This article explains how to manage staff accounts in Sparx, including adding new staff members, assigning Key Contact roles, and removing staff who have left.
Adding new staff members
You can create as many staff accounts as you need to (for example, for staff members who support students, like teaching assistants). All staff accounts have the same administrative rights in Sparx.
Go to Management → Staff Manager
Click Add staff member at the top of the page
Fill in the required fields:
First name
Last name
Email address
Role(s) - Select from the available options
Note: You can only assign one Sparx Leader and one Head of Subject
Click Save
The new staff will receive a welcome email inviting them to set a password
Updating existing staff members
Changing email addresses
Changing email addresses
Go to Management → Staff Manager
Click the pencil icon next to the relevant staff member
Enter the new email address
Click Save
Note: this won't generate a new welcome email. Make sure to tell the staff member that their email address has been updated, as they'll need to use the new email address the next time that they log in to Sparx.
Setting and changing display names
Setting and changing display names
You can change how a staff member's name appears in Sparx, which can be useful if you display Sparx in the classroom and don't want students to see teachers' full names:
Go to Management → Staff Manager
Click the pencil icon next to the staff member
Select Use a preferred display name
Enter the preferred display name
Click Save
The staff member will need to log out and log back in to see the change
Removing staff members
Removing staff members
Go to Management → Staff Manager
Click the pencil icon next to the staff member
Scroll to the bottom of their profile
Click Remove Staff Member
Confirm by clicking I understand, remove [Name]
The staff member's account will be removed and they'll no longer be able to log in to Sparx
Key contacts
Key contact roles and what they mean in Sparx
Key contact roles and what they mean in Sparx
Sparx Leader: A primary contact for weekly insights email, new features, subscriptions and proactive support
SLT - Line Manager of Subject: A secondary contact who receives weekly and termly emails plus information relevant to Senior Leaders
Head of Subject: Receives weekly insights emails and serves as additional contact if the Sparx Leader is unavailable
Network Manager: Handles technical setup including MIS connection and Single Sign-On
Finance Officer: Receives subscription information and invoices
Data Protection Officer: Point of contact for data protection queries
Head of School: Receives information relevant to Headteachers
Business Manager: Contacted about procurement and subscriptions
Adding or editing Key Contacts
Adding or editing Key Contacts
Go to Management → Staff Manager
Select the Key Contacts tab
Click the Edit button next to the key contact role
Enter the first name, last name and email address for the contact.
If you're assigning an existing staff member to a key contact role, a drop-down will display as you start typing the staff member's name.
Click on the staff member from the drop-down which will autocomplete the remaining details for you.
Click Save
To remove a key contact, delete the contact's email address and choose "Remove [Role]"
Frequently asked questions
Do different staff roles have different permissions?
Do different staff roles have different permissions?
No, all staff accounts have the same administrative rights in Sparx. The roles help us to send email communication to the right person.
Can I create a temporary staff account?
Can I create a temporary staff account?
Yes, you can create an account as normal and remove it when no longer needed using the steps above.
What happens to class assignments when I remove a staff member?
What happens to class assignments when I remove a staff member?
The staff member will be automatically removed from any classes they were assigned to.
Can Key Contacts log into Sparx?
Can Key Contacts log into Sparx?
Users with the roles Sparx Leader, SLT- Line Manager of Subject or Head of Subject will automatically appear in both the Key Contacts and Staff tabs once their account is created. Other roles will not automatically have access to Sparx, and will need to be added to the Staff list to allow them to log in.