[sims] Changes to grade boundaries

[brotherwarren]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to SIMs, so if I'm doing something daft please tell me. I'm self taught, so there's a good chance I'm doing it the hard way!

 

I've created a template to record in-house test data for our science groups.

 

Each test has an aspect to record the raw score, as a marks-integer. Teachers enter this onto marksheets.

 

There is then a formula entry column that uses a marks to grade formula to convert the raw score to a GCSE level, stored on the same marksheet.

 

 

This worked fine last year, and all staff recorded their results.

 

 

This year we would like to modify the marks to grade formula to change the grade boundaries needed for each GCSE level.

 

 

If I modify the marks to grade formula for the current year group, will it also change for last year's pupils? Obviously a pupil who acheived a level 8 last year, and had this reported to them won't be happy if this changes going forward.

 

I can see a workaround, by creating new aspects each year, but I'm hoping there's an easier way!

 

Thanks in advance for any help offered, this looks like a really friendly forum.

[RootsSchImp]

Hi @brotherwarren - welcome to edugeek!

 

SIMS template formulas are instructions for marksheets - results only change for kids if someone opens a marksheet with them on, hits 'calculate' and then hits save. So in this case you're fine to edit the marksheet formula *as long as* no one opens a marksheet with last years kids on, calculates and saves it.

 

To make sure this doesn't happen I recommend deleting those marksheets (deleting a marksheet doesn't delete the grades it shows). If teachers need to refer to last years marks then I would clone the template to make a read only version, delete the marks to grade formula column(s) and add back the aspect(s) as a column(s) for data review.

 

Good luck

 

Ed

[brotherwarren]

That's really helpful Ed, thank you!