Managing classroom placements can be difficult at the best of times. Add in unexpected challenges such as the recent pandemic that resulted in teachers away sick and classrooms requiring more managing than usual, and you have a recipe for serious stress. Pluto is helping to make that process easier, providing clarity, flexibility, and confidence in class lists.

The benefits of Pluto’s simplicity and flexibility were highlighted over the past few years as the new Omicron variant caused ongoing classroom disruptions and the need for COVID-related cohorting of students.

Teacher shortages meant schools required flexibility around how they grouped children within classes. The usual approach of splitting a teacher-less class across other year groups was difficult when considerations such as ventilation, audits, and social distancing limit the number of students allowed in a single classroom.

Saving time when it’s needed most

Using a combination of data and teacher input, Pluto quickly and effortlessly creates optimally balanced class lists minimizing the valuable time teachers and admin staff spend managing placements. That means no complicated spreadsheets, no walls of Post-it Notes, and no long and frustrating staff meetings.

Pluto’s student placement software sorts classes quickly according to your school’s priorities, flags any potential conflicts, and allows you to make changes and provide feedback on those changes. It gives you the confidence of knowing that nothing has been missed or overlooked and that each class is optimal.

Flexibility is key

Managing class placements requires a great deal of flexibility. And that’s where Pluto really shines. Pluto lets you create and define your own variables and choose how these are prioritized.

Here are just 3 of the many ways Pluto could transform your class placement processes

1. Quickly re-sort your classes

   Pluto allows you to recreate your school set up quickly if you need to change the number of classes. With Omicron causing ongoing disruptions, this is likely to be something schools have to deal with for some time yet. Pluto could save your team countless hours (and a lot of stress) over the coming year by streamlining this process as often as needed.

2. Create ‘A/B’ timetables

   Pluto allows schools to implement an A/B timetable so students can attend school on days to suit, for example on Mon/Weds or Tues/Thurs. Assign each student an ‘A’ or ‘B’ depending on their requirements and Pluto can create classes for these, whilst still ensuring a balance of all variables such as friendships. Sibling placement can also be taken into consideration to ensure they’re placed in the same stream (or different, if desired).

3. Manage online students

   Schools can have ‘online only’ students, and limit the number of these per class so that online students are still placed according to the standard variables, while also ensuring they are allocated only to classes that support them, and that there aren’t too many (or too few) online students per class.

Find out more about how Pluto can save your school valuable time while optimising classes and alerting you to any issues with placements. See how it works here, or contact us today for more information.