We've asked teachers and lecturers in Further and Higher Education Institutions this question and analysed their feedback to produce the following key "I want..." statements:

1. I want students to take charge of their attendance

Self-reporting is key. Students should log their own attendance quickly and easily, building responsibility while saving me from having to manually initiate the process (or worse, forgetting to do so).

2. I want to beat the cheats

While I trust most of my students, I know some falsely report their attendance. I want robust measures in place to deter and address this behaviour, including occasional random audits that help ensure honesty without micromanaging, encouraging accountability and academic integrity among all students.

3. I want a system that syncs perfectly with timetabling

No more missed records due to tech glitches or manual errors. I need an attendance system that integrates flawlessly, updating automatically and ensuring complete accuracy without any fuss.

4. I want insights that improve my teaching

I need real, actionable data. How does my course attendance compare with my colleagues’? Are my workshops and lectures equally attended? How do my online sessions perform? I want to use this information to adjust and improve my teaching.

5. I want students to have real-time access to their records

Students shouldn’t have to request copies of their attendance transcripts from an administrator. I want them to have real-time access to their attendance records across all their courses, through a simple, user-friendly interface. I want them to be able to share these records instantly with family and prospective employers without barriers.

6. I want a system that doesn’t break because of some faulty beacon or scanner

I want a reliable system that doesn’t fail due to broken hardware. The attendance system should be robust and dependable—no beacons, no scanners, no complications.

7. I want to offer immediate support to students who need it

If a student’s attendance starts to slip, I want to be alerted and able to reach out quickly. I want the system to flag any worrying trends so I can intervene early and offer support to keep them engaged.

8. I want to reduce the burden on both teaching staff and admin teams

I want to streamline attendance management to free up valuable time for both teaching and admin staff, allowing them to focus on delivering high-quality teaching and support instead of drowning in paperwork or technical issues.

9. I want a system that drives engagement, not just tracks attendance

I want attendance to be more than a number—it’s the first step toward engagement. I want this system to encourage students to show up, engage, and succeed.

In this series of articles, we’ll dive deeper into how Fizzy Newt addresses each of these "I wants". Stay tuned!

Right now, we're developing partnerships with institutions in further and higher education, offering them the opportunity to explore the system at no cost, allowing them to experience its full potential before making any commitments. Get in touch!