Configuring Categories

Pastoral records are assigned categories. Categories can help organisations to manage staff access to records (in conjunction with the overarching profile permission settings), providing a quick and simple way to ensure that only the appropriate members of staff can see sensitive information. Alternatively, users can make records visible to all staff with access to the module.

GIRFEC forms required in Scotland are also associated with specific pastoral record categories. Selecting the appropriate category immediately links the record with the required GIRFEC forms.

Shapes and colours can be assigned to pastoral management categories, creating icons that can appear in grids such as the Pupil Search grid (if set when a record is created). This provides a visual alert. For example, a pink star could be assigned to a critical category, a blue square to a medium priority category and a green circle to a low priority category. In this way, users can identify pupils with open records at a glance and, if they are aware of what the icons represent, the type of record / issue.

Example of a Pupils grid with pastoral management category icons highlighted

Whether icons appear in Pupil Search and other grids must be set in the individual pastoral records using the Show Alert Against Pupil check box when a relevant record category is selected. For more information, see About Adding Pastoral Records.

To use the Pastoral Management module effectively, your categories must be configured and managed to best suit your school's needs.

Normally, these settings are configured by a System Administrator. As such, you may not be able to see this section when you log in if you do not have System Administrator access to the software.

  1. Go to Pastoral / Behaviour > Pastoral Management > Pastoral Configuration > Category. The Category Search screen appears.

    The Setup Category Search screen

    You can re-order a grid by single-clicking on fields in the header row. If Black arrow pointing up. is displayed, the list is ordered from A to Z / lowest to highest. If Black arrow pointing down. appears, the list is ordered from Z to A / highest to lowest.

  2. Click Add. The Setup: Add a Category screen appears.

    Set up Add a Category screen

    GIRFEC options are for Scottish schools and only appear if configured on your system. For more information, see About GIRFEC and Configuring GIRFEC.

    You MUST complete any fields marked with a red bar on the left-hand side.

  3. Type the name of the new pastoral management category in the Category field.
  4. (Optional) Use the Shape and Colour drop lists to select the shape and colour of the icon associated with this category, if required.

  5. To set the category's visibility, do ONE of the following:

    The software's overarching profile permission settings supersede local settings.

    • If the category should be available to everyone with access to the Pastoral Management module, tick the Visible to all staff/roles check box.

      If this box is checked, the Staff/Roles visibility field disappears.

    • If the category is limited to specific colleagues, add one or more names to the Staff/Roles visibility field using auto complete or the Staff Search dialog, accessed via Magnifying glass icon.

      • Click in the relevant field and type all or part of the name / role you require. Select from the options that appear in the drop list. This is known as auto complete. Repeat this sequence until you have added all the names / roles that you require.

        A Staff Name field being completed using auto complete

      • Click Magnifying glass icon at the end of the field to search for the required record. A Staff Search dialog appears.

        The Staff Search dialog for finding multiple staff

        1. In the top part of the dialog, enter your search criteria and click Search. You can filter by:
          • Group – From the first Group drop list, select the group type you want, e.g. 'Boarding House', 'Form' or 'Subject Set', and from the second Group drop list, select the person’s specific group, e.g. 'Form 10A', 'English' etc.
          • Staff Type – From the Staff Type drop list, select the required type of staff, such as ‘Academic’, ‘Non-Academic’ or ‘Both’.
          • Name – Type all or part of a staff member’s name / role in the Staff Name field.

          To see a complete list of results, click Search WITHOUT entering any criteria.

          A list of available staff / roles matching your search criteria appears on the left-hand side of the screen.

        2. Click on each option you require in the left-hand, Available column to move them to the right-hand, Selected column.

          The Staff Search screen with multiple individuals selected

          Note: To deselect a name / role , click on the Black circle containing a white arrow pointing left next to the relevant name in the right-hand, Selected column.

        3. Repeat the search process until you have found and moved all the names / roles you need into the right-hand column listing selected staff. When you are finished, click OK.

          You return to the previous screen with the staff name(s) / role(s) added to the relevant field.

  6. To enable users to give specific record visibility to staff / roles with modular access who are not given access via the category settings, tick the Allow additional staff check box.

    This option is not available if the Visible to all staff / roles check box is ticked.

  7. Check that the In use check box is ticked to ensure that the category is live and available when pastoral management issues are recorded.

  8. (Optional) (Scottish Schools Only) Tick the relevant GIRFEC forms check boxes to indicate which forms can be completed for this category.

    Set Up Add a Category screen with GIRFEC options

    A System Administrator must configure GIRFEC settings for these options to appear. For more information, see Configuring GIRFEC and the 3sysACADEMIC Pastoral Management Setup Guide, available from the Customer Centre.

  9. Click Save.

  1. Go to Pastoral / Behaviour > Pastoral Management > Pastoral Configuration > Category. The Category Search screen appears.

    The Setup Category Search screen

  2. In the Actions column, click Magnifying glass icon next to the category you would like to view in more detail.

    The relevant Setup: View a Category screen appears.

    This screenshot shows a category called 'Complaints', which is live and in use. Records in this category can be seen by all staff with access to the Pastoral Management module. It is represented by a green star and no GIRFEC forms are associated with it.
    A Setup View a Category screen

    GIRFEC options are for Scottish schools and only appear if configured on your system. For more information, see About GIRFEC and Configuring GIRFEC.

  3. When you have finished viewing the category, do ONE of the following:

    • Click Edit to amend the category.
    • Click Delete to remove the category from the system.
    • Click Search to return to the Category Search screen.

  1. Go to Pastoral / Behaviour > Pastoral Management > Pastoral Configuration > Category. The Category Search screen appears.

    The Setup Category Search screen

  2. On the Category Search screen, in the Actions column, do ONE of the following:

    • Click Edit icon next to your chosen category.
    • Click Magnifying glass icon next to your chosen category and select Edit.

    The relevant Setup: Edit a Category screen appears.

    This example shows a category called 'Prevent' which is live and available for use. Records in this category can be seen by all staff with access to the Pastoral Management module and all available GIRFEC forms can be completed for records in this category. The icon representing it is a pink star.
    A Setup Edit a Category screen

    GIRFEC options are for Scottish schools and only appear if configured on your system. For more information, see About GIRFEC and Configuring GIRFEC.

  3. Make your changes.

  4. Click Save.

  1. Go to Pastoral / Behaviour > Pastoral Management > Pastoral Configuration > Category. The Category Search screen appears.

    The Setup Category Search screen

  2. In the Actions column, click Delete icon next to the category you would like to delete.

    The relevant Setup: Delete a Category screen appears.

    The following screenshot shows a category called 'Normal Priority' which is visible to all users with access to the Pastoral Management module and currently in use.
    A Delete a Category screen

    You CANNOT delete a category that is already associated with a pastoral record.
    A Setup Delete a Category screen showing an error

  3. Click Delete.

    If the category is NOT associated with a record, it is deleted and you are returned to the Category Search screen.