Tes Launches Tes360 to End Data Fragmentation in Schools

MELBOURNE, Australia – April 21, 2026 – Global education technology company Tes has announced the launch of Tes360, a connected platform designed to tackle one of the most persistent challenges in modern education: fragmented information. With a mission to enable great teaching and empower schools worldwide, the company is leveraging its extensive history in the sector to unify the disparate data streams that currently flow through separate systems for timetabling, human resources, classroom management, and student welfare.

The launch marks a significant step for a company that has steadily grown its influence through both software development and strategic acquisitions. Tes360 aims to move beyond the simple collection of data, seeking to connect it in ways that provide actionable insights for educators and administrators, ultimately promising to make school operations more efficient and responsive.

Ending the Era of Data Silos

For years, school leaders have faced a paradox: they are awash in data but often lack the clear, consolidated insights needed to make timely decisions. Critical information about student wellbeing, staff performance, and operational logistics is frequently trapped in separate software systems, or “data silos,” that do not communicate with one another. This fragmentation forces staff to spend valuable time on manual data entry and reconciliation, creating administrative burdens and delaying critical interventions.

Tes360 is engineered to address this issue by acting as an integration layer. Rather than replacing a school’s existing Management Information System (MIS), the platform connects various Tes products and is designed to integrate with other existing school systems. It pulls together information from across school operations, classroom management, timetabling, HR, and pastoral care into a single, cohesive view. The goal is to give the right people access to the right information when it matters most.

The company states this connected approach will enable earlier identification of risks, such as a student’s declining attendance paired with a dip in academic performance, which might otherwise be missed. By automating the flow of information, the platform is intended to reduce manual workloads, improve consistency across multi-academy trusts or school groups, and speed up decision-making.

“Tes360 represents a significant step forward in how schools and school groups can harness the full value of their data,” commented Jonathan Joffe, Managing Director of Tes Australia, in the official announcement. “By bringing these insights together into one connected platform, we are enabling educators to move from reactive decision-making to proactive, informed action.”

A Strategic Play in a Consolidating Market

The launch of Tes360 is not just a technological development; it is a clear strategic maneuver in the rapidly consolidating EdTech market. Over the past decade, Tes has aggressively expanded its portfolio through a series of high-profile acquisitions, transforming from a publisher into a comprehensive software and services provider.

This strategy has included the acquisition of Australian timetabling software specialist Edval (2019), classroom resource provider Teach Starter (2023), and international recruitment platform Schrole (2024). Other key additions to its stable have been The Safeguarding Company (2023), parents' evening software SchoolCloud (2021), and Edukey (2016), the creator of popular tools like Class Charts for behaviour management and Provision Map for managing special educational needs.

Viewed in this context, Tes360 emerges as the lynchpin of the company's long-term vision. It serves as the connective tissue designed to bind these disparate acquisitions into a single, powerful ecosystem. By offering a platform that integrates its own suite of tools, Tes creates a compelling value proposition for schools looking for a holistic solution, effectively building a walled garden of services that work best together. This move positions Tes to compete more aggressively with other major integrated platform providers like PowerSchool and Blackbaud, challenging a market that has long been characterized by a mix of standalone point solutions.

From the Times Educational Supplement to a Global EdTech Powerhouse

Underpinning the launch is Tes's claim of possessing “over a century of education insight,” a statement rooted in the company’s unique history. Tes began its life in 1910 as the Times Educational Supplement, a pull-out section of The Times newspaper in London. It quickly became a standalone publication and, for over 100 years, served as the definitive voice of the teaching profession in the UK and beyond, chronicling every major development in pedagogy and policy.

This deep-seated journalistic and community-focused heritage gives the company a unique perspective that many purely tech-focused firms lack. The evolution from a respected print magazine to a digital-first global company reflects a deep understanding of the education sector’s changing needs. This legacy informs the design of Tes360, which is framed not merely as a technological solution but as a tool built on a profound understanding of the day-to-day realities of running a school.

By leveraging this historical insight, Tes aims to ensure its technology is not just powerful but also practical and relevant to the core mission of educators. The platform’s focus on connecting areas like pastoral care with academic data reflects an appreciation for the holistic nature of education—an insight gained from over a century of listening to and serving the teaching community.

The Human Impact and the Challenge of Privacy

Beyond the strategic and technological implications, the true measure of Tes360's success will be its impact on the daily lives of teachers, students, and parents. For teachers, the promise of a reduced administrative burden could free up more time for planning, teaching, and supporting students. For school leaders, a unified view of safeguarding concerns, staff wellbeing, and student progress could lead to more effective and timely support systems.

However, the consolidation of such vast amounts of sensitive information onto a single platform raises significant questions about data privacy and security. The platform will handle highly personal data, including student academic records, behavioral issues, medical information, and staff HR files. Ensuring the robust security of this data is not just a technical challenge but a fundamental requirement for earning and maintaining the trust of the school community.

Tes operates in a complex global regulatory environment that includes Europe's GDPR, the US's FERPA and COPPA, and various national data protection laws. The company's privacy policies state a commitment to adhering to these regulations through measures like encryption and controlled access. The success of Tes360 will ultimately depend as much on its ability to demonstrate unimpeachable data security and transparent governance as on the slickness of its user interface. As schools weigh the benefits of data integration, they will also be carefully assessing the risks, making trust the platform’s most critical feature.