--- title: Still Stuck on Excel? Why Schools Need Learning Analytics description: As demands for personalised learning, rapid intervention, and streamlined reporting grow, is Excel holding your school back? image: https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Excel%20Bad%20Feature.png --- [![TrackOne Studio logo](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%207997%20(1).svg "TrackOne Studio logo")](https://www.trackonestudio.com/) - [Features](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features) - [Integrations](https://www.trackonestudio.com/integrations) - Resources - About Us [![Book a Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20965311/3a4f7c15-483e-4f28-9ebc-ae29a23a3c75.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20965311/3a4f7c15-483e-4f28-9ebc-ae29a23a3c75) [![Trial Now](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20965311/858df546-7789-4163-8b1d-68e8beac3f42.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20965311/858df546-7789-4163-8b1d-68e8beac3f42) [![Book a Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20965311/3a4f7c15-483e-4f28-9ebc-ae29a23a3c75.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20965311/3a4f7c15-483e-4f28-9ebc-ae29a23a3c75) [![Trial Now](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20965311/858df546-7789-4163-8b1d-68e8beac3f42.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20965311/858df546-7789-4163-8b1d-68e8beac3f42) ![Group 7999](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%207999.svg) [View All Features](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features) ![Group 8003](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208003.svg) ##### [Student Dashboards](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#student-dashboards) View a holistic summary of an individual student. ![Group 8028](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208028.svg) ##### [Class Summary](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#class-summary) Give teachers access to an overview of all students in each of their classes. ![Group 8031](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208031.svg) ##### [School Data Analysis](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#cohort-analysis) Make more informed decisions using reports on year level, subject, or department data. ![Group 8019](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208019.svg) ##### [Trend Analysis & Notifications](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#trend-analysis) Identify at-risk students and automatically notify relevant staff using configurable rules. ![Group 8029](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208029.svg) ##### [External Results](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#external-results) Store, analyse and publish academic data from external providers such as NAPLAN and ACER. ![Group 8032](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208032.svg) ##### [Attendance & Behaviour](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#attendance-behaviour) Monitor attendance and behaviour to identify any trends or changes over time. ![Group 7999](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%207999.svg) ##### [Student Wellbeing Surveys](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#student-wellbeing) Visualise wellbeing data and track how students are feeling over time. ![Group 8030](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208030.svg) ##### [Student Goal Setting](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#student-goalsetting) Provide a customised goal setting structure for students to create and track individual goals. ![Group 8033](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208033.svg) ##### [Extra-curricular & Soft Skills](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#extra-curricular) Record, track and evaluate skills gained from extra-curricular activities. ![Group 8021](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Group%208021.svg) ##### [Student Awards](https://www.trackonestudio.com/features#student-awards) Digitise your awards process, replicating your school’s existing award rules and parameters. ##### [Academic Blind Spots](https://info.trackonestudio.com/academic-blind-spots) How aware are you of your academic blind spots? Explore how fragmented, delayed, or inconsistent data may be holding you back! ##### [Attendance](https://info.trackonestudio.com/attendance-analysis) Analyse your attendance data with context-rich insights that support early intervention and help students achieve their goals. ##### [Blog](https://blog.trackonestudio.com) Stay up to date with industry news and best practices. ##### [Readiness Check](https://info.trackonestudio.com/readiness-check) Assess your school's readiness for TrackOne Studio with this handy checklist. ##### [Streamline External Results](https://info.trackonestudio.com/streamline-external-results) See how the Learning Analytics Suite brings your external results data in one place. ##### [Learning Analytics Mythbusters Quiz](https://info.trackonestudio.com/learning-analytics-mythbusters-quiz) Discover the truth about K–12 learning analytics through this interactive quiz! ##### [Contact Us](https://www.trackonestudio.com/contact-us) We love to chat! Get in touch with a team member here. ##### [Services & Support](https://www.trackonestudio.com/services) Access support, view available training sessions or contact the team. ##### [Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.trackonestudio.com/faq) Do you have questions about TrackOne Studio? We have the answers! # Still Stuck on Excel? Why Schools Need Learning Analytics Our latest blog explores how learning analytics is transforming Australian education – and why now is the time to make the switch. ![https://20965311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20965311/Excel%20Bad%20Feature.png](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Excel%20Bad%20Feature.png) ### [Sean Cowley](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/author/sean-cowley) Published Jul 31, 2025 11:02:50 AM For too many schools, Excel remains the default option for managing student achievement, attendance, and wellbeing data. Spreadsheets are familiar and flexible, after all, we basically grew up with them! However, as schools face increasing pressure for personalised learning, rapid intervention, and streamlined reporting, it’s worth asking: is Excel actually holding your school back?   ## The Limits of Spreadsheets in a Modern School   Anyone who has managed student data in Excel knows the challenges:   - Manual data entry is time-consuming, repetitive, and highly vulnerable to mistakes.  - Siloed spreadsheets can bury important trends or make collaboration across faculties tricky, especially in larger schools or when staff change over.   - Reporting for NAPLAN, VCE, VET, and other benchmarks can become a frantic, last-minute exercise, leaving little time to focus on what really matters: supporting your students.   In a world where every student’s journey is different, schools need faster, deeper, and more actionable insights than Excel can provide at the best of times. It’s time to discover what learning analytics can deliver.   ## What Is Learning Analytics – and Why Does It Matter in Australian Schools?   Learning analytics refers to the collection, analysis, and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, with the aim of understanding and improving learning outcomes. In Australian schools, learning analytics is increasingly recognised as a powerful tool for identifying students who may be at risk of disengagement or underachievement. For example, [research from the University of Southern Queensland](https://research.usq.edu.au/download/c6f1bc5a8953bd3e49cc7286fff80c2a83e88531b53158d6393d7554d02c2af6/108772/05D.pdf) demonstrated that analysing student activity within Learning Management Systems (LMS) can accurately predict academic success and inform timely interventions. By establishing data thresholds for LMS engagement, educators can proactively support students before issues escalate, enhancing both retention and achievement.   The importance of learning analytics in Australian education lies in its ability to personalise learning and inform evidence-based decision-making. As schools face growing diversity in student needs and learning styles, analytics enables teachers to tailor instruction and resources more effectively. Moreover, initiatives like the [Australian Public Service Academy’s Data Literacy program](https://www.apsacademy.gov.au/data-literacy-0) highlight the national emphasis on equipping educators and administrators with the skills to interpret and act on data insights. This shift towards data-informed education aligns with [broader goals in the Australian Curriculum](https://www.education.gov.au/australian-curriculum) to foster critical thinking and adaptability, ensuring students are better prepared for future challenges.   ## Five Ways Learning Analytics Is Transforming High Schools   1. **Spot At-Risk Students Faster **  Analytics reveal subtle changes in attendance, assignment completion, or engagement – trends often buried in spreadsheet data. Early detection allows timely support to improve student outcomes. If you would like an example of this, please have a look at our recently published [spotlight on the Wellbeing Pulse](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hubfs/Resources/The%20Wellbeing%20Pulse.pdf) in the Learning Analytics Suite.  2. **Personalised Support at Scale** Schools can identify and tailor support for students needing enrichment or intervention, moving beyond “one-size-fits-all” approaches. 3. **Enhanced Teacher Decision-Making**  Analytics tools provide teachers with real-time dashboards and reports that inform instructional planning and classroom management. These insights help educators make evidence-based decisions, improving lesson effectiveness and student engagement. [The Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools](https://www.education.gov.au/schooling/resources/australian-framework-generative-artificial-intelligence-ai-schools) also encourages the ethical use of such tools to support professional judgement.  4. **Rich Conversations Across Your School **  Visual dashboards facilitate data sharing among faculties and wellbeing teams, promoting whole-school collaboration and student-centred decision-making.  5. **Continuous School Improvement **  By tracking de-identified trends over time, schools can refine teaching methods, resource allocation, and support programs based on real, evidence-based data.   ## A Timely Change   Australian schools are under increasing pressure from evolving NAPLAN requirements, heightened wellbeing and duty-of-care standards, and the rapid digital learning shift intensified by recent discoveries and the integration of technology into students’ lives. Investing in learning analytics equips educators with the data tools necessary to meet these challenges effectively and efficiently.   The cost of clinging to Excel and manual processes is slower intervention, missed opportunities for students, and excessive administrative workload on already stretched teachers.   ## Time to Act: Give Your High School a Data-Driven Edge   Transitioning from spreadsheets to learning analytics doesn’t mean losing your data skills. Rather, it means freeing time from manual data wrangling to focus on what truly matters: teaching and supporting students.   Australian schools, large and small, are discovering the benefits of integrated learning analytics platforms. Whether your goal is reducing reporting stress, identifying struggling students sooner, or driving continual improvement, now is the time to upgrade your approach.   ## Are You Ready to See the Difference for Your School?  [Book a personalised demonstration of the Learning Analytics Suite](https://www.trackonestudio.com/book-a-demo) and discover how your school can unlock data-driven insights, streamline administration, and improve learning outcomes – all without the spreadsheet stress!   Previous Post ###### [5 Steps for Mid-Year Check-Ins: Summiting Data to Drive Student Success](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/5-steps-for-mid-year-check-ins-summiting-data-to-drive-student-success) Next Post ###### [The Power of Data Storytelling in Schools](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/data-storytelling) ### Similar Blog Posts [![](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hs-fs/hubfs/analytics-1.png?width=352&name=analytics-1.png)](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/understanding-effect-size) #### [Understanding Effect Size](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/understanding-effect-size) [![](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hs-fs/hubfs/man%20on%20laptop%20floating.png?width=352&name=man%20on%20laptop%20floating.png)](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/creating-a-seamless-software-experience-for-your-school-community) #### [Creating a seamless software experience for your school community](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/creating-a-seamless-software-experience-for-your-school-community) [![](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/hs-fs/hubfs/interview%20disussion%20teamwork.png?width=352&name=interview%20disussion%20teamwork.png)](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/how-st-patricks-college-is-transforming-student-engagement) #### [How St Patrick’s College is Transforming Student Engagement](https://blog.trackonestudio.com/how-st-patricks-college-is-transforming-student-engagement) Discover what **the Learning Analytics Suite** can unlock at your school. 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