Using the School Online Assessment Registration (SOAR) Test Week

Educational Measurement and School Accountability Directorate Better informed, better positioned, better outcomes

Using the School Online Assessment Registration

(SOAR)

Test Week


• Principal’s SOAR checklist here• Test week tasks:

– overview here– Check In details here– Check In FAQs here– Check Out details here

Quick linksIf you are very familiar with SOAR, try these quick links:

If you are a new SOAR user, please follow through the SOAR - New User presentation first.

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsweb/learning/naplan/n11soartrnnewus.ppsx

https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/directorates/schoimpro/EMD/naplan_publications.htm

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsweb/learning/naplan/n11soartrnnewus.ppsx


Term 2 Test Week Tasks

10 -12 May

Assessment Roll Distribute assessment rolls with the test materials Teachers record student name and barcode for any spare book used Collect rolls, confirm absences, exempt, withdrawals, special

provisions

Student ManagementBefore Check in, ensure you have deleted all students who have left your school, added any new enrolments and added visiting students.

Check in Step 1 - identify all absent, exempt or parent withdrawal students Step 2 - identify barcodes for all students who used a spare book Step 3 - identify all students who accessed special provisions Step 4 - count all completed books and match the number in SOAR

SOAR checklist


Term 2 Post Test Tasks

13 May

Check in Repeat Step 1 to update students who completed catch-up tests to

‘present’. This is important for accurate student results.

Check out Complete Check Out Keep a copy of the number of test books returned and student

absences for your records Attach return eParcel labels and send through Australia Post

SOAR checklist


In Term 2, principals or the NAPLAN coordinator must use SOAR to:

1. add visiting students and identify all exempt students

2. identify all students who were absent or parent withdrawals

3. indicate the correct barcode for any recently enrolled or visiting students

4. indicate any special provisions accessed by students

5. count and check in all completed test books

6. indicate the return of test books by Australia Post.

Test week tasks


Before accessing Check In, in Student Management:1. add new students who have recently enrolled

2. add visiting students

3. delete any students who left the school

4. change the participation status to exempt for any students who were exempt from all tests. These students will not appear in Check In.

Student Management

Click to add a new student.

Click to delete a student.

Click to add a visiting student.


Before accessing Check In, collect the completed

Assessment Rolls showing:

– absent, parent withdrawn and exempt students

– barcodes for test books used by recently enrolled

students and students visiting the school

– comments on student illness or behaviour

– students who used special provisions, including

Braille, large print, black and white, coloured paper.This is the last slide if you are very familiar with SOAR - press ESC to finish.

Assessment Roll


Check InThe Check In process must be done after students have completed the NAPLAN tests.


Check InWhen Check In is first chosen, click the cohort (3, 5, 7 or 9). A summary of the Check In status for each of the tests will appear below the cohort chosen. Click the test which is being checked in.

The school below has not yet ‘checked in’ any of the Year 3 tests.


• After each step press

There are 7 steps to Check In.

• Each step has a link for further information.

Check In

• To move forward in Check In click

• To return to a step click


Step 1 - Students who did not complete the testEach student is assumed to have completed the test, so the default is Present.

In Step 1, use the drop-down menu to indicate students who were:

– Absent– Parent withdrawn– Exempt (Disability) - significant intellectual delay or

severe functional disability – Exempt (LBOTE) - being less than 12 months in an

Australian school and LBOTE.

Check In - Step 1


To find a student you can filter or display all students.

Filter by Last name

Display all students

Roll class sort matches Assessment Roll

Check In - Step 1


Check In - Step 1In Step 1, there is a drop-down menu to indicate the participation status for each student.Students who were marked as exempt in Term 1 will not appear in the Check In lists.

Click Save this Step then Next Step.


Step 2 - Review of Non-Participating StudentsThis screen lists all students from Step 1 who were not present for the test that is being checked in. If the information is not correct, click Previous Step, below the student list, to return to Step 1.

Check In - Step 2

Click Export to Excel to print a spreadsheet which lists the non-participating students.


Check In - Step 2

Click Previous Step if the information is incorrect or Next Step to go to Step 3.

Keep a copy of the excel spreadsheet to refer to in Check In - Step 7 and for analysing the students’ results when the reports are released in September.


Recently enrolled or visiting students must use a spare non-personalised test book for each test.

Step 3 allows you to assign barcodes from the non-personalised books to students who do not have overprinted test books.

The list of available barcodes will automatically appear in SOAR for the school to match with the book used by any new or visiting student.

Check In - Step 3Step 3 - Assign Barcode to recently enrolled or visiting students


Check In - Step 3Only students who did not use a personalised book will appear in the list in Step 3.

Use the drop-down to show if the book was:• from the local

office• photocopied

from black and white master

• a non personalised bookBarcode of test book. Match to

the barcode in the drop-down list.


The following codes are used on the Assessment Roll and in Step 4 to indicate students who accessed special provisions.

Check In - Step 4Step 4 - Students accessing Special Provisions

LP Large Print AF Adjustable Furniture

BR Braille SS Separate Supervision

BW Black and White ET Extra Time

CP Coloured Paper SCR Scribe

AT Assistive Technology R Reader (Numeracy only)

OSS Oral Sign Support SC Support Class


Check In - Step 4Next to the students who used special provisions, click on the box under the support provided.

This student had extra time (ET).

Once the special provisions are indicated, click Next Step.


Check In - Step 5Step 5 - Students with commentsIn this screen you can enter any comments that may be important when analysing the students’ results in September, such as:

- incidents at the school on test day- comments about a student’s illness- comments about behaviour


Check In - Step 5If the same comment applies to all students, type the comment in the box below the list, then click Assign this comment to all students.

Once the comments have been added for students, click Save this Step then Next Step.


Check In - Step 6Step 6: Students with identical namesThis screen will identify students in the same cohort with identical names.

The Student Report for students with identical names will be printed with each student’s date of birth. Click Next Step.


Check In - Step 7Step 7: Confirming the number of booksThis screen will reconcile all students who are:

- enrolled- visiting- absent- parent withdrawal- exempt

- using special print tests, such as Braille, large print.

SOAR will then calculate a return count for each test book type. This must match the total number of test books that have been returned from the test administrators.


Check In - Step 7This screen will also indicate the number of special print book types that are being returned.

Click to review the non-participating

students shown in Step 2.

Confirm the count in Step 7 by clicking the check box, then click Next Step.


Books to be returnedStudents who use:

- large print- Braille- black & white photocopy - coloured paper copy of the tests

must have their personalised test book attached to their special print book and both books returned for processing.

Where only one of the tests in a flip book has been attempted, the book must be returned, so the completed test can be marked.

Check In - Step 7


Books to be kept at schoolStudents who:

– are absent– are exempt– are withdrawn by parents– have left the school since the personalised tests books

were printed– have abandoned a test due to illness or injury

must have their personalised test book kept at the school.

Check In - Step 7


Check In is finished for one test. Click on the Finish button to save all changes.

Check In - Complete

This message will appear.


Check In will be updated to show that this status of the test is Pending and the test books will be placed in the queue for processing.

Then repeat steps 1-7 for each cohort and each test (Writing, Language Conventions, Reading, Numeracy calculator allowed, Numeracy non-calculator).

Check In - Complete


I have no students, so what should I do?

Should I do Check In every day?

What should I do if all my students are exempt?

What should I do for the students who have done the ‘catch up’ tests?

You do not need to Check in or Check out.

Some larger schools find it best to Check in every afternoon, other smaller schools prefer to leave all the SOAR work until the last day.

Click this button on the Check In screen.

Change those students’ details on the corresponding hardcopy of the Assessment Roll, then change those student’s details in Check in, following Steps 1 to 7, and remember to save at the end.

Check In - FAQs


This screen is used to review and print the comments that were recorded in Check In Step 5. Click on the Year and Test Type to be viewed, then click View Comments.

Check In Comments


The comments for the selected test will appear on the screen. Schools can print the list of comments by clicking the or button above the list.

Check In Comments


This screen provides a summary of the Check In status for each test.

Check In Completion

This school has already checked in Year 3- Language Conventions- Reading- Writing


This screen allows you to:• indicate the number of boxes being returned for

processing• assign a return sticker barcode for each box being

returned• indicate the Post Office where the boxes being returned

will be lodged• print and save a copy for your records.

Check out should be updated or completed on Friday, after students have done any ‘catch up’ tests.

Check Out


1. Indicate the number of boxes being returned for processing.

Check Out

Click the number of boxes being sent.

Click the test being checked out.


2. Indicate which barcodes are being used and assign a matching return eParcel sticker to each box.

3. Indicate the Post Office where the boxes were lodged.

Check Out

Click the barcodes which were placed on the boxes.

Type the name of the Post Office where the boxes were lodged and the date.


For information on organising and returning completed test materials refer to the Handbook for Principals.

Note:• NSW only: All boxes are returned to the local post office

with the return stickers securely attached.

• ACT only: Use the process for returning test materials outlined in the ACT Handbook for Principals.

Do not attempt to return any test material using the DET

internal mail/courier system. This may results in the loss of all test books.

Check Out


ResourcesAll SOAR resources including manuals, Powerpoints and checklists are available online.

Government schoolshttps://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/directorates/schoimpro/EMD/naplan_publications.htm

Non-government schoolshttp://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/naplan/nongov

EMSAD contact details Phone: 9707 6221 Email: [email protected]



http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/naplan/nongov

mailto:[email protected]

Using the School Online Assessment Registration (SOAR) Test Week

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