KS4: Y11 Summer Exams - Setting up Y11 for the first time - for Exams only (Admin)

This article explains how to set up your 23/24 and any previous leavers cohorts for the first time in preparation for Results Day, without populating EAPs, using flight path functionality or uploading historical assessment data. This will be handy if your Y11 is currently blank and you have not input any data or setup for the cohort yet.

1 / Creating Grade Methods

First, you need to create the appropriate grade methods in CONFIG. > Grade Methods > KS3/4 Methods. You will need a single 9-1 and double 9-1 grade method, plus methods for any vocational qualifications your students are taking. Don’t forget to include fail grades (X worth 0 entries/points and U worth 0 points and 1 entry). For more information see our KS3/4: Creating Grade Methods (Admin) article.

Please note: BTEC First Awards and Tech Awards are awarded different points and would therefore need two separate methods, if taken at your school.

2 / Data Collaboration Opt-In *Optional

Opt-in to the Sisra Data Collaboration via CONFIG. > Data Collaboration > ‘Exams’ next to the most recent year available.  Read through the information and tick the box to agree. This grants access to additional set up steps and report features such as Collaborative Headlines and SPI (subject P8)!

3 / Importing Student Data as of the January Census

To import your student data, go to DATA > KS3/4 and Cohort > STUDENTS > Import. The student data imported should reflect the January census, which may require backdating your MIS. For more information, see our Spring Census Article.

4 / Data Collaboration: Key Filter Mapping *Optional

To access Data Collaboration report features, map Sisra’s key filters to your own (Disadvantaged, Gender, and SEN). This will enable you to compare your groups against Sisra opt-in schools. For further information on setting this up, see our Key Filter Mapping Article. 

5 / Uploading KS2 Data

We recommend uploading KS2 Scaled Scores (scores ranging from 59 to 120) in English Reading and Maths, which are the official KS2 scores for the 23/24 cohort (KS2/EAP > Uploads).

These will also need to be set up appropriately by going to KS2/EAP > Baselines > click ‘Edit’ to set the ‘Grade Type’ to Scaled Scores as well as nominating these as English Reading and Maths in the 'Core' column. For further detail on uploading KS2 data, please see our KS2 Core Baselines Article.

6 / Creating EAPs

EAPs must be created even when you are not using the flight path functionality, as EAPs are used to define which grade method should be used for each qualification. You will need to create one EAP per grade type, e.g. GCSE 9-1 Single, GCSE 9-1 Double, then separate EAPs for any unique BTECs or non-GCSE qualifications. The EAPs do not have to be populated with expected attainment grades.

To create an EAP, click KS2/EAP > EAP > ‘Create EAP’. Select Scaled Scores in the Baseline Type dropdown, then select either the KS2 English Reading or KS2 Maths as your KS2/Baseline. You can then select the same relevant grade method in each of the dropdowns below (Year 7 – Year 11 and Final Exams). The screenshot below shows an example EAP which is suitable for all GCSE 9-1 qualifications, and this has not been populated with expected grades.

More information can be found in our Creating EAPs Article.

7 / Uploading Grades

We recommend uploading target grades to populate your cohort with a full list of qualifications ahead of Results Day (saving setup time on the day itself) and allow for comparisons against targets (GRADES > Uploads > Targets).

Upload any banked exam results and Exam results received in the summer into the Exams data set by going to GRADES > Uploads > Exams > ‘Upload Grades File’. Any early entries taken in 2020 or 2021 for applicable cohorts should be uploaded with a Results Date between 01/08/2021 and 31/08/2021. For more information, see our Uploading Grades Article.

8 / Assigning Qualifications to Classes

Go to STUDENTS > Classes > Assign Quals, and assign each qualification to the relevant set of classes. Multiple qualifications can be assigned to the same set of classes, or a single qualification can be assigned to multiple sets of classes, depending on how these are extracted from your MIS. Completing this step ensures class analysis will be available in your reports. For more information, see our Assigning Qualifications to Classes Article.

9 / Matching

Complete the Matching page in GRADES > Matching. An EAP needs to be selected for each qualification and QN codes should be entered here to ensure accuracy in the reports. For more information, see our Matching Article.

10 / Checking Grades Management

As a reminder, always check the Grades Management section for warning icons and resolve any that are flagged before publishing the reports (GRADES > Grades Management > select dataset from the dropdown, such as ‘Exams’). For more information, see our Checking Grades Management Article.

11 / Publishing

You will need to publish:

• Student data - STUDENTS > Publish Students > click ‘Publish’.
• KS2/EAP data - KS2 / EAP > Publish KS2 / EAP > click ‘Publish’.
• Grades data – GRADES > Publish Grades > ‘Data Sets’ tab. Publish your Targets and Exams data sets with the latest DfE Rules (2022) and the relevant years' A8 and VA Estimates. For current year 11, we would recommend selecting the latest options available for Attainment 8 and Value Added Estimates, until the subsequent official DfE estimates are available. Further information can be found in our Publishing Grades Article.

Thanks for reading!