The training period is a new feature within the BOFA system. It allows the parent/school/tutor to select a period of time during which the pupil's tests will not become overdue.

What are the benefits of setting a training period for the pupil?

A pupil's adaptive test schedule is generated as soon as the pupil account is created. If the pupil account is set up but not accessed for a couple of days this can potentially lead to pupil's tests being overdue the very first time they log in, which can be demoralising for the child.

The training period facility enables the parent/school/tutor to choose a period of time during which a pupil's tests will not become overdue, allowing the child time to become familiar with the BOFA platform and their test schedule before it fully kicks in. This means schools can set up and activate a new cohort of pupils well in advance of introducing BOFA in the classroom. Parents can start a subscription any time and not worry that their child will be playing catch up with the schedule if they do not start using the platform immediately.

How it works

When creating a pupil account you will see in the syllabus and adaptive test settings section a 'Date the adaptive format will start' date field and a 'Training period enabled' checkbox. To set up a training period for the child ensure the checkbox is ticked and choose the date you would like the training period to end and the full schedule to start, allowing tests to become overdue if the child does not stick to their schedule. Schools can also set up training dates for pupils using the import facility.

When a child logs in within their training period the system will automatically clear down any overdue tests and refresh their test schedule. This process will happen every time the child logs in before their training period end date. The child will see a message on screen telling them when their training period will end. Once the child's training period has finished tests can become overdue if not completed on time, for the first week after the training period has ended the child will see a message on screen explaining their training period has finished, encouraging them to try and complete tests on time.

You can easily see which pupils have training periods set from the manage my pupils page, any pupils with an active training period will have a green button alongside them stating the date the adaptive system will start.

You can edit a pupil's training period end date by clicking the edit button for the pupil. School users can also edit a number of pupils' end dates using the bulk selection tool.