KS5: Preparation for Summer Exams 2024 (Admin)

We have produced a handy checklist with best practice tips to work through to ensure your setup is accurate for when you receive your Exam results in August.

1 / STUDENT DATA (DATA > KS5 and cohort > STUDENTS > Cohort) 

• Ensure that Y12 and Y13 student data files have been uploaded for the Current Y13 (23/24) cohort. The Y12 data should reflect the end of Y12 and the Y13 data should reflect the Y13 Spring Census.
• Check that students marked as ‘On Roll’ and their filter values reflect the Y13 Spring Census. (Any students On Roll who were academic aged 18 at the very start of the academic year (31/08/23) should be manually changed to ‘On Roll Aged 18’ status).
• 'Year 12 Only' and ‘Year 13 Only’ students need 2 A Level sized entries (either 2 grades worth at least 1 A Level entry each, or 1 grade worth 2 entries) to be included in school performance measures. We recommend double checking that this status is accurately set for appropriate students using DfE criteria. Please see our cohort eligibility article here if needed. 

If required, to change a student’s status click STUDENTS > Cohort > select them in the Actions column > ‘Change Status’, or by importing a new student data file.

• Ensure Key Filter Mapping is completed (STUDENTS > Key Filter Mapping) if your school is part of a Multi Academy Trust which uses the Juniper MAT Insights Dashboard.

2 / KS4 CORE BASELINES (KS4 / EAP > Core Baselines)

• Import each student’s KS4 APS GCSE for GCE AS / A Level and Academic qualifications and KS4 APS All for Applied General qualifications, as Attainment 8 points (e.g. GCSE grade 9 = 9 points).

These figures should be available in Get Information About Pupils (GIAP). You can use columns (KS4_PTSPE_PTQ_EE) for your students’ KS4 APS All and (KS4_GPTSPE_PTQ_EE) for their KS4 APS GCSE. Schools should not use the KS4 English and Maths information provided in the GIAP file.

If this is unavailable, we would recommend manually calculating this yourself, which you can find more information on in our article here.

• Import KS4 Prior English and Maths in challenge points format for the whole cohort. The challenge points are equivalent to GCSE 9-1 grades (e.g. a GCSE grade 3 is worth 3 challenge points, a GCSE grade 4 worth 4 challenge points, etc.). For other qualification types, see our Challenge Points article here. 
• Ensure you have at least one EAP for each of your grade types so that the relevant points are awarded for your qualifications in the reports. The Matching page (Step 5) will also check that the EAP selected contains an appropriate grade method.

3 / BANKED EXAMS & OTHER GRADES (GRADES > Uploads)

• Upload ALL banked banked exams awarded prior to the students’ summer results (e.g. early/offsite exams) into the ‘Exams’ data set (GRADES > Uploads > Exams). Official AS and A2 qualifications should be named separately in your file (e.g. Art AS, Art A2, etc.)
• If you haven’t already, you may wish to upload Targets and any other grades data (such as assessments), that you’d like to be available for comparison with on results day (GRADES > Uploads > Targets, Assessments etc.).
• If your students resat Level 2 GCSE English and Maths, ensure these L2 resit grades are uploaded with unique names (e.g. GCSE Maths rather than Maths).

4 / ASSIGN QUALIFICATIONS TO CLASSES (STUDENTS > Classes > Assign Quals)

• Ensure all qualifications have been assigned to the appropriate sets of classes.

5 / MATCHING (GRADES > Matching)

To amend the Matching page, click 'Edit'. You should have one row per qualification:

• Included - Ensure all relevant qualifications are toggled to ‘Yes’ to be included in the reports. Any qualifications that are not needed (e.g. qualifications students did not enter officially) can be excluded from reports here.
• QN / Qual Title - Enter the QN codes for each qualification to help make the correct selection from the list. Qualification Title or Syllabus Title can be used as an alternative but may not be as accurate.
• EAP - Select a suitable EAP from those created in the KS4 / EAP > EAP / Baselines > EAP area. Analytics will check that the grade method used in this EAP matches the grade method expected based on the selection in the QN/Qual Title column. 

If your students have taken an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), ensure this is set up ready by following the guide here.

6 / NATIONAL DATA FOR L3 VALUE ADDED (GRADES > National Data > Value Added)

• Use the ‘Edit VA Data’ button at the top of the National Data Value Added Page to select the appropriate data to use, which is the most recent available (‘2019 Amended’). 

Value Added has been suspended by the DfE since 2019, however the DfE have confirmed that this may be reported on again from 2024 onwards. Therefore, if the 2024 Value Added data is released by the DfE after the results period, you will need to return to this area and amend this to '2024' to publish your reports with this new data.

7 / GRADES MANAGEMENT (GRADES > Grades Management > select a data set or assessment collection)

• Check the ‘Grades Count’ column reflects the number of grades you expect for each qualification.
• Address any setup issues flagged with a warning icon, such as: Missing Student Data , Missing Class Data , Grade Not in Method and Sub Grades not Valid in this Data Set.

You will not be able to publish your Exams data set until all main issues are resolved.

8 / PUBLISH REPORTS (STUDENTS, KS4 / EAP & GRADES)

• Publish STUDENTS (STUDENTS > Publish Students > Click 'Publish')
• Publish KS4 / EAP (KS4 / EAP > Publish KS4 / EAP > Click 'Publish')
• Publish GRADES  (GRADES > Publish Grades)
  • Publish any data sets (‘Data Sets’ tab) or assessments (‘Year 12’ and ‘Year 13’ tabs under Assessments heading) you wish to be available for comparison for on results day.
  • Check for discrepancies or blank figures in the reports and resolve these before results day.

9 / USERS (USERS > User List)

• Check the correct members of staff have up-to-date login details and block/delete any staff who have left. 
• Ensure only appropriate staff have access to view ‘Embargo’ reports.
• Circulate our User Basics handout with staff (here), which includes a handy section on how to reset their login details if needed.

Thanks for reading!