There’s a lot to do at the end of term – reports, handovers, and preparation for next year – just when your mental battery is probably begging you to switch to low power mode. The good news is, Arbor can now speed up some of those jobs. Here are six end-of-year hacks you can tick off your list:
Handovers
- Handing over your class to another teacher next year? Help them get up to speed quickly by using Ask Arbor to write a summary highlighting what’s gone well and what (or who) needs most attention next year. Just click “Ask Arbor” on the top menu bar in Arbor and then copy, paste and adapt this prompt: “I’m handing over [Class name] to a new teacher in September 2026. Create a PDF report about the class to help the new teacher get up to speed quickly. Check how their attendance, behaviour and level of need (SEND, pupil premium) compares to whole school averages. Provide the data in tables. Start the report with an overall summary paragraph. Include a link to the class registration form page in Arbor and highlight that the teacher can download a full class list from there, with photos and more detail on each individual child. Include the following paragraph of commentary from me: [Add a sentence or two of your own commentary here].”
- Want to make sure a particular student gets the support they need when they move schools or classes? Use Suggest Student Summary to generate an instant overview of an individual child, including their attendance, behaviour, attainment and your own comments. Just go to the search bar, type the student’s name and click on their profile. At the top of the page, click the green “Suggest Student Summary” button.
Get a head start on your planning for next year
- If you’re updating your School Improvement Plan over the Summer, the Ofsted Inspection Companion gives you a great starting point for those conversations. It gives you detailed analysis of your school’s attendance and behaviour, with questions an inspector might want to explore. Just go to Reporting > Report Library and search “Ofsted”. You can also use Ask Arbor to validate or challenge your ideas about what you should be focusing on next year – for example, try this prompt: “Looking at our data on attendance, behaviour and attainment – what should we consider when writing our school improvement plan for next year? Are there any areas where we’re significantly below average, or significant gaps between student groups?”
Final assembly
- Many schools give end-of-year awards for the student or class with the best attendance or behaviour. Ask Arbor can sift through the data and give you your list of winners in seconds. For example, try asking, “Which class had the best behaviour this year?” or “Which student earned the most house points this year?”
- Celebrate what you’ve achieved as a whole school – just ask Arbor to search your data for some key successes. Use this prompt: “I’m writing an end-of-year assembly and I want to call out some whole-school successes. Looking at attendance, behaviour and attainment, is there anything I can highlight that has improved throughout the year?”
Thank-yous
- Many Headteachers like to send an end-of-year “Thank You” message to staff, parents and/or governors – now Arbor can help you draft it in seconds. Just open Ask Arbor and then copy, paste and personalise the following prompt: “Write an end-of-year letter to staff thanking them for their hard work this year and highlighting some of our key successes as a school. Wish them a restful holiday and remind them about the inset day on [DATE]. Use a friendly tone”.
What’s next?
To join the conversation about Arbor AI and keep up to date with the latest developments, join us on Arbor HQ! Or if you’re not yet using Arbor and want to know more about our AI features, book a call with our team.