Assessment Manager Project

Assessment Manager is predicated on the basis of a project. This is set up via Focus | Analysis Reporting | Data Collection | ProjectsProjects  This path may be different if the Menu has been customised.

Prior to initiation of an Assessment Manager Project ensure that you have imported the latest versions of AMPARKAMPARK Assessment Manager and Performance Analysis Resource Kit Templates and Aspects and the CTF Translation TablesCTF Translation Tables These are available in the AMPARK folder..

The user initiates a project for the required year by selecting an Assessment Stage levellevel EYFSP, KS1-5 or Key Stage 1 – Phonics and declaring the year (for example KS1 2016)

The actual year is determined by the user’s choice of a snapshot date. For example, if a snapshot date of 31/05/2018 is selected then it is assumed that the academic year is 2017/2018 and that the aspects will relate to the AMPARK version 2017 release.

The next stage is to select either a Cluster of schools or use the Assessment Stage assignment facilities from the Assign Bases option. In both cases you may create these should they not be already established.

A Cluster can be created or selected via Focus | Analysis Reporting | Area, Cluster and Groupings. Or by default the system will create a Project comprising of all schools.

Selecting Analysis Reporting | Data Collection |Projects opens the Project Enquiry page.

KS1, EYFSP and PHO data collections require yearly updates to some of the tables. These tables need to be updated with the latest details to run the KS1, EYFSP and PHO returns.

The tables are updated via an Auto Update routine with yearly changes. If there are no changes, apart from the yearly changes from the DfE for the statutory returns, the tables for each return, or all of the returns, can be upgraded automatically without upgrading the whole system.

The auto-update process is accessed via Tools | Administration | Attainment Projects Calendar Year Update.

• Key Stage Assessment Profile
• Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
• Phonics Screening Check
• AMPARK and CTF Translation Tables

Project Detail

The Project Detail panels open when an existing Project is selected, or a new one created, from the Project Enquiry page.

A Wizard button is available enabling you to move through each panel by clicking the Previous or Next buttons instead of scrolling down the page. Click the Wizard button again to return to a scrollable form.

Enter details for:

• Project Name – mandatory, up to 25 characters
• Project Type – Assessment Manager or Census, mandatory
• Project Description - up to 50 characters
• Assessment Stage - mandatory, automatically populated, but can be altered when Project Type – Assessment Manager  is selected
• Snapshot Date - mandatory, automatically populated, but can be altered
• Cluster - click on the browse button to open the Area, Cluster and Grouping Enquiry
• Created By - system generated
• Date Initiated - system generated
• Last Calculated - system generated

Projects

• Assessment ManagerAssessment Manager

  To create a new project based on Key Stage, Key Stage 1 – Phonics, or EYFSP assignments simply select the appropriate Assessment Stage. Clicking on the Save button asks you to confirm that you are not creating a project based on a cluster with the following message:

  You haven't chosen a Cluster for this project, are you sure you want to continue?    Yes / No

  Select Yes to continue. Select No to go back and create a Cluster.

  This second option is useful should you wish to make more than one project for the Assessment Stage for that year.

  When the project is saved Created By, Date Initiated and Last Calculated will be populated.

  To validate the Project, Base or Status of Students click on the Validate button.

  Click the Recalculate button to enable you to update the students’ results status or base statuses at any point during the project rather than simply upon opening.

  Below the Project Details panel there are two additional panels for Selected Bases and Student Details.

• CensusCensus

  To create a new Project based on a Census select the Census Project Type. The Assessment Stage drop-down list is disabled. If a Cluster is not selected the following warning message appears when trying to save:

              You haven't chosen a cluster for this project.
              This would result in all schools being included…
              Are you sure you want to continue?
              If you do not wish to save without a cluster, please press ‘Cancel’
              OK / Cancel

  Select OK to continue. Select Cancel to go back and create a Cluster.

  When the project is saved Assessment Stage will disappear. Created By, Date Initiated and Last Calculated will be populated.

  Creating a grouping of all students from every single base is likely to be a lengthy process.

  Below the Project Details panel there are two additional panels for Selected Bases and Student Details.

  To validate the project click on the Validate button.

  Click the Recalculate button  to update the statuses of all the bases in the project at any point during the project rather than simply upon opening.

Selected Bases

Click the Add button to select bases to assign to the project. This opens the Base Enquiry window. Bases can be removed from the list by highlighting the required base and clicking the Remove button.

The browse list displays the following information for each base: Base Name, School No, Status, Census, Count, Expected, Complete, Duplicated and CommentsComments  Click on a heading to change the order of the browse. 

Highlighting a base displays the Student Details in the panel below.

Use the right click functionality to manage Results, Validate and Expected Numbers.

Student Details

The Student Details panel shows the Student's Name, Date of Birth, NCY, Validation Status and ExceptionException  Click on a heading to change the order of the browse for each student at a given base.

The student may show as a Duplicate Student in the Exception.

The Grouping can be added to by clicking the Add button.

Students can be removed from the list by clicking the Remove button. A message will appear:

Do you really want to remove the selected record?   Yes / No

Clicking Yes permanently removes the student. Clicking No temporarily removes the student.

Use the right click option to View Results or Validate Results.

Grouping Population

When a project is saved for the first time the system searches for students who fit the normal profile expected within Assessment Stage assessments. For instance Key Stage 1 students are expected to have an attribute of NCY2. In this example, One selects all NCY2 students except those that have either been permanently excluded or those who have already taken the assessments (early takers with relevant validated results). The system returns a list of students (organised by base) that form the initial grouping.

The system automatically creates and maintains a grouping linked to the project

It is not necessary to annotate any students that will be assessed a year early as the mere presence of their results will lead to the legend Unexpected Student in the user interface. However, this will only occur if you select the Search button. This routine automatically looks for the relevant aspects and results regardless of grouping. Any students who are 'early-takers' are not automatically added to the Grouping; however the user may add them as required.

Initially, the list of students is not displayed (other than those of the first base), although the system has created a grouping and the students are identified. During the initial project save the system displays the bases selected and informs the user that the system is creating the initial grouping. The user must select any base to view the students for that base as they are not automatically displayed.

In order to streamline processing the system no longer carries out an automatic recalculation of the project every time the user opens a project. The Recalculate button enables the user to update the student/results status at any point during the project rather than simply upon opening.

Duplicate Students

The interface also notes duplicate students. Such students may appear in more than one base.

Upon investigation you may remove students from one base (for the purposes of the file export) or may transfer a student from one base to another (by using the drag and drop method).

In neither case is school history or registration affected, this is simply a mechanism for shepherding results prior to exporting.

Whenever students are added, transferred or deleted from the grouping the system updates Count records against the base.

Once the user moves students (from one base to another) the project must be saved, at which point the transfers are complete. Should the user omit to save changes a warning is issued prior to closing that the moves will be lost.

In the case of students who are removed from the grouping the system asks if the exclusion is to be permanent, if this is the case the student’s record is duly annotated, if the user selects No the system treats the exclusion as temporary for the year. In the latter case subsequent selection in the following year will include the student.

During any consequent processing of student results’ importing it is possible that results will appear that belong to students that have been removed from the grouping (either temporarily or on a permanent basis). If this is the case you must once again remove the students.

Click the Search button to check for new results. Should the system find any these will be posted results regardless of the actual grouping membership. In this case the system will display the legend unexpected students.

Using this methodology you should be confident that results are not omitted simply because the student is not a member of the grouping.

Results

Assessment Manager has no facility for importing results. Results are imported through the appropriate import mechanisms.

Assessment Manager does not display results, but there are several mechanisms available that allow the user to do so.

Right click on the Base to select one of three options:

• View Results
• Validate
• Expected Numbers

Right click on the Student to select one of two options:

• View Results
• Validate

View Results

Although Assessment Manager does not display results, there are several mechanisms available that allow the user to do so:

• the user may build or design reports using a KSM Report Model for use in Sequel Server Report Services.
• selecting a particular base and then using the right click optionright click option View Results / Validate Results / Expected Numbers to view results. The option passes parameters to the Results Organiser which then displays the relevant results. The right-click optionright-click option View Results / Validate Results is also available for an individual student.
• selecting the Results Organiser in the Links panel.
  You may also use the Results Organiser to remove the list of aspects and select an appropriate template in order to provide additional cross-checks and validation.

The previous facility to export KS2 and KS3 files in a CSV format has been withdrawn from the Assessment Manager option. Instead, should the user wish to create CSV for KS2 or KS3 there is an option within the Results Organiser to export results to Excel.
 

Validate

The system provides appropriate KS, KS1 Phonics and EYFSP validation processes.

This allows the user to cross-check supplied data with the relevant DfE requirements. There are three levels of validation:

• project
• base
• individual students

In v4 Assessment Manager it is possible to select validation at any point during the project.

Click the Validate button to validate results for the Project. When the system has processed the results click on the KS/KS1 Phonics/EYFSP Validation and Export Report in the Links panel to view the validation report.

To validate Base and Student results use the right click optionright click option  View Results / Validate / Expected Numbers on the Selected Base or the Student and select Validate. When the system has processed the results click on the KS/KS1 Phonics/EYFSP Validation and Export Report in the Links panel to view the validation report.

The system recognises the potential time that the validation process may take. In the case of a single student or base the process may be instant without need for off-line processing. However, if the user elects to validate the whole project the system posts a warning that validation will take place in the background and upon completion will post a workflow message to the user.

Validating <Project Name> may take a long time. Please monitor your workflow messages for the result. 
                If you do not wish to validate <Project Name> right now, please press ‘Cancel’.

When the validation has completed, My Workflow Messages displays if the Assessment Stage Project was successful or unsuccessful.

Within the Workflow Message a hyper-link will return the user to the Project (if the user initiated the validation from within the project) or to the Export focus (see below) when the system triggered validation upon export.

Expected Numbers

You may also add expected numbers for the particular base. Use the right click optionright click option  View Results / Validate / Expected Numbers on the Selected Base and select Expected Numbers.

The following dialog will appear:

[Name of School]

Enter the number of students you expect to process for 
this base at this Assessment Stage.

This is optional, but entering expected numbers will help
to check that you have not omitted any students from this
Assessment Stage reporting process.

Expected Boys Total        [nnn]

Expected Girls Total         [nnn]

OK

Export

The export function is available to the user via Export in the Links panel within the Assessment Manager Project. This opens the Export KSM/EYFSP Transfer File page.

The Transfer File is a separate XML file for each School or Setting. Each XML file contains relevant elements within the Assessments area of the file:

The files will then be zipped into a single file by the Local Authority before loading into COLLECT or DEWiDEWi.

• Maintained School SettingsMaintained School Settings

  Each XML file for a maintained school/setting should contain individual student and KS/Phonics/EYFSP assessment data for all eligible students.

  All maintained schools with four year olds are required to submit an EYFSP return, regardless of their Date of Birth.

  Only eligible students with EYFSP results who are at a Maintained school with a School Number within the following number ranges should be included in each Transfer File.

  Below is the Establishment List from which the above valid values are taken. These ranges are a set of valid numbers for maintained Schools and are help on the table KSM_EXP_SCHOOL_NUMBERS with Return_Type of ‘FTF’.

  Establishment Numbers	Establishment Types
  1000 – 1099	LA Nursery Schools
  1100 – 1149	Pupil Referral Units
  1150 – 1799	Special Units, Outdoor Education Centres, Teacher Centres and Hospital Classes
  1800 – 1899	Direct Grant Nursery Schools
  1900 – 1999	Independent Nursery Education Establishments recognised as efficient
  2000 – 3949	Maintained Primary Schools
  3950 – 3999	Reserved for UPN Dummy Numbers
  4000 – 4899	Maintained Secondary Schools
  4900 – 4999	Reserved for use by the Performance Tables Team. Mainly refer to Sixth Form Consortiums published in the Performance Tables.
  5200 – 5299	Maintained Primary Schools
  5400 – 5499	Maintained Secondary Schools
  5900 – 5949	Maintained Primary and Secondary Schools
  5950 – 5999	Maintained Special Schools
  6000 – 6899	Independent Schools
  6900 – 6904	City Technology Colleges
  6905 – 6924	Academies
  6925 – 6999	Not in use
  7000 – 7749	Special Schools
  7750 – 7798	Special Schools for Nursery Age Children
  7799	Divided Service between Special Schools
  7800 – 7899	Boarding Homes for Disabled Pupils
  7900 – 7901	Special School Independent
  7902 – 7903	Establishments for FE & training of Disabled Persons
  7904 - 7999	Special Colleges

• Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) SettingsPrivate, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Settings

  Each XML file for a Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) setting should contain individual student and EYFSP assessment data for a ‘sample’ number of students extracted by including only those pupils in PVIs born with a specific birth range and this will continue to apply.

  All funded four year old children in PVIs born between April and August should be included in the return.

  For those PVIs with a URN in the range of 500000- 799999 (this range is held on the KSM_EXP_SCHOOL_NUMBERS table with Return_Type of ‘PVI’) only those pupils with EYFSP assessments who have who have a Date of Birth between 1st April 2013 and 31st August 2013 inclusive should be included in the XML export file.

  Before running the Export routine a warning message advises:

  Exporting <Project Name> may take a long time. Please monitor your workflow messages for the result.
  If you do not wish to export <Project Name> right now, please press ‘Cancel’
  OK / Cancel

  The routine automatically passes the list of bases from the project to the Export focus. It is then possible to select one (or more) bases for exporting. The system then stores the file(s), one per base, on a temporary directory on the application server. 

  The user will be informed that the file(s) has/have been exported by a workflow message. Within the workflow message is a hyperlink that will then display the file for subsequent printing. Optionally, after display the user may delete the file.

  Once the file has been deleted from the server, the workflow message is deactivated and the file is no longer accessible

  Click on the Folder button to set the Export Path.

  Highlight the required bases for exporting and click the Export button. A message informs you:

  All results will now be validated for students in the schools you have
  selected. This may take a while. Do you wish to continue?
  Yes / No

  Clicking No will return you to the Export KSM/EYFSP Transfer File page, without running the export. Clicking Yes will process the export. A validation message box appears:

              Validation Completed.
              School(s) processed: nnn
              School(s) with a complete set of results: nnn
              OK

  Click OK and if there are any validation errors the following message appears:

              There have been validation errors.
              Do you want to continue with the export?    Yes/No

  Select No to cancel the export. Yes will continue the export process and open the Export KSM Transfer File page with panels for Exported Files and Export Log.

  The validation routine will only validate current assessment year EYFSP results for those eligible students identified as being at the selected Base or Bases to be exported.