GIS Routes and Distances

This process bulk-calculates the routes and distances from home to school for students based on their geocoded address. Use GIS must be selected for the transfer group in order to use GIS Routes and Distances. In addition, each student must have a geocoded correspondence and/or admission address and the bases must also be geocoded.

GIS Routes and Distances uses the easting and northing of either the admission or current correspondence address, depending on the settings for the transfer group.

The following conditions must be met in order to use the GIS Routes and Distances process:

  • Use GIS must be selected for the transfer group.
  • Each student must have a geocoded correspondence and / or admission address.
  • The bases to be used in the process must be geocoded. If any sites/gates have not been geocoded then preferences for those bases are skipped and an entry is made in the error log.

Click the magnifying glass button to choose sub groups for processing.

Calculation Criteria

There are several criteria available:

Nearest Point on Base

Select from:

  • Nearest Site (ignores any geocoded gates)
  • Nearest Gate (ignored any geocoded sites)
  • Nearest Gate or Site (if both are geocoded One looks for whichever point is nearer)
  • Nearest Gate, if no Gate then Nearest Site (looks for a geocoded gate first. If both a gate and site are geocoded, then the gate is used in preference)

Only currently active sites and open gates are considered, except in the case of sites where the base\site will be open by the time the student starts at that base. For in year transfer groups, this information is calculated from the date that the place is required. For normal phased transfer groups, One uses the start of the academic year that the places will be taken up.

If sites/gates have not been geocoded, then preferences for those bases are skipped and an entry is made in the error log.

Distance Calculation Method

Select from:

  • Driving
  • Walking (in order to use Safe Walking Distance there must be a safe walking route network map for the Local Authority area within the GIS utility)
  • Direct (calculates a straight line distance between the student's address and the base's nearest gate or site, using curved earth)

Update All or Unprocessed Preferences

  • Update all Preferences for the Application:
    This function calculates (or recalculates) and overwrites all distances to preferences. It also updates the catchment flag.
  • Update Unprocessed Preferences only for the Application:
    This function only calculates distances for preferences where distances have not previously been calculated.

Pre-Process GIS Routes and Distances

The Pre-Process option enables you to validate data and correct any errors before changes are made to the database. When you click the Pre-process button, a check is carried out on the students' address and preference bases to ensure that they are geocoded. The database is not updated but an entry is made in the error log if any errors are encountered. Any errors or omissions (e.g. sites/gates not geocoded, preferences not in the sub groups) should be corrected before the full calculation process is run. The number of students successfully checked is displayed.

Process GIS Routes and Distances

When the Process button is clicked, the relevant calculation or route map creation is carried out for each student with suitable preferences in the sub groups. Any students that cannot be processed are recorded in the error log. The number of students who have been successfully processed is displayed.

If the preferred base has a catchment defined, then any flags indicating that students live within the catchment area (the Catchment check box on Preference Reasons) are deleted when catchments are checked. The flag is then set to true for all students whose correspondence or admissions address (as appropriate – see note below) is within the catchment polygon

If a distance has been calculated, it is displayed in the preference reasons.

The Use Admission Address check box in transfer group details determines whether the correspondence or admissions address is to be used in these calculations.