This article details how to set up optional filter aliases and tags, to complement the functionality of the reports. If you're looking for how to create or edit existing student data filters, please see this article - Student Data Profile - Creating & Managing Filters.
What are Filter Aliases and Tags? *Recommended feature
Filter aliases and tags are optional, but can be used to control how student data appears in the reports.
Filter aliases allow you to rename the values imported in your student data file. For example, staff may not recognise ethnic codes such as WBRI, BAFR, etc. so you could use the full word description in the reports. In which case, you can create a filter alias to display ‘WBRI’ as ‘White British’ in the reports to help make it easier for staff to identify. Another example is if importing values of 'F' and 'M' for Gender, you could create filter aliases so that they show as 'Female' and 'Male' in the reports.
Filter aliases can also be used for more complex situations, such as grouping individual filter values together. To clarify, you could import individual SEN codes (e.g. K, E, S) and group these using filter aliases to filter by students that are either SEN or non-SEN in the reports.
Filter tags allow you to highlight key student groups in the reports, for ease of access. For example, below we have highlighted:
- Pupil Premium students with a PP tag
- Students with low attendance, with a red ATT tag
- Students in the 'Low' KS2 Prior Attainment band
We highly recommend creating aliases and tags to help users in the reports, and have explained how to do this below.
1 / Creating a Filter Alias
Filter aliases must be created before tags can be added. To create a filter alias, click CONFIG. > Student Data > Filter Management, then click an assigned alias count for a filter.
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To add a filter alias, click 'Add Filter Alias'. |
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Enter an alias, which is the name you wish to display in the reports, then click ‘Create’. You can then repeat this for as many aliases as you need. For example, ‘Male’ and ‘Female’ or ‘Disadvantaged’ and ‘Non-Disadvantaged’. |
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Then, click ‘Add Upload Value’, to assign your aliases to the values that will be imported in your student data files. |
For example, the upload value ‘M’ could be assigned to the ‘Male’ Alias, and ‘F’ could be assigned to ‘Female’. Similarly, you could assign both upload values ‘T’ and ‘Y’ to ‘Pupil Premium’ and ‘F’ and ‘N’ to ‘Non-Pupil Premium’.
Enter the new upload value, which will be the value included in your student data file, select which alias you wish to assign this to in the dropdown, then click ‘Create’. Repeat this for each upload value.
To view filter aliases in the reports, you must republish the STUDENTS tab for the cohort you’re working with.
2 / Filter Alias Tags
Filter alias tags can be used in both KS3/4 and KS5 reports to highlight students with key filter values, such as Pupil Premium or EAL, which are included in your student data files. You can also set up filter alias tags for KS2 Banding in KS3/4 cohorts.
Ideally, these should ONLY be created for specific groups of interest in your school, allowing your staff to easily identify core-focus students. The key is to not overwhelm users with lots of boxes of colour and simply highlight the pupils in the main groups of focus within your school.
For example, you could create a filter alias tag for Disadvantaged students, but not create a filter alias tag for non-Pupil Premium students.
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To add a filter tag you must first create filter aliases (explained above). Then click Add Alias Tags. |
Select your alias from the dropdown, then enter a short display tag (up to 5 characters) that will be displayed next to relevant students in the reports. For example, the display tag ‘Disad’ could be used for Disadvantaged students, or ‘G&T’ for Gifted and Talented students, depending on which areas you focus on in your school.
Next, click the colour wheel to select the colour this will be highlighted in the reports, check the preview below and click ‘Submit’. Repeat this process for all other key values.
To view filter alias tags in the reports, in DATA, you must republish STUDENTS for the cohort you’re working with. For KS2 Banding tags in KS3/4 cohorts, you would need to republish the KS2 / EAP section.
Thanks for reading!