Overview

This article explains how to set up your 2024 / 2025 cohort, along with 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 is useful if your Y11 is blank, the cohort hasn't been set up, and no data has been entered for it.

Do not use this guide when setting up the current Y10-Y7. Instead, use the Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 -  Getting Started Checklist (Admin) article.

Prerequisites

You must be an administrator.

Instructions

Follow these steps to set up your 2024 / 2025 cohort, along with any previous leavers' cohorts for the first time in preparation for Results Day:

• Go to CONFIG > Grade Methods > KS3/4 Methods.

  Make sure you have 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).

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

  See Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating Grade Methods (Admin) for further information.

• To publish with Data Collaboration report features enabled (such as Collaborative Headlines and SPI (Subject P8)), opt in to Sisra’s 2024/2025 Exams Data Collaboration.

  Go to CONFIG > Data Collaboration > 24/25 Exams > Opt In to opt in.

  See Sisra Analytics: What is the Sisra Data Collaboration? for further information.

• Go to DATA > KS3/4 and Cohort > STUDENTS > Import to import student data that reflects the January Census. This may require backdating your MIS.

  See Sisra Analytics: KS4 - Setting Up Spring Census Student Data (Admin) for further information.

• Map your student filters and values to the Disadvantaged, Gender, and SEN filter values in DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > Students > Key Filter Mapping. This will enable you to compare your groups against Sisra opt-in schools.

  See Sisra Analytics: Data Collaboration - Completing Key Filter Mapping (Admin) for further information.

• KS2 Scaled Scores aren’t officially available for this cohort, so they do not have to be uploaded.

  If your school has uploaded a conversion of Scaled Scores, go to DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > KS2 / EAP > Baselines, and nominate English Reading as English Reading and Maths as Maths in the Core column.

  See Sisra Analytics: How do I set up the 24/25 and 25/26 cohorts without KS2 Data? (Admin) for further information.

• EAPs must be created to define which Grade Method to use for each qualification. You must create one EAP per Grade Type, for example, 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:

  1. Select DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > KS2 / EAP > EAP.
  2. Select Create EAP.
  3. Select Create New EAP.
  4. Enter an EAP Name and EAP Description.
  5. In the Baseline Type, select Scaled Scores.
  6. Select either the KS2 English Reading or KS2 Maths as appropriate as your KS2/Baseline.
  7. Select the same relevant Grade Method in each of the Assessment Method dropdowns (Year 7 – Year 11 and Final Exams),
  8. Select Create.

  The example EAP below, which is suitable for all GCSE 9-1 qualifications, has not been populated with expected grades:

  

  See Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating EAPs (Admin) for further information.

• In DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > Grades > Uploads > Targets upload all Target Grades to populate your cohort with a full list of qualifications to allow for comparisons against targets. This will save time in advance of Results Day.

  In DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > Grades > Uploads > Exams upload any banked exam results and Exam results received in the summer into the Exams data set. Any early entries for applicable cohorts should be uploaded with the appropriate Results Date.

  See Sisra Analytics: How do I upload Standalone Grades? (Admin) for further information

• Ensure all qualifications have been assigned to the appropriate set of classes in DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > Students > Classes > Assign Quals. 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. 

  See Sisra Analytics: Assigning Qualifications to Classes (Admin) for further information.

• Open DATA > Select KS3/4 and Current Yr 11 > Grades > Matching and complete the Matching page. Select an EAP for each qualification with the appropriate Grade Method. Ensure the correct QN codes are entered so that reports will be accurate.

  See Sisra Analytics: KS3/4: Completing the Matching page (Admin) for further information.

• 1. Check the Grades Count reflects the number of grades you expect for each qualification.
  2. Resolve any warnings, for example, 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

  See Sisra Analytics: Grades Management (Admin) for further information.

• 1. Publish Students from DATA > Select KS3/4 and Cohort > Students > Publish Students select Publish.
  2. Publish KS2 / EAP from DATA > Select KS3/4 and Cohort > KS2 / EAP > Publish KS2 / EAP select Publish.

  3. Publish Grades from DATA > Select KS3/4 and Cohort > Grades > Publish Grades select Publish.

     Publish your Targets and Exams data sets with the latest DfE Rules (2022) and the relevant years' Attainment 8 and Value Added Estimates. For current Year 11, select the latest options available for Attainment 8 and Value Added Estimates, until the subsequent official DfE estimates are available.

  See Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Publish Grades: Data Sets and Assessments (Admin) for further information.

Related information

• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Getting Started Checklist (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating Grade Methods (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: What is the Sisra Data Collaboration?.
• Sisra Analytics: KS4 - Setting Up Spring Census Student Data (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Data Collaboration - Completing Key Filter Mapping (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: How do I set up the 24/25 and 25/26 cohorts without KS2 Data? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating EAPs (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: How do I upload Standalone Grades? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Assigning Qualifications to Classes (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Completing the Matching page (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Grades Management (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Grades Management - How do I fix the Missing Student Data warning? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Grade Management - How do I fix the Missing Class Data warning? (Admin)
• Sisra Analytics: Grades Management - How do I fix the Grade Not in Method warning in KS3/4? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: Grades Management - How do I fix the Sub Grade Not Valid In This Data Set warning? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: What does publishing mean?
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4: Publish Students (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4: Publish KS2 / EAP (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4: Publish Grades: Data Sets and Assessments (Admin).

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Updated 05 June 2025 15:08