Getting started
To add a new observation, you can either select New Observation from the sidebar or select Observations from your dashboard, then the + button.
Pressing the + button will give the option to open a text, photo, video or audio led observation. If for example, you select the camera icon, you’ll be able to take a photo which is then added to your new observation. These options are to help you quickly capture the evidence you need. You can also select the Baseline icon if you want to add baseline assessments.
Observation shortcuts
To get started first select your class/es and type in a title. Add your students by pressing the + student icon. You can add any number of students to an observation and choose to remove or add additional students at any time during your observation. When you are finished adding students, select the tick icon. Then, continue with your observation.
You can complete your observation in any order that works for you, as long as you select your class/es before adding students.
New observation window
Student progress summary
When choosing your students, if you press and hold on a student, you will get their progress summary. This will show you which assessments a student has completed and still has to complete to date.
Student progress summary
Adding notes and evidence
You can add both group and individual notes. To add a group note, type in the group note box. To add an individual note, select on the individual student and type your note in the individual note box. As well as notes, you can add evidence to your observation. To add evidence, press the + button and choose which type of evidence you would like to add. Each observation has a limit of 10 attachments in total. Additionally, the limit per group note or student note is four attachments.
Add evidence
Photos
On the app, photos can be taken using the camera icon or uploaded from your camera roll using the photo icon. When you take a photo, you can either retake or keep the photo.
On the portal, you can drag and drop or upload photos from your files.
When you’ve added your photo, if you want to add a caption, select the photo and type in the caption. If you want to remove the photo from your observation, press the Remove icon.
Add photo captions
Videos
On the app, videos can be taken within the observation using the video icon or uploaded from your camera roll using the photo icon.
On the portal, you can drag and drop or upload videos from your files.
It’s useful to know that you can playback your video at any time and skip forwards and backwards in the recording, including before you choose to add it to your observation. Videos can be up to 3 minutes in length.
Video added
Audio clips
On the app, audio clips can be taken within the observation using the audio icon. To start recording press the red button. If you want to pause your recording, press the button again and then again to continue recording. You can either reset or submit your recording.
On the portal, you can drag and drop or upload audio clips from your files.
It’s useful to know that you can playback your audio clip and skip forwards and backwards in the recording. Audio clips can be up to 3 minutes in length.
Record audio
Assessments
To add assessments to an observation, select Assessments then choose from any number of frameworks, learning areas, age bands, year groups etc.
Add assessments
When you’ve finished selecting all your assessments, use the tick icon to return to the observation. If you go on to each student, you can now either choose to set or unset the assessments for each student. In EYFS, you can refine the student’s understanding level for ELG and ELG+ statements as emerging, developing or expected. For KS1/KS2, you refine each statement as either beginning, working towards or expected. To do this, simply press on the refinement to move through the options. If your pupil has already been assessed in a statement, you will be able to see this. For ELGs and KS1 and KS2 statements, the previous refinement will be displayed. For age banded statements you’ll see a small number indicating the number of times this statement has been achieved. If you click on the time icon, you can see who assessed this statement, when, and how many times.
Set refinements and view previous assessments
Support levels
You can show the level of support the student/s needed. Choose from child initiated, guided group, or adult led. If you want to change the support level, press Child Initiated until you get the option you are looking for.
Student badges
If you want to celebrate student achievement, you can award student badges. To do this, select the student you want to award, then select Badges. From here, you can select as many badges as you like. Select the tick icon when you are finished. If you want to remove a badge from a student, go back into the badge selection and press on the badge you want to remove.
Select a badge for a Student
Parent comments
To enable parents and staff to add comments to an observation, press on the comment icon. This can be switched on or off at any time during the observation by pressing the icon. Additionally, after an observation is posted, this option can still be switched on or off.
Teacher and parent comments
Completing an observation
When you’re finished with your observation, press the tick icon. If you want to discard the observation, press the cross icon (a confirmation message will be displayed before it is removed). Once you have pressed the tick, the observation will appear at the top of your observation timeline. You can then edit, save, post or remove your observation. Select the ellipsis found at the corner of the draft observation to see your options.