For an Exams Officer, changing MIS mid exams season can be daunting! Depending on your school's migration date, you will need to decide whether the exams setup and results processing should take place in your existing MIS or on your live Arbor site. Below you will find our recommendations for switching during each holiday period.
Please note the following can vary for a GroupCall API migrator, we are working on adding the GroupCall Migrator specifications to this guide. If you need to raise any data discrepancies post migration please contact Arbor support or your dedicated partner and we will be advised of the next steps.
February Half Term Migrations
If you are migrating around February Half Term you have the option of either completing the exams setup on the live Arbor site or on your current MIS. If you would prefer to get ahead and you are able to add Summer exam entries you may want to get these added to your current MIS prior to your final migration. These entries will migrate from SIMS and Progresso, we also migrate historic exam results and access arrangements from SIMS.
Exam entries or entry amendments and submission to the exam boards can be completed on Arbor. Exam scheduling data will not migrate, therefore we would recommend completing the exams setup (e.g. allocating exam rooms, invigilator timetables, printed seating plans, candidate cards) on Arbor.
Exams Officers should complete or schedule some time to attend the Arbor examinations training on the Training Hub in preparation for completing the exam setup process and making ad hoc entry changes once live on Arbor.
Easter Migrations
Depending on when you usually submit your Summer exam entries you may want to get these added to your current MIS prior to your final migration to ensure they are submitted to the exam boards in time. These entries will migrate from SIMS and Progresso, we also migrate historic exam results and access arrangements from SIMS.
If the entries have been added prior to the dummy import taking please, you can check how these have migrated over as part of your data checks, otherwise, they will need to be checked on the live site once released.
Exam scheduling data will not migrate, therefore we would recommend completing the exams setup (e.g. allocating exam rooms, invigilator timetables, printed seating plans, candidate cards) on Arbor.
Exams Officers should complete the Arbor examinations training on the Training Hub prior to the holidays in preparation for completing the exam setup process and making ad hoc entry changes once live on Arbor.
May Half Term Migrations
We migrate entries from SIMS and Progresso. We also migrate historic exam results and access arrangements from SIMS so there is no need to set these up again.
They will need to be checked as part of your data checks on the dummy site during implementation and again once you have access to the live site.
Seating plans are not migrated, so all of the exams setup (invigilator timetables, printed seating plans, candidate cards) should be prepared in your existing MIS before migration. A copy of the seating plan is required to meet JCQ regulations, which can be printed from your existing MIS.
Exams Officers should check entries on the dummy site ready for ad hoc entry changes and to prepare for results day.
We would also recommend attending the exams training session prior to go live.
Processing of exam results over Summer should take place in Arbor, because you don't need to have made the entries in Arbor to be able to import your results files. You can upload results for EDI qualifications using the same EDI Results file you would use as if you had made the entries through Arbor.
September (Summer) Migrations
No, the full Summer exams process should take place in your existing MIS, including results day during the summer holidays.
The exams team at your school will upload the results into Arbor after results day, once your school is using the new system!
Please note that:
- In-house exams do not migrate, so you would need to set these up following these instructions: Setting up In-house Examinations.
- If your school offers BTEC qualifications you will need to follow our Setting up BTEC qualifications guide.
For more tips on ensuring a successful switch please see our Moving to Arbor - Top Tips for Exams Officers guide.
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