Ok, I guess you can write code to do some datamerge, messing documents and so on. But, if I had to do this without any paid-for plugin, I would consider XML import.
I did a quick and dirty template into which I can inject data and get all the data imported in one pass. Feel free to drop an eye on attached file (remember it's a proof of concept, would probably need some adjustment).
Good thing is, you don't need scripting. Well theorically speaking given that your data is in Excel. So in your position, my challenge would be to turn my excel data into a valid XML structure I could inject into inDesign.
It's likely you can export data to XML from Excel (or use some CSV to XML online converter). But it will be some XML structure that won't fit InDesign. You would need to change the structure and XSLT can be used for that. XSLT is basically a file including instructions to reformat an XML structure.
It may sound complicated but regarding pros and cons, I would consider it. I don't think it will be specifically more complex than learning how to use datamerge with scripting plus all the additional code.
Here are some details:
1) The InDD template:
What I did here is to place all items I need with repeating formatting in mind. For ex, I don't create all "students" frames, only one that will be repeated. The same apply for the "school" (i.e. all data for a specific school) that will be repeated.
2) Data
I exported a default XML and created dummy additional data (Escuela A, Escuela B, Escuela C).
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<schools>
<school>
<school_section>
<school_name>ESCUALA A</school_name>
<school_section_name>SECTION A</school_section_name>
<school_picture href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/escuela.png"/>
</school_section>
<students>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME A1</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME A1</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student1.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME B1</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME B1</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student2.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME C1</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME C1</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student3.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
</students>
</school>
<school>
<school_section>
<school_name>ESCUALA B</school_name>
<school_section_name>SECTION B</school_section_name>
<school_picture href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/escuela.png"/>
</school_section>
<students>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME A2</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME A2</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student3.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME B2</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME B2</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student2.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME C2</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME C2</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student1.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
</students>
</school>
<school>
<school_section>
<school_name>ESCUALA C</school_name>
<school_section_name>SECTION C</school_section_name>
<school_picture href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/escuela.png"/>
</school_section>
<students>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME C1</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME C1</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student2.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME C2</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME C2</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student3.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
<student>
<student_container>
<student_name_container>
<student_first_name>FIRST NAME C3</student_first_name>
<student_last_name>LAST NAME C3</student_last_name>
</student_name_container>
<student_image href="file:///Users/ozalto/Desktop/student1.png"/>
</student_container>
</student>
</students>
</school>
</schools>
3) Last step is to import data into template:
4) Result
Once again, not the prettiest result but it shows that XML data gently flowed into the template.
You get the idea. I hope it can help.
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