Create custom groups for students with SEN

This article explains how to create custom groups for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) based on their status and needs, allowing for bulk actions like interventions and communication with guardians. It details the steps to set up membership criteria and filters to keep the groups updated automatically.

Creating custom groups containing your students with SEN by status and needs is a really useful way of ensuring that you can add them in bulk to interventions or to communicate with guardians.  Using filters as your membership criteria means that your custom groups are always up to date and you don't have to remember to add any new students to the list.

Follow the instructions in this article to create your custom group: Create and use Custom Groups

Then you can add your membership criteria and filters from the Setup tab. In my example, I am setting up a group for students with sensory needs so I can add them to a morning sensory circuit intervention. 

In the Add criterion on field... dropdown box, I have added SEN need(s).  Click the green Add Membership Criterion button.

In the slide over, you can choose a date range or pick from a relative range such as the Current academic year.  The Filter Condition box is where you can choose which student will be automatically enrolled into your group. Click on the green Add Membership Criterion button.

In the Members tab, all of my students with ADHD now appear. 

You will see your custom group in many areas of arbor where you are able to choose groups of students, including in the attendance and behaviour reporting areas. You can keep track of specific groups of students with SEN and quickly communicate with guardians.

You can also use the Bulk action button from within the Custom Group to take further actions.