10 top Testwise tips

1. Use Wonde (free!)

• Wonde integrates with 24 MIS/SIS providers allowing you to quickly import students into the correct years and groupings.
• Wonde will automatically create a CSV file containing the relevant student information from your school’s MIS - the data will already be in the correct format so all you need to do is upload the file to Testwise. More information available here.

2. Be consistent with data entry

• Ensure consistency across any acronyms used and avoid variations in any categories - naming of groups and Year groups is particularly important.

3. Select and name custom fields carefully

• Custom fields allow you to enter additional data useful to your setting, such as feeder school. 
• Custom fields must be the same for all students and cannot be adjusted for each year group or specific groups. Look to your MIS for data that is present in student records that would be useful to have in Testwise.

4. Check your credits

• Before you begin to create a sitting, check you have sufficient credits within the ‘Services’ window of Testwise. Credits can be ordered by calling 0330 123 5375 or emailing [email protected]. Remember to leave time for order processing (usually 24 to 48 hours) and please note that you can create a sitting without sufficient credits, but you can only save it as a draft.

5. Name sittings clearly

• Make sitting names recognisable for staff and students. 
• We recommend including details such as the group, the assessment, the level/form and term. For example, ‘Y7 PTE 12 Term 1 2021’.

6. Check student activity

• Before running a report check that all sections of a test have been completed, this will ensure that your data set is complete.
• View a student’s activity log in the ‘Students’ window; this will show all of the assessments that a student has started and completed since they were entered into Testwise.

7. Make reports accessible

• Select names for reports that make them easy for other users to find; use a consistent naming convention.
• Consider how reports will be shared with staff once available so they can use the data to inform teaching and learning.

8. Start of year procedures

• Move pupils forward each academic year to ensure that they remain in the correct groups within Testwise.

9. Deactivate former users and students

• Deactivate former students and staff in Testwise - even if you use Wonde.

10. Deactivate old sittings and delete old reports

• Reports are stored by academic year and are listed in date order. Tidy this up by deleting any that are no longer needed. These can be easily and quickly re-created if necessary. 
• Sittings are not stored by academic year so it is worth deactivating old sittings (your data will not be lost).

If you have any questions or need support with Testwise please contact:

[email protected] or 0330 123 5375.