) video without captions (WCAG 1.2.2 — recorded content requires captions), (3) PDF-based course materials (non-tagged PDFs — screen reader unreadable), (4) colour contrast failures (aged design systems using low-contrast colours). Accessibility retrofit approach: (1) automated axe-core audit (baseline — catches 35% of WCAG issues), (2) screen reader audit (NVDA — identifies remaining 65%), (3) Accessibility Statement publication (legally required — lists known issues), (4) remediation sprint (highest severity first). PSBAR enforcement: EHRC investigation for non-compliant public sector EdTech.

ICO AADC

UK GDPR

DfE standards

PSBAR WCAG 2.1 AA

Cyber Essentials

Ofqual