| How Do I Setup A New Assessment Package? |
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Once you have logged into STARS and are at the Home page, follow these steps to setup a new assessment package.
NOTE: Assessment packages can be used across all academic years, you do not need to set a new one up for each group of pupils or each National curriculum year. For example, if you assess 'READING', 'WRITING' and 'PUNCTUATION' at the end of every year for all year-groups in the school and the possible results are between zero and ten then you can create one package and use it for all pupils being assessed. As the pupils move into a new year, a blank result sheet will be created for them ready to enter a new set of results. This allows you to compare results across many school years and class groups and saves time in setting up a package for each year-group.
Before you start this process, it is advisable to draw your new package out on paper. The pupil names are always down the left hand side of the page, the package items along the top to create columns (in our case, 'READING', 'WRITING' and 'PUNCTUATION'). Make sure you know what each package item will be marked out of (in our case 0, 1, 2, ... 10) and that the result sets are already setup.
- From the menu bar, click 'Maintenance→Achievement Package→Add New'.
- STARS will display the achievement package screen ready for you to begin entering details.
- Click your mouse in the 'Package Description' field and enter the description for this assessment. This is how you will identify your package when entering, viewing or graphing results so make sure the name accurately reflects the package contents. For example, 'END OF YEAR ENGLISH ASSESSMENT'.
- If your assessment is repeated during the year (For example, in the Autum, Spring and Summer terms) then you can setup multiple result sheets for the same package. This allows you to enter results for the same package and same pupils many times in the same year.
- Click your mouse in the first 'Result Sheet' description field and change 'SHEET 1' to 'AUTUMN'.
- Click your mouse in the second 'Result Sheet' description field and enter 'SPRING' then click on the 'Add Sheet' button. A new box will now be displayed below the entry just added.
- Click your mouse in the new 'Result Sheet' description field and enter 'SUMMER' then click on the 'Add Sheet' button. A new box will now be displayed below the entry just added.
- Now click your mouse in the 'Column Heading' field and enter the first column name of your new package. In our example this will be 'READING'.
- From the 'Result Set' drop-down, select the appropriate result set. In our example this will be '0 - 10'
- Click the 'Add' button, the package item will now be displayed in the 'In Use' column.
- Repeat the steps above until you have added all of your package columns. In our case, this will be 'WRITING' and 'PUNCTUATION'
- Click 'Accept' to save the new package to STARS.
You can also add a special package item called 'Free Text'. This result set is already setup in STARS and will allow you to enter any free text to be stored with the rest of the results. Free text can't be graphed but it does provide the ability to hold comments associated with the package results. To add 'Free Text' columns to your packages, simply follow the steps above to add a column then choose the 'Free Text' result set from the end of the drop-down result set list.
Adjustments may be made to the package as follows:
- To change the order of a package item, click on the indiviual item in the 'In Use' list then use the arrows on the left of the list to move the item up or down.
- To change the description of an item or to change the result set associated with the item, click on the indiviual item in the 'In Use' list, it will be displayed in the 'Column Heading' field where you can change the value or result set. Click the 'Change' button to store the amended item back in the 'In Use' list.
- To delete an item, click on the individual item in the 'In Use' list so that it is displayed in the 'Column Heading' field. Click on the 'Delete' button; the item will be removed from the 'In Use' list and also from the 'Column Heading' field.
- To add an item to the package but keep it hidden until a later date, click on the individual item in the 'In Use' list then click on the right arrow to move it into the 'Hidden' column. To move it back, click on the item in the 'Hidden' column then click on the left arrow. The result will be added to the end of the 'In Use' list. Double-clicking on an item is the same as using the arrows.
NOTE: Ensure you click 'Accept' to save the new package to STARS.
Do you need more information?
Click Here for a more detailed description on package maintenance. Wait for the document to open in a new window then navigate to the appropriate section. If your PDF viewer supports bookmarks then you should be able to jump straight to this section by clicking on the appropriate bookmark.
Are you still unsure?
Click Here to launch your email application and send a support email. Let us know the problem you are having or the item you need more information on and we'll email you back.
Do you need to speak to someone now?
Telephone 0845 8386860 to speak to the STARS helpdesk. Be sure to have your school name or customer number handy when you call.