A great start with Smartgrade comes down to solid prep and making sure everyone feels supported. Here are some suggestions to make the Smartgrade launch as successful as possible.
Please note: while this guide focuses on standalone primary schools, we’re very happy to support secondary schools and multi-academy trusts with any additional guidance they may need.
1. 🛠️ Pre-launch configuration
Before the rest of the staff jump in, your Smartgrade administrator needs to get the "under the bonnet" bits ready:
Configuration > School Users: double-check that all staff accounts are accurate, paying close attention to staff email addresses, classes, and permission levels.
Configuration > Out-of-Year Groups (optional): create out of year groups if you have pupils sitting assessments that don't match their national curriculum year.
Marketplace: activate and assign the required assessments to all relevant classes (including out-of-year groups if applicable).
Markbooks: check that the markbooks have appeared as expected. You can use the Show these columns feature to add additional columns in the markbooks table if needed.
Outcome: the system is complete, accurate and ready for action.
2. 📣 Staff launch and communication
It’s best to announce the move to Smartgrade just before your first data entry window.
Be clear about why the school is using Smartgrade; how it supports assessment, enables teachers to spot gaps, and drives improvement.
Arrange a short, focused training session (see step 4) and let everyone know when they need to be there.
Outcome: staff understand the "why" behind the change and know what’s coming.
3. 🔐 Access and account setup
On the day of your training session, the Smartgrade administrator should send out the login invitations via Configuration > School users.
Outcome: everyone can get in without any technical hiccups.
4. 🎓 Training session structure
Keep your training session practical and focused. We recommend the following:
Login check: make sure everyone can log in successfully.
CPD video: watch this quick 5 minute intro video on how to add data to a markbook.
Access check: ensure teachers can see and access their own markbooks.
Hands-on practice: let staff have a go at entering some dummy data. They can easily clear this out afterwards by highlighting the marks and pressing delete on their keyboard.
Support: show them where to find help if they get stuck later on.
Q&A: address any immediate questions or concerns.
Outcome: staff leave the room feeling confident and ready to get going.
5. 🔁 Post-training follow-up
Keep the momentum going once the session is over:
Send a quick round-up email with the training video link and support info.
Catch up with anyone who couldn't make it or who might need extra support.
Outcome: consistent confidence and high engagement across the whole team.
🏁 Next steps
When you’re ready, we’re here to support you in getting even more value from your data. These optional resources are designed to help you explore insights at your own pace and turn them into impact:
Browse our help articles and watch on-demand CPD videos.
Register for our live, in-depth analysis webinar for shared learning and discussion.
Need further help or support? Contact us!