Data Managers play a pivotal role in managing multiple systems, data streams, and supporting both staff and students.
This guide is designed to help you get the most out of Pupil Progress and manage data collections with ease. It includes a checklist of tools and tips for key points throughout the academic year - from the start of term to migration - so that you can stay on top of tracking and monitoring all year round.
Start the term off right
The first two months of the Autumn term are essential for preparation before your first data drop. Use September and October to check your tracker set ups, set target grades and ensure any new staff members have access.
☐ Ensure classes are set up on the correct course
From the Tracking homepage, you can view all classes that have been added to a tracker across all subject areas. At the beginning of term, scan through the trackers and check that the qualifications and specifications align with what each class is sitting.
If any trackers and classes do not align, you'll need to set the class up on a new tracker using Add New Class.
☐ Check class lists are syncing correctly
Also on the Tracking homepage, check that your classes are ticked underneath classlist sync status. This means that they are connected to your MIS, and any changes to the classes will be reflected within Pupil Progress.
If students need to be moved between classes, make the changes within your MIS and the updates will be reflected the next day following the nightly sync.
☐ Add Minimum Target Grades
If you used Import MTG to import your Minimum Target Grades (MTGs) from your MIS into Pupil Progress last year, you'll need to remap your aspects relating to MTGs as these do not carry over into the new year.
If you'd like help with importing MTGs for the first time, please do reach out to our Onboarding team. Please note that this feature is not currently supported for schools using Arbor MIS.
Alternatively, you can send us your MTGs for bulk uploading by completing the attached template with student names, UPNs, year groups and MTGs for each subject. Once completed, simply send it over to our Onboarding team and we'll get the MTGs uploaded for you.
☐ Ensure any new members of staff are set up
Within My School > Staff, send out invitation emails to any new members of staff so they can activate their accounts.
You can filter by status and choose Not Invited Yet to view all members of staff that have not yet been sent an invitation email. Then, click the three dots to the right of their details and select Send Invitation Email.
☐ Transfer assessments from the previous year
Use Copy Existing Assessment to copy over any Customised Assessments from the previous academic year to the new years' trackers.
Simply change the source tracker to Customised Assessment, the Academic Year to the previous year, and select the year group from the final dropdown. You can then make any changes to the assessment, such as the QLA, before adding it to the current tracker.
☐ Re-enable Flexi Grade
If you set up a Flexi Grade for a year group last year, you'll need to re-enable this within My School > Flexi Grade. Here, you can also change the name of the previous Flexi Grade if needed.
Flexi Grade data is migrated for continuing year groups (Year 10 to 11 and Year 12 to 13). This means that once you enable Flexi Grade again at the start of the new year, you'll be able to see grades from the previous year.
💡 Some things to note:
We transfer all data from previous years' trackers into the new years' trackers for continuing year groups, as part of the academic year migration.
Trackers from the previous academic year are archived in November.
Enhance each data collection
☐ Schedule snapshots for each data collection point
Capture data following key data entry points with scheduled School-Level Snapshots, enabling comparisons of student's marks and grades throughout the year.
☐ Check the Grades Summary for missing data
Refer to the Grades Summary within the Analysis area to identify any missing attainment data across all subjects.
Students who are missing data for a subject they are sitting will display a 'no data' icon beneath the corresponding subject.
☐ Clear TPG, Flexi Grade and Learning Characteristic values
The Clear Values feature enables you to either immediately clear or schedule the clearing of Learning Characteristics, Flexi Grades, and TPGs from all or selected year groups.
You may want to schedule a data clear for before a data point, in order to refresh columns and input additional values.
☐ Publish and download student reports
Publish or download reports as often as you need, whether that be for meetings or parents evenings. Produce student reports in bulk within the Downloadable Reports area, or publish App Reports if your school has the Pupil Progress App set up.
Take advantage of further report customisation, such as the order of files downloaded, by creating a report template for specific occasions such as a Year 11 parents evening.
☐ Export grades for upload into your MIS
If you're needing to import grades into your MIS, you can download a Grades Summary within an XLS file. Within the Summary:
First, select the relevant Grade Type from the left menu.
Then, tick any relevant characteristics within the Student Attributes menu, for reference on the downloaded file.
Once you're set up for download, open Tools and select Download as XLS.
Maintain your school throughout the year
☐ Remove student and staff leavers
We generally advise that student leavers are left on the platform so that their attainment data can be accessed if ever needed. However, if student leavers are interfering with your analysis, you are able to off-board them by removing them from classes and the student list.
Once staff have been removed from your MIS, head to the Staff area on the platform and filter by sync status to staff no longer on the MIS. You can then click the three dots next to their details and select Delete.
☐ Update staff permissions
Allow the necessary members of staff access to all subject areas and platform features by upgrading them to a School Administrator. Within the Staff area, click the three dots next to the staff member's details and select Upgrade to Administrator.
☐ Add new qualifications
There may be changes to which qualifications are being taught within the school throughout the year. Keep on top of tracking all subject areas by adding new trackers to your school whenever you need using Add New Class.
Alternatively, if you're tracking KS3 at a bespoke level, request modifications to these trackers using the attached form.
Prepare for the academic year migration
Each year we're working to make the migration of classes a more efficient and smooth transition. Take a look at our most recent guidance for the 2025/26 migration process.
☐ Activate new classes
Ensure that your new classes are activated in your MIS during the first week of September, so they are eligible for setup in Pupil Progress.
☐ Notify us of MIS changes
Notify both Pupil Progress and Groupcall's Xporter team as early as possible if you're planning to change to a new MIS.
☐ Complete our survey with your migration preferences
We'll send a short survey to key contacts at your school within the first week of June. This helps us to prioritise your setup and ensures accuracy for your new classes.
💬 Access support at any point using the blue bubble in the bottom right of the platform.