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Academic structure (years, terms, classes)

Definition​

Academic structure is how your school organizes learning time, curriculum, and learner grouping.

Typically includes:

  • Academic year
  • Terms
  • Grade levels / forms
  • Class divisions (actual class groups)
  • Streams (optional; often the letter/track within a grade)

Why it matters​

Academic structure drives:

  • Enrollment
  • Attendance and exams (where enabled)
  • Promotions and rollovers
  • Reporting

It also determines where students appear in People → Students and how gradebooks, assessments, and reports are generated.

Where you manage it​

  • Foundation → Schools → Academic Years (academic years and terms)
  • Academics → Class Structure (grade levels, streams, class divisions, enrollments)
  • Academics → Subjects and Subject Classes (teaching groups and schedules)
  • Timetable (periods, schedules, teacher availability)

Key concepts inside academic structure​

Class divisions​

Class divisions are the actual class groups students are enrolled into (for example Grade 6A, Form 2B). They are the unit used for class rosters, teacher assignments, and daily attendance.

Where to find them: Academics → Class Structure → Class Divisions (academics/class-divisions).

Subject classes​

Subject classes are teaching groups for a specific subject (for example Mathematics Grade 6A, English Form 2B). They link the subject to students, teachers, schedules, and lesson content.

Where to find them: Academics → Subjects → Subject Classes (academics/subject-classes).

Common misunderstandings​

  • Terms are not the same as academic years.
  • Streams are optional; don’t create them unless you use them.
  • In many schools, streams are the letter/track inside a grade (for example Grade 1A vs Grade 1B, or Form 1 N1 vs Form 1 N2).
  • Grade levels are not the same as class divisions (grade level = cohort, class division = actual group).