Differentiated tasks can be used to tailor homework to meet individual student needs, abilities, and learning styles - helping increase student motivation and ownership of learning.

You can create a differentiated task with up to five trays, each containing a different set of instructions.

To set a new differentiated task, click 'Set task' at the top of the navigation panel. Then click 'Create' under the Differentiated task type.

You can reuse a previous differentiated task with the widget on the right, or create a new one from scratch by filling out the onscreen form.

All of the information you enter on this page will be visible to the students and parents who receive the task.

Title: Appears on the students' calendar and to-do list.

Type: Switch to a different task type without losing the information you've already entered in the common fields.

Class groups: Select one or more class groups to receive this task.

Students: By default, all students in the class are selected and will receive the task. However, you can deselect individuals from the existing selection, or click the 'X' to clear the entire selection, and then select specific students.

Subject: Select a subject for the task. This will help students locate it on their to-do list / calendar and it’s also important for reporting purposes.

💡 Top tip: If you select a class group first, the subject is automatically populated.

Description: Enter instructions for the students. You can format your text using the available options.

📝 Please note: This box should be used for generic instructions e.g. "Please select a project of your choice from the options provided below." The more detailed differentiated instructions are added later on using the tray feature.

Issue date: Select the date your task will become visible to the students. This allows you to schedule the work well in advance without worrying that students can see it ahead of time.

Due date: Select the deadline for completion.

Issue on lesson: Select a specific timetabled lesson for your task to be issued on. Represented visually on the Timetable with a green 'Set' label.

Due on lesson: Select a specific timetabled lesson for your task to be due on. Represented visually on the Timetable with a red 'Due' label.

Attachments: Upload related resources or worksheets from your computer, Dropbox, 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.

Marking scheme: Select a marking scheme which will allow you to grade the task accordingly. The available marking schemes can be added / edited via Tools > Apps > Homework.

In the Tasks section, you can create up to five trays, each containing a different set of instructions.

To create a tray, click the ➕ on the top right-hand side of the Tasks section. On the resulting popup, enter the tray name and click Save.

💡 Top tip: When naming your trays, we recommend avoiding labels which make students feel singled out based on their skill level - especially given that all the trays will be visible to every student in the class.

After saving your tray name, add some instructions in the Description box. Remember, these instructions only pertain to this specific tray. You can also use the Attachments button to upload related resources or worksheets from your computer, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.

Once you've added some instructions, click 'Done' to add them to your tray. A blank form for adding another set of instructions within the same tray will open up. If needed, add further instructions for this tray.

When you've finished creating your first tray, click the ➕ to add another.

Here's an example of a differentiated task which allows students to select the task that matches their interests and strengths - whether they prefer writing, creating visual art, or analysing the text:

In this example, the Write tray contains three sets of instructions.

This is just one example of differentiation. The tray feature could be used for:

You can add up to five trays, so get creative!

When you have completed all the details required on the form, click 'Publish'. Your differentiated task will be set live on the issue date.

💡Top tip: Started but don't have time to finish your task? Click 'Save as draft' to come back to it later. You can find it again in Homework → Resources → More filters → Select state → Drafts.

​