Effort Ratings

Overview

Effort Ratings allow schools to evaluate learners' diligence, attitude, or behaviour alongside their academic performance. These ratings are captured as scale symbols or percentages and can be displayed on official report cards.

Navigation Path

My School > Curriculum > Curriculum Setup:  Effort Ratings

Purpose of Feature

The Effort Rating module is designed to provide a holistic view of learner progress. It enables schools to:

• Quantify non-academic performance metrics (e.g., "Participation" or "Homework Diligence").

• Provide qualitative feedback using scale sets (e.g., A–E or 1–7).

• Generate comparative data such as grade averages for effort.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Pre-requisite: Scale Set Configuration

Before an effort rating can be created, the underlying scale set must be defined in the system database.

1. Determine the symbols required (e.g., A, B, C or Excellent, Good, Satisfactory).

2. If the required scale set does not exist or requires modification, email support@d6plus.co.za.

3. Specify the curriculum or scale set name and the symbols/values to be included.

2. Creating an Effort Rating

1. Navigate to My School > Curriculum > Curriculum Setup:  Effort Ratings.

2. Click Add New.

3. Enter the Description in both English and Afrikaans.

4. Select the appropriate Scale Set from the dropdown menu.

5. Set the Ordering value (this determines the display sequence on report cards).

6. Important: Under the Years section, select the current academic year from the column by clicking on the tick box on the left hand side of the year.
   

7. Click Save.

3. Capturing Effort Ratings

1. Navigate to My School > Learners > Learner Marks:  Marks per Group.

2. Make sure you are on the correct Year, and Term.
   

3. Under the Grade, click on Select Subject.
   

4. Under the subject, click on Enter Assessment Mark
   

5. Click on Enter assessment mark under the correct task

6. Click the Marks tab for the relevant class.

7. The Effort Rating columns will appear adjacent to the academic mark columns.

8. Select the appropriate level from the dropdown or enter the value for each learner.

4. Printing Effort Ratings on Report Cards

1. Navigate to Reports > Learners > Marks and Achievements:  Report Cards.

2. Select the desired template and click Edit Chosen Template.

3. Click on the Effort Ratings tab.

4. Configure the display options:

   • Select whether to print the Percentage, Level, the Smiley (Single Column, or Smileys only.
     

   • Move the Effort rating that you set up, from the left (available) column to the right (Active) by clicking on the effort rating, and then on the blue right pointing arrow.

   • Toggle the Print Grade Average option if required.

5. Click Save.

System Behaviour

• Data Linking: Effort ratings are linked to specific subjects and terms. This allows for subject-specific behaviour tracking rather than just a general grade-level rating.

• Reporting Logic: If "Print Grade Average" is selected, the system calculates the average level achieved by all learners in that specific grade and subject for the selected term.

• Visibility: Effort ratings only appear in the Mark Capture screen if they have been correctly activated for the specific academic year in the setup phase.

Restrictions & Reasons

• Scale Set Locking: Users cannot create or delete scale sets manually.

  • Reason: Scale sets govern the mathematical logic of the system. Incorrectly configured scales can cause errors in percentage calculations and report card rendering. Support intervention ensures data integrity.

• Year-to-Year Activation: Effort ratings must be manually activated for each new academic year.

  • Reason: This prevents outdated or redundant rating categories from cluttering the mark capture interface in subsequent years.

• Template Dependency: Effort ratings will not appear on report cards unless the specific rating is "Activated" within the individual report card template settings.

  • Reason: This allows schools to use different rating sets for different grades (e.g., Foundation Phase vs. High School) within the same system.