School software: teacher scheduling and student tracking in your own tool

Driving schools, music schools, private lessons: the same problem returns, a schedule with three constraints and students tracked from memory. Sector software handles invoicing and falls short elsewhere. What your own tool can take over, and what it will never touch.

School scheduling and student-tracking software costs around €49 excluding VAT monthly at Kreno 2 (ENPC-Ediser rates, September 2, 2026) or €45 excluding VAT per branch at Drivup. Meanwhile, at least 17,180 driving-instruction businesses operate in France according to a region-by-region Sirene count.

What sector software already covers

Kreno 2 advertises establishment management, learner records, accounting and NF525-certified billing, scheduling and a digital learning booklet connected to the road-safety authority. Drivup bills per branch rather than user, with listed extras, €300 excluding VAT for the card-payment module, €0.094 excluding VAT per SMS. For a driving school with one approval and conventional training, these tools help from day one, and a homebuilt tool will not beat their start. For music and dance, available offers are American: My Music Staff at $16.95 monthly plus $4.95 per teacher, Studio Pro from $49 to $165 monthly by plan (rates consulted September 2, 2026). Jackrabbit Class and DuoNET display no public prices.

What students write in app stores

These tools' visible face is the student app, where reviews arrive. In the French App Store, Sarool scores 2.7 out of 5 from 57 ratings: ‘When I go to the scheduling page the application crashes’ (nhl-drs, 1 star, September 29, 2022), and a candidate describes three recreated accounts without ever booking a driving hour (fervi987, 2 stars, July 27, 2022). For DRIVUP Scool, the complaint concerns recovery: ‘No forgotten-password option, and the website's code-resending does not work’ (htcht22, 3 stars, September 30, 2023). For association schools, an AssoConnect member reports a registration lost after payment failure: ‘EVERYTHING DISAPPEARS; the association loses the file’ (Ass Sac, 1 star, June 16, 2026), and another notes no support telephone number (Cedryck Dejean, 2 stars, August 27, 2026). Every call to reception because an app failed costs unbilled administrative time.

Five things your tool must handle

First, a schedule crossing three constraints: teacher availability, room or vehicle occupancy and student availability, flagging conflicts when the lesson is entered. Next, sold, used and remaining hours per student in the same view. A compliance file per teacher, containing the state dance diploma required by Article L362-1 of the Education Code or an instructor's teaching authorisation, with expiry date. Attendance marked by phone at lesson start, preparing a family message after three absences. And financial tracking per student, teacher and vehicle or room, rather than one quarter-end total.

What your tool cannot replace

Practical-test slots are booked through RdvPermis, the state system where the school uses its credentials: your tool records the slot once; it does not book it. Digital learning booklets report to the road-safety authority's gateway. Prefectural approval and its national register fall under Article R213-1 of the Highway Code. The student contract must conform to the model annexed to decree no. 2020-142: a homebuilt tool generates it without changing a line. And a municipal conservatory inherits the family portal chosen by its local authority.

Two obligations govern the rest. Electronic invoicing first: since September 1, 2026 every business must receive electronic invoices, and SMEs and microbusinesses must issue them from September 1, 2027 via an approved platform (Service Public Entreprendre, August 14, 2026); an emailed PDF does not count under Article 289 bis of the General Tax Code. GDPR next: processing records under Article 30 and bounded retention under Article 5. A driving school holds identity documents, medical opinions and minors' files from accompanied driving at 15; a dance school holds children's photos. Have your adviser review retention periods before entering them in the tool.

The first three stages

Once requirements are approved, agent Marcel divides them, often proposing a surprising order. First: place a lesson and flag conflicts when teacher, room or student is busy. Second: sold, used and remaining hours in the same view. Third: phone attendance. Billing follows later because existing software already handles it. Amélie builds each stage, Félix checks against tests written before code, then you give ‘Looks good to me’. The AI budget depends on the assistant, its plan and the work requested. Our measured AI spending covers specific tests and does not set this tool's price. Also budget for your approval time, any hosting, external services and maintenance. Your evenings go into decisions such as twenty-hour packages, sibling discounts and shifted terms. A sports club and an association face the same switch with slots and dues.

Where to start

Take last week's schedule and highlight each manually moved slot, student call about a missing slot and hour recounted in a notebook. If you exceed ten marks in an ordinary week, describe those ten cases to an agent team and read its proposed requirements: such a document takes ten minutes and tells you whether the tool deserves to exist. Retain current billing software during the comparison.