What is a Task?

A task in Satchel One is an assigned piece of work for students. There are seven different task types, each designed for different learning objectives:

Assignment - The most commonly used task type. A standard homework task that can be submitted online or handed in during class.
Classwork - Work assigned for students to complete during a lesson, including distance learning tasks.
Flexible task - An optional task that does not require students to submit work.
Quiz - A set of multiple-choice questions that are automatically marked to assess knowledge.
Spelling test - A sound-based test where students listen to words or phrases and spell them correctly.
Differentiated - A task divided into trays, allowing students to choose from different levels of work.
Class test - A reminder for an upcoming test, which can include revision materials or mock exam questions.

Set task

🔒 The actions within this section require the My homework tasks permission.

Click 'Set task' at the top of the navigation panel or by clicking Homework > Calendar > Set task. Select a task type.

Details

The details section is common across most task types. You can switch to a different task type at any time without losing information entered in the common fields.

Title: This will appear on the students' calendar and To-do list.
Type: Populated based on the previous step but can be changed at any time without losing previously entered details in this section.
Class groups: Assign your task to one or more groups.
- Use the Advanced search option within this menu to filter groups by name, subject or year group and easily select them en-masse.
Students: If assigning to a single class, you can further refine the selection by choosing specific students. Deselect individuals or clear the selection with the 'X' to choose only specific students.
Description: Enter the instructions for the students or use Sidekick to automatically generate a task.
Issue date: The date the task becomes visible to the students. Plan work well advance without worrying that students will be able to see it ahead of time.
Due date: The deadline for completion. For online submissions, this date will determine the submission status as Submitted, Late or Not submitted.
- Flexible tasks have a suggested Completion date instead of a Due date, as submissions are not required.
- Class tests have a Test date instead of Due date.
Issue / Due on lesson: If using Timetables, you can link your task to specific dates based on your lessons. These act as visual reminders on the Timetable, and can be adjusted manually if needed.
Attachments: Upload resources or worksheets from your computer, Google Drive or OneDrive.
Web links: Add useful websites or video conferencing links for remote lessons. Paste the URL and press enter to save it.

Additional information

The options in this section relate to how students will submit their work and will differ slightly based on task type.

Submission Method: Choose how students will submit their work:
- Online submission (via Satchel One) - Receive notifications when students submit their work.
- Class submission - Students hand in their work during class.
- Other - Select from additional submission methods. More options can be added via Tools > Apps > Homework.
Estimated completion time: Defaults to 30 minutes but can be manually adjusted.
Marking scheme: Choose a marking scheme which will allow you to grade the task accordingly later. More options can be added via Tools > Apps > Homework.

Quiz options

Time limit per question: How much time should students get to answer a quiz question:
- No time limit
- 15, 30, 60 or 120 seconds
Attempts: Allow students 1 or 3 attempts per quiz. Their best attempt will be used to calculate their score.
Display questions in random order: If students have 3 attempts, you can randomise the order of questions to prevent memorisation of answers.

Spelling test options

Language & Voice

Select the language for your spelling test and choose a preferred voice for pronunciation.

Sidekick

Instead of manually typing your task, you can use Sidekick AI to generate it automatically.

💡 Make sure you have selected groups first; Sidekick AI customises the task based on the age group subject.

For Assignments and Flexible tasks, enter a topic and then click ‘show options’ to refine the task using:

Bloom’s Taxonomy objectives
Debate questions
Homework objectives
Differentiated questions

Click ‘Create’ to generate the description. You can customise this later if needed.

For Quizzes, you can use Sidekick to automatically generate questions. Simply select the number of questions you’d like your quiz to have, enter the topic, and click Generate to create them.

For Spelling tests, Sidekick can generate word lists for you. You can also choose to include definitions and example sentences to help students understand and practise their spelling terms.

Publish or save as draft

Once you have completed the form, click Publish. The task will become visible to students on Issue date.

If you need more time to finalise the task, click Save as draft. Drafts can be quickly accessed from the right-hand side when creating a new task.

You can also find all your saved drafts in Homework > Resources. Click More filters and select State → Drafts.

FAQs

Question	Answer
Can I change task type part way through creating it?	Yes! Use the 'type' field to select a different task type and it will carry over any of the contact you've added to the 'Details' section.
If I share drafts with my colleagues?	Yes, if staff go to the Homework > Resources area of Satchel One, they can view draft tasks and focus on these using the 'Select state' filter.