Curriculum Setup

This guide shows you how to set up your school's curriculum and grading system. You'll configure which curriculum your school follows and how student marks are converted to grades.

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Curriculum Setup Flow

START: Curriculum Setup
         │
         ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│  STEP 1: Select Curriculum Type    │
│  ────────────────────────────────  │
│  • ZIMSEC (most Zimbabwean schools)│
│  • Cambridge (A-Levels, IGCSE)     │
│  • IB (International Baccalaureate)│
│  • Custom (your own system)        │
└─────────────────┬──────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│  STEP 2: Configure Grading Scales  │
│  ────────────────────────────────  │
│  Define how marks → grades:        │
│  • 75-100% = A                     │
│  • 65-74%  = B                     │
│  • 55-64%  = C                     │
│  • etc.                            │
└─────────────────┬──────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│  STEP 3: Set Pass Marks            │
│  ────────────────────────────────  │
│  • Minimum pass percentage         │
│  • Different pass marks for        │
│    different grade levels          │
└─────────────────┬──────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│  STEP 4: Add Syllabuses (Optional) │
│  ────────────────────────────────  │
│  • Link official subject outlines  │
│  • Define topics per subject       │
└─────────────────┬──────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
           CURRICULUM READY ✓
                  │
                  ▼
         Next: School Structure

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What is Curriculum Setup?

Curriculum Setup is where you define:

• Which curriculum your school follows (ZIMSEC, Cambridge, IB, or Custom)
• Grading scales - how marks like 85% become grades like "A"
• Syllabuses - the official subject outlines for each curriculum

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Supported Curricula

The system supports these curricula out of the box:

Curriculum	Description	Typical Use
ZIMSEC	Zimbabwe School Examinations Council	Most Zimbabwean schools
Cambridge	Cambridge Assessment International	International schools, A-Levels
IB	International Baccalaureate	International schools
Custom	Your own curriculum	Specialized schools

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How to Set Up Your Curriculum

Step 1: Access Curriculum Settings

1. From the main menu, click Academics
2. Click Curriculum Setup
3. You'll see the Curriculum Management page

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Step 2: Select Your Curriculum Type

1. Click + Add Curriculum (or Edit if one already exists)

2. Select your curriculum type from the dropdown:

   • ZIMSEC
   • Cambridge
   • IB
   • Custom

3. Fill in the details:

Field	What to Enter	Example
Name	A friendly name for this curriculum	"ZIMSEC O-Level"
Code	A short code	"ZIMSEC-O"
Description	Brief description	"Zimbabwe Ordinary Level curriculum"
Academic Levels	Which levels use this	O-Level, A-Level

4. Click Save

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Step 3: Configure Grading Scales

Grading scales tell the system how to convert percentage marks to letter grades.

To Add a Grading Scale:

1. In Curriculum Setup, click Grading Scales
2. Click + Add Grading Scale
3. Enter the scale details:

Field	What to Enter	Example
Name	Name of this scale	"ZIMSEC O-Level Scale"
Type	How grades are shown	Letter (A, B, C) or Numeric (1-9)

4. Add the grade ranges:

Example: ZIMSEC O-Level Grading Scale

Grade	Minimum %	Maximum %	Points	Description
A	75	100	1	Excellent
B	60	74	2	Very Good
C	50	59	3	Good
D	45	49	4	Satisfactory
E	40	44	5	Adequate
U	0	39	9	Ungraded

5. Click Save

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Managing Syllabuses

A syllabus defines what topics should be covered in each subject.

To View Syllabuses:

1. Go to Academics → Curriculum Setup
2. Click on your curriculum (e.g., "ZIMSEC O-Level")
3. Click Syllabuses
4. You'll see a list of all syllabuses for that curriculum

To Add a Syllabus:

1. Click + Add Syllabus
2. Fill in the details:

Field	What to Enter	Example
Subject	Which subject	Mathematics
Level	Academic level	O-Level
Year	Syllabus year	2024
Code	Official code	4030
Document	Upload PDF	(upload syllabus file)

3. Click Save

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Common Grading Scale Examples

ZIMSEC O-Level

Grade	Range	Description
A	75-100%	Excellent
B	60-74%	Very Good
C	50-59%	Good
D	45-49%	Satisfactory
E	40-44%	Adequate
U	0-39%	Ungraded

ZIMSEC A-Level

Grade	Range	Description
A	80-100%	Excellent
B	70-79%	Very Good
C	60-69%	Good
D	50-59%	Satisfactory
E	40-49%	Adequate
U	0-39%	Ungraded

Cambridge IGCSE (9-1 Scale)

Grade	Range	Description
9	90-100%	Exceptional
8	80-89%	Excellent
7	70-79%	Very Good
6	60-69%	Good
5	50-59%	Satisfactory
4	40-49%	Adequate
3	30-39%	Below Average
2	20-29%	Poor
1	0-19%	Very Poor

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Tips for Success

Set Up Grading Scales First

Configure your grading scales before teachers start entering marks. If you change scales later, existing grades might need to be recalculated.

Match Official Standards

Use the exact grade boundaries from your examination board (ZIMSEC, Cambridge, etc.) to ensure consistency.

Create Separate Scales for Different Levels

O-Level and A-Level often have different grade boundaries. Create separate grading scales for each level.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have multiple curricula?

Yes! Many schools offer both ZIMSEC and Cambridge. You can set up multiple curricula and assign each to different classes or subjects.

Can I modify a grading scale after grades are entered?

Yes, but be careful. Changing grade boundaries will affect how existing marks are displayed. The system will recalculate grades based on the new scale.

How do I handle subjects with different grading?

Create separate grading scales. For example, if your Practical subjects use a different scale than Theory subjects, set up a "Practical Assessment Scale" separately.

Where do I get syllabus documents?

Download official syllabuses from:

• ZIMSEC: www.zimsec.co.zw
• Cambridge: www.cambridgeinternational.org
• IB: www.ibo.org

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Grades showing incorrectly	Check your grading scale ranges - make sure there are no gaps or overlaps
Can't add a syllabus	Make sure you've selected a curriculum first
Grade boundaries don't match exam board	Update the grading scale with correct percentages
Students see wrong grades	Verify the correct grading scale is assigned to the subject class

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What's Next?

After setting up your curriculum:

1. Set up School Structure → - Create grade levels and class divisions
2. Add Subjects → - Create your subjects and link them to the curriculum
3. Configure Gradebooks → - Set up how grades will be recorded

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Need Help?

If you're unsure which grading scale to use:

• Contact your school's examination officer
• Refer to official documentation from ZIMSEC/Cambridge/IB
• Ask your system administrator for assistance