Focus Groups allow you to select a cluster of students and put them into a specific group, which you can then use as a filter within the reports. For example, some schools may use this for English or Maths intervention groups.
In KS3/4, you can also define one default group which highlights those students in the reports to make them easier to identify, explained later in the article.
Below we have explained this process step by step, or alternatively you can watch our video tutorial. This article and video use KS3/4 cohorts as an example, showing you how to create and maintain focus groups, however, this process is the same for KS5 cohorts as well.
Creating Focus Groups
To create a new focus group, click DATA > select key stage and cohort > STUDENTS > Focus Groups > ‘Create Focus Group’.
Next, enter a clear focus group name to help you identify the students in the group (as this shows in the reports) and an optional focus group description. Then, click ‘Create’.
You will then be redirected to the Focus Group Details page, where you can select students from your student list to add to this focus group. You also have the option to select or deselect all students if you have many students to include/remove.
All students in the cohort will be deselected by default and highlighted red. To add individual students to the focus group, place a tick in the Include column, which will highlight the row green. When you have selected the necessary students you require, click ‘Save’.
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Q: Did you know you can set up reverse Focus Groups to temporarily exclude specific students from your figures? A: To do this add most of the students to the Focus Group, de-selecting the students you do not want to include in the figures. For example, this could be used to exclude any outliers so you can see the figures without the impact of these students. |
You will then be shown a list of selected students, where you can amend the group by clicking ‘Edit Students’. You will then need to republish the STUDENTS area for the focus group to pull through to the reports, explained further on. However, if you’d like to create additional focus groups you can click ‘Back to Focus Group List’ at the top.
On the Focus Groups page, you can see your new group as well as the option to create further focus groups if needed. To rename a focus group, click the blue pencil icon. To permanently delete a focus group, click the red X icon.
Once you have created the focus groups you need, you will need to republish the student data by clicking STUDENTS > Publish Students > Publish.
| The created Focus Group(s) can then be applied as filters within the reports. Please see the article linked here for KS3/4 and here for KS5 for further information. |
Defining a Default Group (KS3/4 only)
Defining a default focus group means the students within that group will be highlighted within the KS3/4 Reports to make them easier to identify during analysis. To do this, under DATA > select KS3/4 & cohort > STUDENTS > Focus Groups > Default Group.
Click ‘Add Default Group’, select the relevant Focus Group and colour you want students to be highlighted as in the reports, then click ‘Save’. You would then need to republish your STUDENTS area to pull these changes through to your reports.
In the reports, when viewing a list of students, Analytics will highlight students who are included in your default focus group with your chosen colour, making them easier to spot during analysis, as shown below.
Now that your focus groups have been created, for more information on filtering the reports by focus groups, please see our article here - FAQ - How do I analyse Focus Groups in the reports?
Thanks for reading!