Import pupil passports from Word

Written for: SENCos, DSLs, headteachers and administrators.

If your school already has pupil passports or support plans written in Word, you can upload them instead of retyping them. Student Radar reads each document, you match it to the right pupil, and it then creates the pupil’s passport and a draft support plan (ISP) in the background. AI is used to sort the text into the right sections and draft the plan, so a member of staff must check everything before it’s used.

Before you start

• Who can import: SENCos, headteachers, DSLs and administrators whose account can open confidential pupil documents. If you can’t see the upload button, ask your SENCo.
• Files: Word documents (.docx) only, up to 10 MB each and up to 20 at a time. Documents with macros can’t be imported.
• Pupil name: put the pupil’s name near the top of each document, ideally on a line that starts with Pupil name: or Name:. Student Radar uses it to suggest the right pupil. If no name is found, you can still search for the pupil yourself.

Upload the documents

You can start from either of two places:

• Pupil Passports: in the sidebar, open Inclusion, then SEND, then Plans, and choose Pupil Passports. Click Review Word imports at the top of the page.
• SEND Register: on the same Plans menu, choose SEND Register and click Upload passports / ISPs at the top of the page.

Both open the same window, Upload pupil passports and support plans.

1. Click the file box and choose one or more Word documents.
2. Wait while each document is read. Student Radar shows “Reading document…” and then suggests pupils whose name matches the name in the document.
3. Check the pupil. The search box starts with the name found in the document. If the right pupil isn’t suggested, type their name and click Find pupil.
4. Open the Select pupil list under the document and choose the pupil.

Choosing a pupil starts the import for that document straight away, so check the name carefully before you choose. If two pupils share a name, check the original document to be sure which pupil it’s about. Student Radar then saves the original document as a confidential document on the pupil’s record and shows “Import started. Follow its progress below.”

You can close the window while imports run. Each document has up to five minutes. If you upload several, they’re handled one after another.

Check the progress

Open the window again from Review Word imports or Upload passports / ISPs to see how each import is going.

What it says	What it means
“Queued — starts automatically when the previous import finishes.”	Waiting for an earlier document to finish.
“Creating passport and draft ISP…”	The document is being imported.
“Passport and draft ISP created — awaiting staff review.”	Done. Review the passport and the draft ISP before anyone relies on them.
“Draft ISP created. Existing passport content preserved; review the imported proposal below.”	The pupil already had a passport, so it wasn’t overwritten. The imported text is shown under the import instead.
“The five-minute limit was reached. Your original is retained.”	Click Retry import to try again.
“Import could not be completed. Your original and existing pupil records are retained.”	Click Retry import. If it fails again, create the passport by hand.

Review what was imported

1. In the import window, click Open pupil passport and draft ISP under the document.
2. Read the passport against the original Word document. Check that every passage is in the right section and that nothing important has been left out.
3. Read the draft ISP in the same way, including any targets.
4. Correct anything that’s wrong, then save.

If the pupil already had a passport, the import window shows the imported text for each section, under headings such as Proposed About me. Copy across anything you want to keep.

The AI only sorts and drafts. It doesn’t decide what support a pupil needs. Treat the imported passport and ISP as a first draft for staff to check, correct and agree.

For how to edit, review and share a passport, see Create and share a pupil passport.

If something doesn’t work

What you see	What to do
No Review Word imports or Upload passports / ISPs button	Your role can’t import documents. Ask your SENCo.
“Choose a Word (.docx) document no larger than 10 MB.”	Save the file as a .docx in Word, or make it smaller (for example by removing large pictures), then upload it again.
“Choose a standard Word document without macros.”	Save a copy as a standard .docx document without macros and upload that.
“This Word document has no readable text.”	Check the document opens in Word and contains text, not just a scanned picture.
“No permitted matching pupil found. Check the name in the document.”	Type the pupil’s name in the search box and click Find pupil. If they still don’t appear, you may not have access to them.
“Pupil search is unavailable.”	Wait a moment and click Find pupil again.
“The import limit has been reached. Wait before retrying this reviewed document.”	Wait a minute, then try again.
“You do not have permission for this pupil or destination.”	Your account can’t create a passport or plan for this pupil. Ask your SENCo.
“Import status is unavailable. Your saved originals and drafts are retained.”	Close the window and open it again later to check progress.