Lesson Eight - Strategies
Viewing the SEN Data
Students who have an SEN Need Type will be identifiable in MINTclass by an icon on their student card (if requested by your school), which is brought over by your school's MIS.
Students who have an SEN Need Type will be identifiable in MINTclass by an icon on their student card (if requested by your school), which is brought over by your school's MIS.
Adding or Amending Individual Strategy Data
To add or amend individual strategy, navigate to Cortex and then the Students page.
Now using the search options, search for the student that you wish to add/amend data for. The quickest way to do this is by searching the Admission Number but the easiest way is to select a year group from the Year drop down list.
Once you have located the student, click on the Edit Strategy icon to the right.
Note: You can link any text to an external website by highlighting it and clicking on the 'link' button, then putting the URL of the website in the box.
Now using the search options, search for the student that you wish to add/amend data for. The quickest way to do this is by searching the Admission Number but the easiest way is to select a year group from the Year drop down list.
Once you have located the student, click on the Edit Strategy icon to the right.
This will open a pop up box in which you will enter your information.
From the left hand side of the box, select whether you wish to make a General Note or one for a specific SEN Need Type.
If we select 'SPLD' (as shown below), click in the box and start entering your information. Once you have finished, click Save.
If we select 'SPLD' (as shown below), click in the box and start entering your information. Once you have finished, click Save.
Adding IEPs, ILPs and documents
Within strategies, you have the option to create a link to documents held on your school's servers. However, please note that the correct functioning of these links depends on your school's internet security settings that MINTclass has no control over.
You will just need the full document path and then place file:/// at the beginning of the path.
For example, file:///U:Curricular/SEND & Inclusion/SEND/Pen Portraits to Support SEND Students/Entry 2014/TC.PDF
For example, file:///U:Curricular/SEND & Inclusion/SEND/Pen Portraits to Support SEND Students/Entry 2014/TC.PDF
Paste it into the box.
Now click on Save.
The document link will only work if the documents are stored on a web-enabled server and you are using Internet Explorer (IE). You will also need to ask your IT team to whitelist the following URL's:
The document link will only work if the documents are stored on a web-enabled server and you are using Internet Explorer (IE). You will also need to ask your IT team to whitelist the following URL's:
https://mintclass.com and your own personalised MINTclass URL.
For Chrome Users
In order to open documents from a drive using Chrome, you will need to download an extension called 'LocalLinks', you can do that by clicking here. Once installed, you will need to use file:// before the link to open them up in your browser, there shouldn't be any more setting up required once the extension is installed.
For Chrome Users
In order to open documents from a drive using Chrome, you will need to download an extension called 'LocalLinks', you can do that by clicking here. Once installed, you will need to use file:// before the link to open them up in your browser, there shouldn't be any more setting up required once the extension is installed.
Documents on 'Onedrive' etc
If the documents you want to link to are stored in on 'one drive' folder or similar you can link using the new 'Link; button.
Type some text - for example - IEP 2019, highlight the text then click on the Link button in the same way you can add a website. Paste the document URL into the box and click on Save. The link is now live for all staff.
Applying General Strategies
Within MINTclass, you can add generic information/strategies to areas such as SEN, Gifted & Talented and EAL etc. However, this is dependent on your school choosing to have these options as icons.
To add or amend a general strategy. click on Cortex and you will now be able to see the Strategies button in the toolbar to the left.
Viewing Strategies
To view Strategies entered on a student profile, go to Seat Planner and search for a student with an SEN Need Type.
Click on their name and it will open their student profile.
To view the strategies that have been entered, click on the Strategies tab.
You can also view a simplified version on the student profile by clicking on the student name when you are on the students tab in Cortex.
To add or amend a general strategy. click on Cortex and you will now be able to see the Strategies button in the toolbar to the left.
Click on the Strategies button. You will be able to see graphs for different Need Types within your school. To enter a general strategy for any of the options available, click on Edit Strategy.
This opens up a pop up box where you will enter your information. Click Save when you are finished.
Again, you can link any text to an external website by highlighting it and clicking on the 'link' button, then putting the URL of the website in the box.
Note: Adding information into the strategies area here will make this visible for all students who have been flagged with this particular need type.
To view Strategies entered on a student profile, go to Seat Planner and search for a student with an SEN Need Type.
Click on their name and it will open their student profile.
To view the strategies that have been entered, click on the Strategies tab.
You can also view a simplified version on the student profile by clicking on the student name when you are on the students tab in Cortex.
Additional strategies
As you know you have been able to add general and personalised strategies for SEN students for several years. We have now updated the strategies area to enable you to add general and personalised strategies for EAL, PP etc in the same way you do for SEN students.
This works in the same way as it does for SEN students. If you are unfamiliar with this, please click HERE for further instructions.
You will now see these additional features when you click on the Edit Strategy icon for a student.
This is how it may look from within Seatplanner.
When you click on the Strategies button (top left of the student tab in Cortex) you will be able to add general strategies for these new areas.
Locate the graph that you wish to add the strategy to and click on the edit strategy button below the graph.
Enter the required text, remember that this will be applied to ALL students who are tagged with that attribute in your schools MIS, click SAVE.