How do I create my classes for the new academic year?

What are the important things to know before creating new 'classes' on SOLAR?

On SOLAR there are 3 group (class) types.

1. Tutor Groups - These are the most commonly used as all pupils must be in a Tutor Group in order for all of the features on SOLAR to function. 

The tutor group is attached to the pupil record. 

To create your new Tutor Groups go to Amin>Lists>Classes>Add Class and select Tutor Group from the Group Type drop-down list and click Save.

Once you have created the new Tutor Groups you then go to Admin>Pupils and click edit beside each pupil that needs to be moved to a new Tutor Group.

Then select the pupil's new Tutor Group from the drop-down menu and click save. Please note that only Tutor Groups display in the drop-down within the pupil record. Teaching Groups and Ad-Hoc groups as covered below do not display in the drop-down. If you are updating a tutor group for a pupil you must do this in the pupil record.

2. Teaching Groups - These are used when you have a teacher who may teach a subject to children who are in different tutor groups. An example of this would be an after school maths class. The teacher may teach maths to 1 pupil from Blue tutor group, 2 pupils from Red tutor group and 1 pupil from Green tutor group. This teacher would not need to access all of the pupils from Blue, Red and Green tutor group so you would set up a Teaching Group called 'After School Maths' and add the 4 pupils into it by typing their names into the pupil box. You would then allocate only the subject the teacher is teaching, in this case Maths by typing it into the Subjects box.

3. Ad-Hoc Teaching Group - If you have pupils that take swimming lessons but this only happens in Summer then you could create an Ad-Hoc group. As with a Teaching Group you could add pupils from multiple Tutor Groups into this and add the Subject 'Swimming' by typing it into the subject box.