Choosing school software on a demo alone is a gamble. A short pilot with one class tells you what a sales page cannot: whether your teachers will actually use it.
This plan fits into one week and risks nothing, because your existing process keeps running.
Before you start (30 minutes)
- Pick one class with a willing class teacher.
- Gather its learner list with guardian phone numbers.
- Have last term's marks and fee structure for that class ready.
- Write down three things you want to be better. For example: report cards faster, fee balances clear, attendance recorded in seconds.
Day 1: Set up and import
Create a free account, add the class and import the learner list. Notice how long this takes and whether any step confused you.
Day 2: Attendance
Have the class teacher take attendance in the system for the day. Compare effort against the register.
Day 3: Marks and grading
Enter last term's marks for the class. Check that the CBC levels and points match what you expect from the grading table. Any difference is worth investigating.
Day 4: Report cards
Generate report cards for the class from those marks and compare them with the ones you produced by hand. Look at the layout and at the time saved. See our report card workflow.
Day 5: Fees
Set up the class's fee structure and record a few payments. Check that the balance each parent would see is correct. See fee tracking with M-Pesa.
Day 6: Staff and parents
Add a second teacher with limited access, and try the parent view. Check that people only see what they should.
Day 7: Decide
Score the pilot against your three goals, plus:
| Question | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Could staff do daily tasks without a long training? | |
| Did CBC results match your own calculation? | |
| Were fee balances clear and correct? | |
| Did support answer questions quickly? | |
| Would you be comfortable running the whole school on it? |
If the answer is mostly yes, roll out class by class, starting at the beginning of a term. Our implementation guide covers that step.
Start the pilot
DiraSchool is free to get started, with no credit card, so a one-class pilot costs nothing but a week of attention. Start your pilot or read about what it costs when you grow.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a school software trial last?
A week with one class is enough to test the daily tasks: learner records, attendance, marks and a fee entry. Longer pilots are worth it only if the first week raises real questions.
Should I use real learner data in a pilot?
Use real data for one class so the test reflects your school, and keep your usual process running in parallel until you are satisfied.
What should I decide at the end of a pilot?
Whether staff can do their daily tasks faster or more accurately, whether the CBC output matches what you would produce by hand, and whether the provider's support answers your questions.