In the Release 87 cycle, we are excited to introduce several key enhancements to benefit Administrators and Users of the Portal. Where possible, we've prioritised releasing these items as soon as possible, allowing you, your school, and your users to take advantage of these new features sooner.
Released on 19 February
New Content editor
New Communications editor
New Templates admin tool
New AI tools
Already released
Trips – Display a status when a trip is full
Trips – ‘Book Now’ button only available to selected users
Instagram API integration update
Add New Email/Add New SMS Button
Guardian Mobile App development (not yet released)
The following development has been completed on the Guardian Mobile App to be released during the Summer of 2025:
Guardian Mobile App – Academic data
Guardian Mobile App – Inbox
Guardian Mobile App – Refinement of the app framework
New Portal Content & Communications Editor
We are thrilled to announce a significant enhancement to our admin tool editors for both content and communications, enhancing the frontend experience and aesthetic for all end users. This transition is set to greatly improve the Administration experience by providing a more efficient, intuitive, and robust editing environment that will also ensure a consistent experience.
Key highlights
Enhanced user experience: Expect a smoother, more intuitive interface that will make your editing tasks easier with the ability to drag and drop elements.
Improved text formatting, including headings and paragraph options.
Seamless integration: All plugins will be seamlessly integrated into the new editor.
New layouts & snippets functionality to create rich content easily.
Additional styling options, including text wrapping.
Quote options.
HTML and code snippet options.
Introduction of lists including bullets.
Improved links and button functionality.
Improved image insertion, linking, and resizing.
Embed video content easily (content only).
Templates Admin Tool – Communications and Content
We are delighted to release a brand-new Templates feature. This new addition will allow schools to create and save write-protected Message and Page Templates in the system. These can then be drawn upon by Administrators, ensuring a consistent look and feel for school communications and content pages, and reducing the time spent formatting or duplicating content.
To manage this, we have created a new Templates Admin Tool, with the addition of a new Admin Group ‘Templates’ Permission.
When creating a new page or communication, you can also save it as a template from within the content manager or communications tool, allowing you to easily clone page and email designs for the future.
AI Tools
We are pleased to unveil the latest enhancements to our editor, featuring cutting-edge AI tools designed to revolutionise your content creation process. These innovative features will streamline your workflow and elevate the quality of your work.
Smart Content Creation: Our AI-powered tool can generate high-quality content tailored to your needs. Say goodbye to writer's block and hello to a wealth of creative ideas. This feature saves you time and inspires creativity, enabling you to produce compelling content effortlessly.
Automated Formatting: With just a click, our AI can automatically format your documents, ensuring consistency and professionalism throughout. Focus on your message while we take care of the details.
Advanced Language Processing: Experience the power of natural language processing as our AI analyses your writing style and content context, providing real-time suggestions to enhance clarity, engagement, and overall impact. It also offers grammar corrections, style improvements, and tone adjustments to match your desired voice.
Language Translation: Break down language barriers with our new AI translation feature. Effortlessly translate your content into multiple languages, allowing you to reach a broader audience and connect with diverse communities.
Live updates
The following updates are live and were released earlier than the main release date.
Trips – Display a status when a trip is full
As part of our recent frontend improvements, the calendar will now display a message informing users that they are unable to book a school trip if there are no more spaces available. This now occurs on step 1, before parents attempt to book or complete any linked custom forms.
Booked and opted-out students are also now displayed in the same view.
Trips – ‘Book Now’ button only available to selected users
To ensure clarity and efficiency for portal users, the Book Now button on the Calendar is now only shown if the student has been selected for that trip. The Book Now button is also now only shown on the first day of the trip.
Instagram integration update
After a change made by Meta at the end of 2024, the API used for the Instagram integration was deprecated, impacting our ability to pull through Instagram Posts and Reels into the Portal. After additional development work, we are now able to connect to a new API to ensure continuity of this feature. Instagram posts and reels can now be displayed within the Instagram Widget on the User Dashboard/Homepage as before.
⚠️Important: You will be required to re-authorise your Instagram connection via the admin tool. Only Business and Creator accounts can be integrated into the portal.
For full setup guidance, see the knowledge base article.
Setup instructions:
Log in as an Admin user and navigate to the Admin Control Panel.
Click on General, then select Instagram.
Click Add New Instagram Configuration.
Enter the name of the Instagram instance.
Save changes before authorising your Instagram configuration.
Authorise access to Instagram by logging into your Instagram account and accepting the permissions.
Tick Enabled.
Once permissions are granted, the admin tool will display the new Instagram integration in the system. Multiple Instagram accounts can be integrated.
Use the Dashboard admin tool to add the Instagram Widget to the User Dashboard page. When adding an Instagram widget, set a title, select the Instagram account, and select the number of posts you want to show.
📌Note: Please ensure that the integration has been set up and authorised before adding the widget.
Add New Email/Add New SMS Button
As more schools are now using the SMS feature, we've removed the popup and reduced the number of clicks required by splitting the Add New Message option into two separate buttons — Add New Email and Add New SMS — in the Messages admin tool. This streamlines the process for administrators.
Guardian Mobile App
We are excited to announce that in this release we are continuing our development for the brand new Guardian mobile app. This initiative is driven by listening to our customers and users, and our commitment to enhancing user experience and providing seamless access to our services. Our goal is to create a mobile app that offers convenience, reliability, and a smooth user experience.
R87 development (not yet released)
The following development work was completed in Release 87:
Academic Data: One of the key features of My School Portal is the ability to display and track a child's academic data, allowing parents to view their child's timetable, day planner, attendance, and rewards/sanctions when needed. We are pleased to report that this is now possible to view directly via the app.
Inbox: The new inbox has been fully integrated into the Guardian app to ensure users stay informed, allowing them to read messages from the school directly and never miss important communications. With this development, we've also taken the opportunity to improve the filters and UX.
Refinement of the App Framework: The App Framework was created in Release 86 and we've continued to refine it to improve usability and reliability. We've also been working on the ability to switch between children easily. The App Framework is now a solid foundation that we can continue to build upon in the future.
R86 development (previously released)
In Release 86, we initially focused on three key areas:
App Framework
Login Process
Single Sign-On (SSO) to the Portal
App Framework: Focused on building the foundation for our upcoming app. By creating a robust and scalable framework, we aim to provide a solid base for feature development and future enhancements.
Login Process: Our new app provides a seamless login experience for users. Unlike our main website portals, this app caters to parents with students at different schools, and allows users to register and log in from multiple devices.
SSO from App to Portal: The integration of Single Sign-On (SSO) allows users to seamlessly transition between the app and the web portal, ensuring a smoother user experience and supporting the extraction and display of links from the portal within the app.
More details on app functionality
We will be sharing more details on the exciting functionalities of the app as we progress. Stay tuned for updates on how the app will enhance your experience with features designed to meet your needs.
Research participation
We are also conducting research to ensure the app meets your needs and expectations. If you would like to be involved and provide valuable feedback, please reach out to us. Your input will be instrumental in shaping the future of the Guardian mobile app.
Release timeframe
We are targeting a release timeframe of summer 2025 for the Guardian mobile app. We appreciate your patience and support as we work towards delivering a high-quality app that meets your expectations.
How this version will be made available
Automatically available to all schools on 19 February 2025 at approximately noon GMT.