Fsp user guidev25

Early years

Foundation Stage eProfile User Manual

Version 2.5
(September 07 on)

Guarding standards Department for
Education and skills

Version 2
Version 2.1 introduces an end of year reporting facility.
Version 2.3 (Oct 2004) additions and amendments
• The toolbar buttons have been moved into a single bar similar to the Microsoft Outlook bar.
• All import, export and backup locations can be specified by the user.
• A new printout mirrors the group assessments screen. After selecting the component and
period a preview will be created which displays the items each selected pupil has achieved up
to that date. Note that “Entry” is earlier than any named period and “End FSP” is later.
• Charts have been upgraded to show an incremental picture of progress.
Version 2.4 (Apr 2005)
• Revised Outlook bar
• When using the group data entry dialog to enter assessments for an earlier date any
assessments on that screen that are dated later are shown differently and may not be
overwritten. This protects data against accidental wiping or re-dating.
• The group data entry screen shows the list of statements for the component.
• The summary assessment printout is now dated so that the user may choose to print an
assessment sheet for assessments dated up to the selected half term only.
Version 2.4.2 (Sept 2005)
• Revised Outlook bar
• Save end of year reports to RTF file
• Extra functionality in progress chart.
• “Additional” CSV/CSV Export file renamed to assist LAs
Version 2.4.3 (Jun 2006)
CTF Changes
• The CTF tag <Stage> is now defined as FSP rather than F.
• It is also possible to change the middle section of the file name from CTF to FSP. Make this
change under the Setup bar. The default setting is CTF
Other Changes
• Some personal pronouns in the pupil report have been corrected, so "hehe" and "sheshe"
should no longer appear in certain statements

Version 2.4.4 (Nov 2006)
CTF Changes
• The CTF tag <AcademicYear> now reflects the position of pupils moving from year -1 into
year 0. This is needed if schools/settings wish to import data from eprofile in CTF format.
Please note that eProfile should not be used for the purpose of importing new pupil
names into your MIS. The new version is designed to avoid the problem faced in 2005/6
where eProfile and SIMS were both producing a Common Transfer File (CTF) with the same
name and thus causing one to overwrite and destroy the other. The new eProfile has the
facility to change the name of the CTF so as to avoid this issue.

Version 2.5 (Sept 2007)
• CTF version 6 compatible.

Have I got the latest version?
Check the web site (quick link): http://masl.to/?M3BC2628A

3 Foundation Stage eProfile

Getting started with eProfile Version 2
BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE SOFTWARE.

eProfile expects a printer to be installed. You do not need to have one physically
attached (or network/wirelessly connected), but you should have at least one
printer added to the Printers folder on your computer.

Install the software using the instructions supplied by your LA. Run it by selecting eProfile
V2 from the Start menu:

Start | All Programs | Foundation Stage profile | eProfile V2

A new dialog box appears.

This will list all years from 2003 to the current (major)
year. The list will grow by one year each September
1st. The year you select will be for the cohort that will
come to the end of the foundation stage in July of that
year. EProfile will attempt to pick up the basic school
information from the previous year where possible.

The password is password. You can change it later under Setup | Change password. A
changed password applies only to the cohort you have selected.

Selecting from the menu

eProfile has both a top
and a side menu bar.

They are identical, with items grouped under headings.
In the following pages an example of the button to press for a particular task will be
displayed as a guide.


Importing pupil names into eProfile
Use a Common Transfer File (CTF) to import accurate pupil names and details
You are strongly recommended to import pupil names from your school’s management
information system (MIS). You can import names into eProfile at any time to add new arrivals
immediately. If pupils leave you will need to remove them manually (see the section on removing
pupils below).

Check with your Admin officer to find out whether the software supports the Common
Transfer File (CTF) format for data transfer between schools and LAs and is updated to
support the foundation stage profile.

The CTF is the easiest and most reliable format for eProfile to read as it is a national
standard. If your school does not have a CTF-compliant MIS you will need to create a
names file from it instead. Most systems should be able to provide (export) a list of names
onto a floppy disk or pendrive (see next page). Consult your MIS software supplier for
further details.

By now you will be fairly familiar with Common Transfer Files. If you create an alternative
destination named eProfile this will avoid the problem of creating a CTF with your school as
the destination, which SIMS.NET, for example, will not allow.

If you use SIMS.NET go to Tools > Setups > CTF and click on New against the
alternative destinations box. Use the code EPROFIL (7 characters only allowed!) and
the description eProfile.
When you later create a CTF find eProfile in the list (do not type the word – a SIMS pitfall)
and select the year group.

It is suggested that when you select the list of pupils for inclusion in the CTF for export
you click on the first pupil, scroll to the last and Shift-click in the DESTINATION
LA/OTHER field, when all pupil names will be selected. Now (without touching the
mouse!) simply type the letters ep and this will populate the field with "eProfile" for all
selected pupils. This new "Destination" (eProfile) only appears in the DESTINATION
LA/OTHER field.

Open eProfile

From the menu select Names and click on Import names

Navigate to the CTF and save.


Other file formats

Please ensure that you fully understand the concepts of data field ordering and
data formats

Foundation Stage eProfile can read CSV files but they must follow a strict format.

CSV files can be produced from spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel – choose to save a pupil list
with a “Text files” file type but ensure that dates are saved in the format shown here.

The header line may be
included or omitted

Each pupil appears in a new row.

The order of data fields is as follows:

UPN, Surname, Forename, Gender, Date of Birth, Class, Postcode, MyGroup1,
MyGroup2, MyGroup3, MyGroup4

• UPN – if your pupils do not yet have UPNs your LA will inform you on how to create
them or supply you with a list of valid UPNs that you can pick off one at a time.
• Please ensure that no commas appear in pupil names (e.g. Paul, E in a forename).
• Gender is M or F.
• Date of birth is in the format dd/mm/yyyy (e.g. 23/12/1998).
• The order of gender and date of birth may be switched (some systems seems to think
that a child is born before its gender is assigned!).
• Class is optional, but you may wish to use it for selecting pupils in a larger
school/setting.
• Postcode should be in a correct format – ensure there is a space in the middle.
• MyGroup1 to MyGroup4 are optional and hold names of groups that you may wish to
place pupils into as another way of selecting groups of pupils. You may wish, for
instance, to select pupils by the term of entry (you might enter something like “Spring”
against all Spring entry pupils) or ethnicity (using a particular ethnic coding). The
position of items within the slots does not matter – when you select an item eProfile
will check all four boxes for the text.

If you have problems loading CSV or TXT files you must check these details
very closely, especially the order of fields and their actual formats. Your
local Help Desk is unable to provide assistance if you do choose to use a
CSV format for import.


To pick up names from a CSV or TXT file in eProfile

From the menu select Names and click on Import names

Select the drive where the file is stored and
select the file you need (the name is not
necessarily as shown here!).

Select Text or CSV files under Files of type Click on Open

The names in the file will be imported to the eProfile.


Adding new pupils manually
You would normally load pupil names from your school MIS,
which will ensure that pupil details are correct and
consistent. Every pupil has a nationally unique identifier
assigned to him/her by the school or setting upon first entry.
Pupils arriving from other schools or funded settings should already have a UPN. If a pupil
arrives from another school or funded setting without information regarding a UPN you
should request it from the school or setting. The UPN stays with the pupil throughout his/her
school career.

For each new pupil you must add the UPN – this is a requirement that DfES makes in order
to enable the identification of a pupil once all profiles have been collected by your LA and
passed on.
Pupils in funded settings will be issued with UPNs (or the means to create them) by their LA.
You should contact your LA for further details.

Enter the details in the appropriate boxes on the screen.

The Next button will move you on to your next pupil.

UPN -
Other groups (optional)
1 letter followed by 12 digits

Click on
appropriate button
for gender

Class/tutor
group (optional)
Postcode – all
postcodes contain
one space

Click on Close when you have finished entering pupil names

.

Please note - You will not be able to move on to the next pupil on the screen if
certain information is missing or invalid - if you attempt to click on Close the
screen will not be saved.


Merging data from one eProfile to another
Improvements in version 2

Using data transfer to send or receive profiles of transferring pupils
Data transfer covers the sending or receiving of complete
pupil information, including comments, between schools or
even classrooms (see below).

The Common Transfer File holds only the aggregated
component scores and does not go down to item level. Neither does it allow for comments to be
passed between schools. You might want either to send complete data for one or more pupils who
may be transferring to another school or setting, or to import complete information for pupils
transferring to your school/setting whose details have been sent to you by another school/setting.

Use the Data files/Backup menu item and select the “Read in data from another eProfile” or “Export
data for merging with another eProfile” options. For the latter you will be asked to select the pupils
you wish to export.

Transferring pupil details and assessments will not be lost from your system until you select and
remove the pupils.

PLEASE NOTE:
New pupils transferring to your school will be added automatically. You may wish to edit their details
in order to place them into specific groups.

For the purposes of performance management you may wish to consider whether any pupils who
have transferred to you from elsewhere should have the dates of their assessments altered to “Entry”.

Using Data Transfer within your School/Setting
If your school/setting has a number of early years classes it may be more useful to install and run the
eProfile in more than one place, with a view to gathering assessments to a designated “main” machine
at various points during the foundation stage.

Keep a copy of eProfile in the Office
Although eProfile is used in the classroom as a formative pupil assessment information resource to
review pupil/group progress and guide planning it should also be installed on an office SIMS
computer. This machine can then be used both as a backup point for security and for easier data
return at the end of the year. Follow the steps below, using a USB pen. Insert the pen before starting
eProfile. Remember to remove it correctly.

If you use eProfile in one classroom only
Click on Data Files/Backup > Backup your work. Locate the USB pen (see page 16). When data has been
copied close eProfile and remove the pen safely.

Take the pen to the office computer and insert it. Run Start > Programs > Foundation Stage Profile > V2
Restore your work

Click on the lower button.

Locate your USB pen backup and
select. Your work will then be copied
over to the office machine.

If you use eProfile in more than one classroom

Click on Data Files/Backup and select Export data for merging with another eProfile. Locate
the USB pen. When data has been copied close eProfile and remove the pen safely.

Take the pen to the office computer, insert it and open eProfile.

Click on Data Files/Backup and select Read in data from another eProfile
Locate the file on the USB pen.

Repeat this process for each classroom computer. Once this is completed the office computer should
hold the assessments for all pupils in the foundation stage.

You are recommended to follow the above procedures at agreed points during the year as well as at
the end, so that you do not have data on a vulnerable classroom laptop/desktop only. In schools with
more than one reception class the headteacher can use this computer to follow progress of all pupils.

With the special data transfer facility you can create what is essentially a backup of selected pupils’
details, assessments and comments to a USB pen for another school/setting to pick up and add to
their data set, and vice versa. The same can be done within your school/setting. This means that in a
larger school/setting you can create separate “sets” of pupils for other teachers who are using the
eProfile in their areas and read back the emerging profile data at various points in the foundation
stage to the “central” eProfile. Once all data has been gathered you can then produce printouts and
charts centrally from the one machine (you can, in Version 2, select all pupils or different groups of
pupils for printouts and charts) and finally produce a single CTF file to send to your LA.

PLEASE NOTE

There is a slight possibility of a conflict of assessments between two machines (there are very few, but
they need to be covered). Should this occur, the data being imported in will take precedence over that
already held on the central computer.


Selecting pupils

When the program starts, all the pupils on the disc are selected for you to work with. You
may need to select a specific group of pupils to enter assessments for a particular class or
for producing a printout of selected data.

Select Names then click on Select pupils

The pupil selection dialog box that appears describes your current selection. You may either
click on the All Pupils button to select everyone, or click on a radio button with a view to
filtering down your selection.

You can continue where appropriate to filter the list even further.

Advanced
selecting
Shows selection You can pick
more than one
item from the
list box by
holding down
Click on the the Ctrl key and
grouping you wish clicking on
to select and you individual items,
will be shown the e.g. a selection
available options in of individual
the list box. pupils. Click on
Select to
confirm.
The text that
describes this
Click on your sort of selection
selection and then simply says
‘custom
click on the Select selection, XX
button pupils’.

You may further refine your choice by filtering down by a number of different criteria.
Click on the Close button when your choice is complete. The choice you made will be
displayed in the panel at the bottom of the main screen.


Editing pupil details
You may wish to select the pupils whose records are to be amended. (See Selecting pupils)
or simply scroll through the full list until you find the pupils whose details you wish to amend.

For each pupil enter the appropriate new details.

Move from pupil to
pupil by clicking on
the Prev. or Next
button.

Finish by clicking on
Close.

Removing pupils.
Proceed with caution. Please read all messages carefully.

You will be prompted to select the pupils whose records
you wish to remove. (See Selecting pupils)

WARNING
Pupils who have been removed have their assessments removed too, and
they vanish irretrievably from your computer. Deletions cannot be undone
except by re-entering names and assessments again. Take care that you do
not delete the whole cohort of pupils in error.


Entering assessment - Pupil by Pupil

Select Enter assessments

Click on the tabs to bring
forward the details for the The assessment details of the first pupil selected will be
particular Component or displayed on a page with tabs similar to those found on record
Area of Learning. cards.

Record success against an
item by clicking on the drop
down box beside its
descriptive text and selecting Enter comments as appropriate in either of
the half term in which the the two comments boxes – “internal”
assessment was made. comments will not be printed anywhere, and
“reporting” comments will be used for
printouts.

Scores for components and areas of learning and the overall score are calculated and
displayed and updated as assessments are recorded. There is provision for some very early
assessment for this year’s cohort, but this will make more sense in future years when pupils
are assessed from entry!

Do I have to specify the point at which a positive assessment was made?

No – but it will prove useful for both future reference and performance management
purposes if you do. Most of the graphs that eProfile offers (these can also be printed) can
show dynamically how pupils have made progress over the foundation stage – these will only
show any useful information if you record assessments chronologically.

To build a profile of pupil progress you can enter the pupil’s entry profile by selecting Entry
from the drop down box. When the pupil matches new items indicate the period in order to
build up a profile. Foundation Stage eProfile provides some useful analyses of progress
through the graphs, but only if the correct period is recorded for each assessment. If you are
using clerical support make sure that the person entering the data understands the concept.

If, after agreement with your Head Teacher, you do not wish to make use of these analyses
you can enter the period for every assessment as End FSP.


Why can’t I click in some boxes?

Foundation Stage eProfile attempts to keep you in line with the rules that apply to entering
assessments for any pupil.

You can tick the
Alternative
assessment applies to
this component check
box in any component
only when the score for
that component is zero.

Once this is ticked you
cannot click on or open
anything else in this
component.

You can open the point 9 box only when all eight
other assessments have been recorded in that
component. Once something positive has been
recorded here you cannot alter the other eight boxes
without first clearing this box.

You can tick the Further assessment applies
check box only when entries have been made in all
nine assessment boxes in that component. You
will have to undo this before you can alter the point
9 box and the point 9 box will have to be cleared
before you can alter any other assessment box.

Why is this all so restrictive?

Asking you to work logically to enter
assessments or make amendments helps you
to check that you are not making any errors.

Move from pupil to pupil by clicking on the Prev. or Next buttons. Click on
Close (the X button on the top right of the page) to finish. All information is
saved automatically.


Using a grid for “bulk” data entry

This method allows you to record assessments made of
a group of pupils in a particular component. It works in
a way similar to a spreadsheet.
You may wish firstly to select the group you have been assessing.

The screen below will show but in order to see assessments you must select both the
component and the date from the drop down box.

In the grid you will then see any assessments already made as asterisks or carets (^).
Carets show assessments dated later than the half term you selected. These cannot be
edited.

Select a cell by clicking on it or using the arrow keys. Press the SPACE BAR to switch the
assessment.
Any assessments added will be saved immediately and when viewed under the Pupil by
Pupil method shown above will show the half term against the assessment.

You may continue data entry by selecting other components and/or dates. Click on OK when
done.

Click on the item number at the top of the grid to fill all cells underneath it with a positive
assessment.

Please note
You will not be able to enter alternative or further assessments for pupils under the bulk entry
method. This information should be entered pupil by pupil AFTER you have entered bulk entry
data in the grid. The bulk entry facility is for entering positive assessments against the printed
criteria.
Note also that if you enter a positive assessment when alternative or further assessments have
already been entered, those assessments will be cleared and the new positive assessment details
entered.

You will still not be able to enter a positive assessment in the ninth column until the previous
eight have been completed, and you will not be able to clear any assessment in boxes one to
eight unless the ninth box is also clear.

A box has been added which lists the text of the items so that you can make a quick screen
dump if you wish. Thanks to Lisa Killelay, Worlds End Infant and Nursery School,
Birmingham, for the idea.

A new printout for version 2.4 gives you the facility to print sheets like this.


Making a backup of your data
eProfile expects you to make regular backups of your work (you will be prompted whenever
you close the program to make a backup to the computer’s hard disk). From version 2.3 you
can also choose to make backups to any drive attached to your computer.

A regular back up ensures that the re-entry of data following a hard drive failure or
power failure is kept to a minimum. Do not use a floppy disk to make backups - this is
not a reliable method any more. A USB pen is more reliable.

To make an immediate backup of your work

Select Data files/Backup and
select Backup your work

Select the drive to which you wish to back up your
work, ensuring that if this is a network or USB drive it
is properly connected.

A message will pop up when the backup has been completed to let
you know exactly where the backup has been saved.

KEEP A NOTE OF THIS INFORMATION.

You are advised not to make repeated backups to the same location as you will end up with only one
backup. Always allow yourself access to at least 2 backups.

To make a backup or backups to your computer when you finish the program.
Foundation Stage eProfile saves your work to a new backup folder whose name will show both the
cohort year and the date of the backup. It takes just a few seconds. Click on Exit to finish the
program.

Confirm that you wish to make a backup by
clicking on Yes in the dialogue box.

Make a note of the message that
follows as this tells you where your
work has been backed up


Restoring your work after a computer catastrophe
This facility will only be useful if you have made a backup recently! If you haven’t then it’s at
times like this that you will wish you had.

Run the Restore your work program:

Click on Start | All Programs | Foundation Stage profile | V2 Restore your work.

There are two options: the first is to
restore an automatic backup - the one
which you made when you last closed
eProfile (assuming you clicked on Yes in
the dialogue box - see previous page ).

This option will offer you a list of folders with dates in
their names so you can find the last backup you
made and pull that one back.

The second choice is to allow you to
restore an "immediate" backup you made
using the backup feature or to restore a
backup from another machine made that
way (see pages 9 & 10).

Navigate to your backup and select
and a message will inform you of the
restoration.

Whatever password you used in the backup you’ve restored will be the password you need
to use when you next run the Foundation Stage eProfile.


Tracking Pupil Progress
There are two graphs (which can be printed) showing how pupils have made progress over the
foundation stage – these will only show any useful information if you record the information
chronologically.

To build a profile of pupil
progress, enter the pupil’s entry
profile by clicking on Entry from
the drop down box when entering
assessments

Foundation Stage eProfile provides some useful analyses of progress through the graphs but it is
important that the correct period is recorded for each
assessment. If, after agreement with your Head Teacher, you
do not wish to make use of these analyses you can enter the
period for every assessment as End FSP.

Practitioners who make use of the eProfile for recording
assessments formatively have access to a wide range of
instant analyses in the form of charts that can help them
to view attainment and progress of their pupils at any
point in the foundation stage. Some of the charts are
interactive, and allow the practitioner to produce animated
charts that show how a pupil progresses over time.
There are charts that offer statistical analyses of the
attainment of boys, girls and the whole cohort. It is
possible to select a specific group of pupils and look at
how they are doing.

What charts are available in eProfile?
Gender
Chart What it shows analysis?

Averages – bar For the selected group of pupils the average score achieved in each components Yes
style (scale) at any point in time. The user selects a point, labelled a “growth point” and
the chart shows the average scores of pupil at that point in time. This allows the
user to produce charts retrospectively. The chart displays the information in bar
format.

Averages – The same information as the bar style, but results are splayed out from the centre Yes
radar style of a circle and in line rather than bar format.

Incremental A simple chart showing the running total of all points scored by all selected pupils No
progress overall over time. It shows the rate at which pupils “gain weight” as time goes on.

Progress in This was removed in version 2.3 as it can be emulated and improved upon by No
components recent improvements to the first graph, but popular demand has brought it back.
overall The graph shows the average points score on entry for all selected pupils and the
current average points score side by side for each component. This graph does
not work retrospectively to show average scores after, say, two terms.

Item coverage in Select a component. A bar chart is displayed with a bar representing each of the Yes
components nine items in the component. The bar shows the percentage of pupils who have
achieved this item. It is useful for planning next steps.

Individual pupil Select a growth point and a pupil. This shows a graph of component scores for No
scores in each pupil to any point in time.
components


These charts cover a range of analyses and performance management information. A recent feature
in some of these charts is the facility to choose the point in time for which the chart will show the
pupils’ attainment (i.e. any later assessments will be ignored for this purpose).

Some of the charts in further detail
Average points score per component/scale

This chart first appears blank. Once the
“growth point” is selected the average of all
scores achieved up to that point in each
component will be displayed.

These two graphs are displaying the
same information.


Coverage of items in components

In this example Social development has
been selected from the drop down box.
The numbers 1 to 9 across the bottom
axis represent the nine items in this
component. All pupils have achieved the
first three items and number 5. 47% of all
Points scores in components have
pupil have achieved item 4. No girls
achieved item 7 or 8. No-one has yet
achieved item 9. A close examination of
what pupils have achieved (and the
gender split?) can help you in planning
your next steps.

This chart first appears blank. You will
need to select both the growth point
and the individual pupil. The chart
shows the actual score achieved in
each component.

“Animating” your chart
This is a good candidate for
“animation”. Scrolling through the
“growth point” dropdown box will
provide you with a picture of progress
over time. When the dropdown box is
highlighted you can use the up and
down arrow keys on the keyboard to
“animate” the display.

Viewing less bars
In charts which show boy/girl/all bars you can click on the coloured lozenge in the legend at the
bottom and it will cause the bars of that colour to toggle on or off.

Customising charts
There are some buttons at the base of the chart window. The set square button allows you to
customise a chart to your requirements. Some of the features, such as 3D view and perspective
adjustments may make the charts look more presentable, but any practitioner knows that this will add
nothing to what the charts are telling you! Use discretion when adapting the look of charts. (The
“save” button performs no useful function, but it was not possible to hide it from view.)


Selecting pupils

In this example, after selecting My Groups, the user can
select pupils who entered in the Autumn, Spring or
Summer term. In order to make this happen, the correct
information must be entered against each pupil.

In the Edit Pupil details screen you can
see that “Autumn” has been entered for
this pupil in the “My groups” windows.
You will also note that the Class has
been filled in. This information is not
automatically loaded from a Common
Transfer File (but it could be if you
imported a CSV file). If you are happy
to work through all pupils and enter the
groups you want to place them in for the
purposes of comparison then simply
enter the information manually (it does
not matter which of the four windows
you use).

The charts take on further usefulness when you select the group of pupils whose achievements you
want to chart. You may wish, for instance, to select the Autumn joiners and produce charts for them
and then select the Spring joiners to see how they are progressing. You may wish in a larger school
to look at the progress of pupils in different classes. Whatever you might want to compare, this is
something you can do quite simply by adding tags to pupils.

Copying charts On each chart there is a Copy button. This will
copy the body of the chart to the clipboard,
enabling you to paste it into any suitable
application. You may, for instance, want to
copy a number of charts and paste them into a
presentation slide set or into a discussion
document for governors or into a display for
parents. Simply click on the Copy button,
move to or open the target application and
select Edit – Paste.

Printing charts
There are two print buttons. The top one prints the chart with contextual information. The lower one
only prints the chart itself, but you do have a range of options over how it is printed.


Producing an assessments CSV file.
This facility creates a dump of pupil details and assessments to a CSV file. This is useful if
you are familiar with using spreadsheet programs like MSExcel.

The file is also created automatically on the export drive when you create the final CTF

Select Data files/Backup

Click on Produce an assessment CSV file


Producing end of year reports in eProfile
What does the reporting section do?
The eProfile can produce an end of year report that contains the necessary elements for
statutory reporting to parents. It uses examples of the statements against which pupils have
been matched along with the comments for reporting that practitioners have entered within
scales and areas of learning to form the main text of the report. A simple cover sheet and
final page containing general comments and other information (both optional if you wish to
produce your own) form the outer shell.

The reporting section has been designed to be as easy as possible to use. Based on the
notion that assessments have been already entered and comments for reporting have been
made during the formative assessment of the pupil there should be only the general
comments and other bits for the final page to produce.

What do I need to do in order to produce reports?
In order to produce end of year reports you will need to have completed the following:

• Assess all pupils against the Foundation Stage Profile.
• Enter comments in the “comments for reporting” boxes in each scale and area of
learning (optional)
• Enter final general comments (optional)
• Enter attendance information either through the CTF from your MIS or manually.
• Enter any final information, e.g. dates of consultation meetings.

If all of the above has been completed you will be able to produce for each selected pupil a
three-part document containing a cover sheet, the main reporting section and a final sheet
for general comments and other information. You can choose to output all or any of the
three sections. If you prefer to hand write some comments you can specify the amount of
space that should be left blank for this.

How will a pupil report look?
For each pupil the main report section will consist of each AOL title and an AOL description
(optional). Within each AOL there will be the component/scale title (if more than one in the
AOL) followed by two paragraphs. The first will list examples of statements matched. No
more than 5 of the 9 statements will be printed as more than this could clog up the report.
What will be reported is a check against the stepping stones and early learning goals with
examples of statements matched. The second paragraph will be the comment for reporting
entered against that pupil. No scores will be reported. The AOL comment for reporting will
be placed after this. Each element of the report can be assigned a font so that you can
adjust its face, size, weight and colour.

Can I spell check?
Spell checks can be performed on each box into which you can type information – look for
the spell check buttons. If you are using the spelling facility for the first time you will need to
check spelling against each pupil. Remember that a spell checker does not understand
syntax or grammar, so synonyms will pass (parse?!) through.

I want to hand write some of this report
You have the option to specify the amount of space eProfile should leave for you to write
your own scale, AOL and general comments.

Can I print out just one class?
Yes. Select the pupils first.

Can I print our report in our usual A5 format?
Yes. Produce the report in MS Word and resize the page. However the standard size is A4..


Step by step reporting
Report layout and fonts
Select which sections are to be produced, the fonts for
each element of the report and how the final report is to be
produced – to preview and printer or to MS Word (if Word
is installed).

The sections tab allows you to choose which section or
sections of the report you wish to have produced. You can
also specify the amount of space you require for any
element you wish to write by hand. The space you specify
will apply throughout the report.

The fonts tab allows you to choose the font name, size,
colour and weight. Click on the element you wish to
change and enter the details in the pop up font dialog box.
An example of text in that font choice will appear in the lower window.

The outputs tab allows the choice of output to the printer (you will see the report in preview
first and can cancel before it prints) or to MS Word.

Area Of Learning descriptors
A brief description of the area of learning (AOL) which informs the reader of the nature and
content of each. This will appear after the AOL title in the report. You have the option to
leave them blank if you do not require them.

Last page comments
This allows a simple preview of a pupil’s report and provides two boxes into which general
comments may be entered – these may be for practitioner and head teacher. The window
can be expanded and resized to allow for easier working. Remember that screens set to low
resolution (i.e. larger fonts) are probably not the best environments for this sort of work.

Attendance
Confirm that your school’s data entry clerk has filled in the pupil attendance details on the
school’s MIS. Export a Common Transfer File for the cohort to floppy disk and import this to
the eProfile. As well as tidying any names changes the attendance information will also be
loaded in. Otherwise you will need to type in the attendance information by hand – maximum
sessions, sessions attended and number of unauthorised absences.

Produce Reports
BEFORE you produce reports please check the following:

• the school name on the cover sheet is correct (options | change school details)
• you have selected the pupils you want (it is advisable to produce reports in small
batches i.e. per class rather than per cohort).
• the printer is primed and loaded (but see notes below)
• you have already produced a small sample and have agreed within a whole school
context that the layout is correct.

Now press the button.

Output to printer and this will first produce a print preview. Output to Word will work relatively
more slowly and you should wait for the progress bar that pops up to run its course. You will
be asked to supply a file name for the document and then it will close. Run Word and locate
the document.


Things to watch out for or to consider

General
The school name on the cover page will reproduce on the report EXACTLY as you have
entered it. Check under Options | Change school name.

Style considerations
It is best to use basic fonts. The default settings are offered as a model of constraint.
The report should be seen as a distillation of the pupil’s achievements therefore it is best not
to make it too lengthy.

Printing
Use a quality printer – perhaps the office has a laser printer.
The quality of paper is important for what is a statutory document.
Coloured inks are expensive.

Remember!

1. Make regular backups - It's so simple – click on
Data files|Backup-Backup your work.
2. Use a USB pen for your backups. As these are now
so cheap you should use one for nothing other than
making a backup of your eProfile work.
3. Keep the USB pen in a safe place away from the
computer.
4. Advanced - you may need to seek assistance
from your ICT support technician to set this up. You
can keep multiple backups in separate folders. The
folders must be created in advance with memorable or
meaningful names such as "Sept07", "Oct07", etc.


Common Queries
What is the minimum computer specification for running eProfile?
It is expected that eProfile will run on a standalone computer running Windows XP or later.
There should be at least 128Mb of RAM and at least 4 Gb of free disk space. The operating
system and drivers should all be maintained to the latest updates. eProfile only runs on an
Apple computer if it has Windows emulation – there is no Apple version.

If users wish to use Word reports from eProfile this has to be correctly installed with all of the
usual options. It cannot be guaranteed, however, that the connection to Word will be
successful.

eProfile expects a printer to be “installed”. You do not have to have a printer attached but
the Printers folder should contain at least one printer even if you have no intention of printing
from that computer.

The date and regional settings should conform to UK standards.

The program disappears after I type in the password
This happens when you type in the wrong password - the program will close immediately.
Has the password been changed since you last used it? Check also that the keyboard is not
set to Caps Lock on. In the final event you can restore a backup you made earlier as the
password you know will be stored as the password.

The software has installed but will not start.
If the machine is new you should check that a printer has been installed on the hard drive.
The Foundation Stage eProfile will not start unless a printer is installed in your Windows
system.

The software won’t run on our school network
The eProfile cannot be supported on network machines due to their complexity and
variety. It will probably work on a well organised network with the support of an ICT
technician. For network machines we can advise that the software is installed in your user
area and you are the only user who can get access to it. Ideally to the eProfile should be
used on a standalone machine.

The software installs and runs but when I come back later it’s disappeared from the
Start Menu
This may be caused by the “safety/protection” features in some classroom computers
designed for pupil use. These are made to start up with the same screen every time unless
you change it. This has advantages in the classroom but it does not help you here. The
software has not been removed, but the connections to it have. You should find out from
your ICT support staff how to log in to these machines with the authority to save the screen
or menus so you can see them when you next log on.

The “Select a Cohort” box is empty.
Firstly check that the computer is showing the correct date. Double-click on the clock in the
corner (if it’s not there then you will need to switch the view back on). If the date continues to
go wrong you need a new battery for the clock.

The computer needs to be set to UK settings. Go to Control Panel, select “Regional….” (the
actual title depends on the version of Windows) and open the Date section. Against “short
date format” enter these characters: dd/MM/yyyy. A date such as 3 October 2008 should
appear as 03/10/2008 (and not 10/03/2008 or 10/3/2008, which will cause the error above
when eProfile attempts to determine the date on launching).


The program says that “9/ (or something similar) is not a valid integer” and then fails to
run properly.
Check the answer above.

The program has jammed, or “hangs”.
From time to time programs do this. It is not necessarily the fault of the program but of the
system on which it is running. It may happen if your computer is running quite a number of
programs at any one time.. Sometimes it might just be a power dip. If the Foundation Stage
eProfile hangs and nothing seems to work you can probably just reset your machine and get
away with it, except if you were adding or removing pupils at the time it jammed. If work gets
lost run the Restore your work program and restore the last backup known to be good.

The latest upgrade has removed all of my work
It has not. Upgrades only update the software, and do not touch the data. The most likely
reason for your work not appearing is that your previous installation was to a different
location on the computer from the one you selected for the current installation. Installing a
new version to a different place will mean that you have started form scratch.

You are strongly recommended not to change the installation folder unless there is a strong
operational reason for doing so.

To find the orphaned data use Windows’ Search facility to look for instances of the eProfile
file fsp.exe. Consult with your ICT support on your next steps.

We have some new pupils from a school that is using the eProfile. Can we get their
assessments in?
Yes, and their names, too, in one operation. Use the Data files/Backup menu item “Read in
data from another eProfile”. The sending school will have selected the transferring pupils
and chosen the other item in that menu to create what is essentially a selective backup. The
“read in data” facility will load the pupil information into your eProfile.

We’ve set up the eProfile on two machines in two rooms and loaded the pupils on to
each machine. How do we get it all back to one machine for reports?
Use the data transfer facility as outlined in the manual.

It keeps telling me the children are out of age range
Ensure that the date and time is set correctly on your computer. Use the Control Panel –
Regional Settings – Date. Also check that the date format is UK and not US, as the US
format swaps round the day and month.

Make sure you have chosen the correct cohort when the program starts. The year you
choose is the calendar year in which those pupils will complete the Foundation Stage and go
on to Key Stage 1.

There is no easy way of rescuing work done with pupils who have been entered into the
wrong cohort apart from deleting them and starting all over again.

The report to MS Word doesn’t work
The components that eProfile uses for reporting to Word have to speak to the Microsoft Word
software. These components are tried and tested commercially. You must, of course, have
MS Word installed and a reasonably capable computer which has the capacity to deal with
the complex processes involved.

I keep getting an “Access Violation” error
Another piece of software is trying to use the memory space on the computer that has
already been allocated by Windows to eProfile. This is not the fault of eProfile. It is the fault
of the offending software. Unfortunately, the error message doesn’t tell you which software
is causing the problem, but experience suggests that it is likely to be a badly-written printer or


other device driver. If the problem occurred after you installed some new device to work with
the computer then it may well be that this is to blame. Uninstall and remove it and see
whether eProfile works correctly after that.

Have I got a virus?
Viruses and other malware/adware/spyware, etc. can seriously affect the running of people’s
computers. It is strongly recommended that you use up-to-date anti-virus software and
regularly update it. If other people (and pupils) have access to your machine you MUST
ensure that they are not introducing viruses from Internet downloads. Check your school’s
policy on these matters.

Before calling for help..
Please ensure before calling your LA IT support that your problem is not already listed
above.

Check also
• that your machine is a standard, modern Windows computer;
• that it is not subject to restricted user privileges by your ICT support or school policy;
• that it is not part of a protected network (we can’t help with networks – they are all
different);
• that it is set up to UK standard date formats: Control Panel | Regional... | Date – enter
a short date format dd/MM/yyyy.
• that your antivirus software is up-to-date and reports no errors.


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