Australian Schools

[George15]

Hello,
I'm trying to set up FET for an Australian School, but I'm not sure exactly.

I understand how to break up Yr7 into 3 groups, like 7A, 7B, 7C with the same subjects, etc. But how do I then set up a slightly different structure for them when all 3 groups come together for electives? So typically 7A, 7B, 7C will each have about 25 students each but then when we run electives we will run four classes, at the same time - ART, MUS, Wood, Drama where the kids choose which class they would like.

Often Australian Schools call this a Block or a LINE.

THen as we get to Yr11 and 12 the whole year is run as a block or a line

[Volker Dirr]

look like it is similar to (most) German schools.

for year lower then 11:
simply use "split year automaticly".
please read:
http://www.timetabling.de/manual/FET-manual.en.html#id_12

for year 11 and 12:
fet doesn't help you to do the elective lines. so you need to know
a) which students should get into which courses
OR
b) which courses should get into the same line

if you have a), then you need to set year|group|subgroup like this:
11|English1|Max Miller
11|Math3|Max Miller
11|English1|Lilly Smith
11|Math2|Lilly Smith
...

if you have b), then you need to set only years and groups (no subgroups).
but you must "connect" each subactivity of the same line with an "same starting time (day+hour)" constraint.

solution a) is "better", because fet might find more/better timetables. Maybe you can get the students structure from your school administration software?!

[George15]

Thanks Volker,
you are very helpful

[George15]

Hi, I'm still a little confused about how to do this, I looked at categories but could not see how to link a teacher and room.

Attached is a Curriculum map of the School.

This shows the Curriculum and many of the constraints of the school

-each small rectangular box contains teacher - Subject, then underneath periods - room

So, for example, at Yr12 in column A - teacher "DW" takes CHEM (Chemistry) for 5 periods, 2 doubles (5.2) in room F8

The same colored columns in each year means those classes must run at the same time.

What is the best way to set up this Yr12 structure?

Also, look at Yr9. There are 3 classes - 9A, 9B and 9C each of these classes have the same kids who do English, Maths, Sci, SOSE, COMM.

However, all 3 groups of kids come together for electives in the colored columns. The same subjects in the same color must run at the same time (only within that Year)

I'd like to try and import this rather than type it all in. I've been playing around with importing and activities.csv and it works for the basic classes - Eng, Maths, sci, SOSE and COMM but can't figure out how to put the colored columns in.

If I can figure this out I can show a lot of other Australian schools how to use FET

[Liviu Lalescu]

This is my answer, which might not be as good as Volker's, but I hope I can help. Volker, please also consider answering:

For year 9, divide this year by 4 categories: A,B,C, then BB,CP,KE..., then BB,SK,MK,... then HM,FF,AU,... . Then add the corresponding activities same starting time for the activities. The alternative is to add the activities for all year, with a subject like: BB+CP+KE+BD, but the timetable will not have the divisions as you may want to see (this is more like a visual impediment).

For year 12, you need to divide this year by 9 categories, which is unfortunately impossible automatically in FET. So, either use the method to add activities for the whole year, or divide the year manually, which is difficult (or consider each student as a subgroup and add it in the corresponding groups).

[Volker Dirr]

Livius answer is ok.
he just mixed teacher and subject names.

so example year 9: split year automatic:
first categorie: A, B, and C
second categorie: cct, d+p, fac and food
thrird categoie: elect, mus, vis and hhra
forth categorie: hhrb, meda, timb


if your year has more categories (like 11 and up):
you must do it like in my first answer:
a) view my first message
OR
b) view my first message: you can use the subject as group name. set constraint same starting time (hour+day) for each subject with the same colour.
OR
c) there is an other solution: you can allow for example only "yellow" activities at special times, "red" activities at other special times, ... this is working, but the timetable can't be optimised (well); so don't use this.
d) Liviu suggested to split year manual. that is possible, but very complicated if you do it similar to the automatic version. if you want to do it, then you should do it like i descried it in variant a)

[George15]

thank you Volker and Liviu