Other/Cluster Visits are designed for simpler, less formal visit records. Unlike Focus Visits, they use a generic template with minimal LA configuration.
All Pendulum users can create Other/Cluster Visits. These records contain fewer sections than a Focus Visit, so they may not be as detailed.
Important: Always use Pendulum in a single browser tab. Creating, editing or deleting visits with multiple tabs open can lead to overwritten information or issues with reports saving.
Visit Details
The visit record is grouped into clear sections, helping you complete the key details, add people linked to the visit, manage actions and attachments, and prepare the final report.
Comments
The Comments section is where you should add the main summary and written content of the visit report. A range of formatting options are available here, including font sizes, colours, bullet points and tables, allowing you to structure and present your notes clearly.
Key Details
The Key Details section includes the visit term, start date and time, and end date and time.
Use these fields to record when the visit took place.
Additional Details
The Additional Details section includes information such as:
- Administration time
- Visit reference
- Your name
- Visit Category
- Funding Category
Your LA may ask you to complete the Visit Category and Funding Category. These options are set by your Local Authority and should be selected from the available dropdowns.
For information on adding or editing visit categories, see the Managing Visit Categories guide.
Advisers & Attendees
Use the Advisers & Attendees section to add people or schools linked to the visit. Click Add / View beside the relevant option to add or update the details.
You can use the Cluster Visit option when more than one school was involved in the same session.
To do this, create the record against the school where the session took place, then click Cluster Visit to add any other schools visited, to make the record available to the other schools.
Actions & Attachments
The Actions & Attachments section shows any actions or files linked to the visit. These are explained in more detail further down this guide.
Report
The Report section allows you to manage the front cover options, download the report and control whether the visit is visible to schools.
Actions
Use the Actions section to add and view action points linked to a visit. These may be actions for the adviser, the school, or another relevant person.
When an action is added to a visit, it is stored on the visit record and linked to the individual school. It will also appear on the school dashboard and the Pendulum Actions Dashboard.
Adding an Action
To add an action, click Add/View Actions. Then click Create New Action.
Add a Title and select an Assignee.
The assignee can be:
- Yourself
- Another user with Nexus access within your LA
- A school staff member, by selecting From School and entering their details manually
Add a due date and enter the action details. You can also tick Key Action if the action should be marked as key.
When you are happy with the action, click Create.
The action will be embedded on the visit record. From this page, you can review the action, mark it as Completed, edit it or delete it.
To return to this page later, open the visit and click Add/View Actions.
Viewing Actions on the Actions Dashboard
Actions added to visits also appear on the Actions Dashboard and feed into the school dashboard for the relevant establishment.
Tip: If you cannot see an action you expected, check that the visit is finalised and review the Completion Status, Assignee, Due Date and Key Actions filters.
To edit an action, click the action title or the pencil icon. Update the required fields, or mark the action as complete or key, then click Save.
To download the visit linked to an action, click the icon in the visit column. This will download the visit record as a PDF.
To delete an action, click the bin icon.
For more information, see the Actions Dashboard guide.
Attaching Files
Once you have saved the visit record, you can add attachments from the Actions & Attachments section by clicking Upload Files. Note: The option to upload files will not appear until the visit record has been saved.
After click select Upload Files, click Add Related File and select the file from your computer. Alternatively, drag and drop the file into the upload area.
You can also add a description for the file if required.
By default, uploaded files are only available to users within Pendulum. Tick Make file available to schools, once submitted if the school should be able to access the document once the visit has been finalised.
When done, click Attach. The file will then be embedded on the visit.
Formatting the Report
Pendulum allows you to choose what data appears on the front cover of the visit report. To customise what is displayed for this visit only, click Cover Options.
Tick the options you want to include, then click Save and Close. The selected options will appear on the final report.
Important: Only Pendulum admins (Visit/Super Visit Managers) can control the default options across the entire LA. Advisers can still change these options on individual records.
Sending the Visit to the School
When you are done, if you want the school to be able to view this report from their Perspective/Perspective Lite account, set the Report visible to schools option to ON.
For further information of who can view the report, hover over the information icon to the right of the text.
Important: Once shown to the school, the visit will be finalised and locked for editing. If you need to make further changes, click Recall inside the visit, or from the Pendulum Homepage.
For more information on how schools view Other/Cluster Visits, see the Perspective Lite Records of Visit guide.