Learner guide

1.1Activate your account with an invite code

Teachers, staff and learners do not sign up on their own. Your school adds you, and you get a personal invite code (or a link that has the code in it) to set up your login.

1. 1

   Get your code

   Your school administrator gives you a six-character invite code, for example A7X3K9, by SMS, WhatsApp, on paper, or as a link. The code only works for your account.

2. 2

   Open the activation page

   Tap the link you were sent, or go to skulbase.com, choose Sign in and then “Activate your account”. If you opened a link, the code is already filled in.

3. 3

   Check it is you

   Press Continue. Skulbase shows the name the school registered. If it is not you, choose “Not you?” and ask the school for the right code.

4. 4

   Choose how you will sign in

   Pick a username (one is suggested for you) and a password of at least 8 characters, or continue with Google. Adding an email address lets you reset your password yourself later.

5. 5

   You are in

   You are signed in straight away and land on the home page for your role.

Good to know: Each code can be used once. If yours says it has expired or was already used, ask your administrator to reset your account; they get a fresh code in seconds.

1.2Sign in

Once your account is active, sign in with your email address or username and your password, or with Google if you activated with Google.

1. 1

   Go to the sign-in page

   Open skulbase.com and choose Sign in.

2. 2

   Enter your details

   Type your email address or username, then your password, and press Sign In. Or press “Sign in with Google”.

3. 3

   Forgot your password?

   Choose “Forgot password?”, enter your email address, and type the six-digit code we email you along with a new password. This also works if you have only ever used Google, and afterwards both ways work.

Tip: Save skulbase.com to your phone’s home screen. It opens like an app and remembers you are signed in.

1.3Finding your way around

The menu only shows the pages your role can use. On a computer it runs down the left-hand side; on a phone the main pages sit in a bar along the bottom.

• On a computer, the arrow at the top of the menu makes it narrower (icons only) or wider (icons and names). Skulbase remembers your choice.
• Press the / key, or tap “Search menu”, to jump to any page by typing part of its name.
• Your name at the bottom of the menu opens your account menu: switch between light and dark appearance, or sign out.
• If you hold more than one role (for example an administrator who is also a class teacher), use “View as” in the account menu to switch views.
• On a phone, the bottom bar shows your four most-used pages. Everything else is under More.

2.1Reading your dashboard

The top says what is coming up (your next exam and how much homework is due), and shows your average for the latest term and how it changed.

• At a glance: your average, number of subjects, results released, attendance rate and, if your school uses it, your fee balance. Tap any of them to open the page.
• Latest results shows your newest released marks. Progress over time charts your average each term against the pass mark.
• Coming up lists exams in the next 30 days. Announcements shows notices from school; important ones are marked in red.
• Study goals lets you set yourself targets, such as “Score 75% in Mathematics”, and tick them off.

3.1Hand in homework

The Homework list shows work still to hand in first, then late work, then work you have handed in and work your teacher has marked.

1. 1

   Open it

   Tap the homework in the list. You see your teacher’s instructions and any file they attached (“Open the attachment”).

2. 2

   Do the work

   Type your answer in the box, attach a file (a photo of your written work, a PDF or a document up to 10 MB), or both.

3. 3

   Hand in

   Press “Hand in”. It now shows “Handed in”.

4. 4

   See your mark

   When your teacher marks it, it shows “Marked” with your score. Open it to read their feedback.

• You can hand in again to replace your work until your teacher marks it.
• Late work can still be handed in; it shows “Was due” with the date.

4.1My results

The Exam marks tab lists every released mark by term and then by exam (for example Midterm, then CAT), with your score, percentage, grade and each exam’s average.

• Filter by year, term or subject.
• Marks in green are at or above your school’s pass mark; red ones are below it.
• The Report cards tab lists your official report cards. Open one to see its details and press “Download PDF”.

4.2My timetable

If your school uses the timetable, My timetable shows your class’s lessons for the week: each period with the subject, teacher and room. On a phone it shows one day at a time.

4.3My subjects

My Subjects lists the subjects you take. Open one to see how you have done in it each term and the homework set for it.

5.1Attendance

Your attendance rate and every day your class teacher recorded: present, absent, late or excused, with any reason. Filter by month.

5.2Fees and paying

Fees shows the balance to pay, what you were billed and what has been paid, term by term, with receipts.

1. 1

   Pay with M-Pesa

   If your school uses M-Pesa, press Pay, enter the phone number and amount (you can pay part of the balance), and enter your M-Pesa PIN when the prompt appears on that phone. The page updates when the payment is received.

2. 2

   Pay with Pesapal

   If your school uses Pesapal, press Pay and finish on the Pesapal page that opens (card or mobile money). Come back to Skulbase; your balance updates automatically.

3. 3

   Pay by bank

   Use the bank account shown on the page and keep your slip or reference. Your school records it when the money clears.

4. 4

   Receipts

   Tap a term to see its payments and open a receipt.

5.3My profile

Your details as the school holds them: admission number, class, date of birth and guardian. You can update your own phone number; for anything else, ask your school.

6.1What parents receive

Keep your phone number up to date with the school so these reach you.

• Results by SMS when the school sends them after an exam.
• A text if your child is marked absent, when the class teacher sends absence notices.
• Important announcements, such as closing and opening dates.
• Printed report cards carry a QR code. Scan it with your phone camera to open a page that shows the results the school approved, so you can check the card is genuine.
• To pay fees online, sign in with your child on their learner account and use the Fees page.

7.1Using Skulbase on a phone

Every page works on a phone. Tables turn into cards, and the menu moves to the bottom of the screen.

• Use a current version of Chrome, Safari or Samsung Internet.
• Mark entry keeps your work on the phone if the network drops, and saves it when you are back online.
• Downloads such as report cards open in your phone’s PDF viewer, ready to share on WhatsApp or print.

8.1Where to get help

This guide is always available from Help in the menu, and as a PDF you can download and print.

• Your school administrator can add or reset accounts, fix classes and subjects, and change school settings.
• For problems with Skulbase itself, use the contact page at skulbase.com/contact, or call 0740 129 444.
• When you report a problem, say which page you were on, what you pressed and what you expected. A screenshot helps.