This article explains how to update your classes and students classes and students in Sparx Maths when using MIS integration, including common scenarios like moving students between classes and handling student detail changes.
This article is intended for schools that import their classes and students from their MIS (see this article if your school uses CSV import).
Viewing your current classes and students
Viewing your current classes and students
Go to 'Manage' → 'Class Manager' to view and manage your classes
Go to 'Manage' → 'Student Manager' to view and manage students
You may need to choose a year group from the class selector at the top of the screen, before your classes or students are listed.
Adding new students to existing classes
Adding new students to existing classes
New students need to be added in your MIS. You can't add them manually in Sparx Maths.
Provided that the student is linked to a class that you've imported into Sparx Maths, the student will be added to Sparx Maths during the next sync. See the 'Keeping class and student data in sync with your MIS' section below for more information.
If the change has already been made in your MIS and you want it to show in Sparx Maths sooner, you can perform a manual sync (described in the section referenced above)
If the student isn't linked to a class that you've imported into Sparx Maths, you'll need to import that class in order for the student to be imported. See Adding classes and students for more information.
New students will need to complete the account setup process when they first log in. See Getting students started for more information.
Moving students between classes
Moving students between classes
Edit the students' class memberships in your MIS
Provided that the student has been moved to a class that you've imported into Sparx Maths, the student will be added to Sparx Maths during the next sync. See the 'Keeping class and student data in sync with your MIS' section below for more information.
If the change has already been made in your MIS and you want it to show in Sparx Maths sooner, you can perform a manual sync (described in the section referenced above)
If the student has been moved to a class that you haven't imported into Sparx Maths, you'll need to import that class in order for the student to continue to show in Sparx Maths. See Adding classes and students for more information.
Changing student details
Changing student details
Most student details (e.g. names, date of birth and class membership) need to be edited in your MIS
The only exception is usernames, which can be changed manually in Student Manager if needed.
If a student's name changes, their username won't automatically change - you'll need to change this manually if required
Changes will reflect in Sparx Maths after the next sync. See the 'Keeping class and student data in sync with your MIS' section below for more information.
If changes have already been made in your MIS and you want them to show in Sparx Maths sooner, you can perform a manual sync (described in the section referenced above)
Adding additional classes
Adding additional classes
Follow the instructions in Adding classes and students to add additional classes.
Keeping class and student data in sync with your MIS
Keeping class and student data in sync with your MIS
Once classes and students have been imported into Sparx Maths, we'll automatically sync the following changes across from your MIS:
Students added to classes
Students moving classes
Student, parent/carer and class name changes
Parent/carer contact updates
When you make a change in your school's MIS, the changes won't show in Sparx Maths immediately
Changes in your MIS are synced to Sparx Maths via a third party service called Wonde
Wonde pulls data from your MIS roughly every 4 hours
Sparx Maths pulls data from Wonde automatically overnight
As such, changes typically reflect in Sparx Maths within 24 hours
For urgent changes, you can perform a manual sync:
Go to 'Class Manager' → 'Import & Manage Classes'
Click 'Preview changes'
Click 'Sync changes' if happy with the preview
Frequently asked questions
I've moved a student to a new class. Why aren't they showing on the hand-in page for the new class?
I've moved a student to a new class. Why aren't they showing on the hand-in page for the new class?
In Sparx Maths, homework is linked to the class that it was generated for
When you move a student to a new class, you need to refer to the hand-in page for their old class to view previous homeworks
The student will start showing on the hand-in page for their new class once a homework has been generated for them in the new class (i.e. after the next homework hand-out day for the new class)
Will students lose their data when moving classes?
Will students lose their data when moving classes?
No, students retain all their data including XP, homework history, and their current homework level when moving between classes.
Can I add students or edit student details directly in Sparx Maths?
Can I add students or edit student details directly in Sparx Maths?
New students need to be added in your MIS. You can't add them manually in Sparx Maths
Most student details (e.g. names, date of birth and class membership) need to be edited in your MIS
The only exception is usernames, which can be changed manually in Student Manager if needed.
Why can't I see my classes to import?
Why can't I see my classes to import?
Your MIS may not be fully set up yet (especially at the start of a new school year). Check with your school's MIS administrator.
Classes may have only just been added to your MIS (allow up to 24 hours for the changes to show in Sparx Maths)
Classes may not have subjects linked to them in your MIS (we only show maths classes by default and can't do this if your classes don't have subjects linked to them). Try selecting 'Show all subjects' on the 'Manage & import classes' screen to search from all classes available in your MIS.
There might be duplicate class names in your MIS. Check with your school's MIS administrator.
Why have some students disappeared?
Why have some students disappeared?
They may have been moved to a new class that hasn't been imported into Sparx Maths (and so they've been removed from Sparx Maths).
In this case, importing the student's new class into Sparx Maths will reinstate the student's account and any homework progress/XP.
They may have been removed from your MIS. Check will your school's MIS administrator.
Why aren't student names showing correctly?
Why aren't student names showing correctly?
Contact your school's MIS administrator to check that the student's information is correct in your MIS
We import 'preferred' names by default - contact us using the 'Help & Support' button in your Sparx Maths site if you need us to change this to 'legal' names for the whole school (we cannot do this for individual students).
Why aren't new students appearing in Sparx Maths?
Why aren't new students appearing in Sparx Maths?
Check they've been added to your MIS correctly
The student may only just have been added to your MIS (allow up to 24 hours for the changes to show in Sparx Maths, or perform a manual sync, as described above)
If students are added to Sparx Maths after a homework has been set for their class, they will not appear on the Hand-In page for that week, but will appear on the class list in Student Manager