Teacher pathway: set up one class
You teach a class. Here is how to get started with Alto.
Set up your class using Alto’s guided Setup Wizard. No pupil email addresses, no lessons to build and no content to configure before your class can begin.
Setting a class up Coming soon
The Setup Wizard described on this page is built and working, but it is open to invited schools at the moment rather than to every school. If you would like to be told when it opens, write to support@alto.guru and we will let you know.
Open to any UK school today: the free Great Times Tables Race. It takes a few minutes to set up and commits your school to nothing.
What you will need
Just your class details.
The Setup Wizard will guide you through:
- finding your school by name or postcode
- accepting Alto’s data processing agreement for your school
- your class name and year group
- a username for each pupil, which can be a first name or nickname plus a surname initial
We do not need pupils’ full surnames or email addresses.
Using nicknames is fine if your school prefers to minimise the personal information shared with Alto.
Three steps
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Get started
Follow the Setup Wizard to find your school, accept the data processing agreement and register your class.
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Add your pupils
Enter your class name and year group, then add your pupils using their first names or nicknames and surname initials.
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Start practising
Print the login cards for your class and hand them out. Each card carries one pupil’s username, their two secret words and where to sign in, so they can start practising straight away.
Setting a class up opens to all UK schools later. Ask to be told when it does.
What happens in the first lesson
Give each pupil their login card and have them sign in through the school login option with the username and two secret words printed on it. That is enough to get started.
By default, Alto works out what each pupil should practise and runs their session automatically. You do not need to assign work, choose a starting level or prepare a lesson first.
Pupils can therefore be working on different things at different levels within the same class.
On the Alto side, there is nothing else to configure before pupils start.
What you see
Your class dashboard gives you a whole-class view of what is happening without creating another pile of work to mark.
You can see:
- who has been practising
- what pupils have been working on
- where pupils are up to
- where someone may need more attention
Alto updates the dashboard from the practice pupils are already doing. There is nothing for you to mark after each session.
Use Alto automatically, or direct the practice yourself
Alto runs itself today. Directing it yourself is on the way. Coming soon
You do not have to plan Alto sessions. Left alone, Alto selects practice for each pupil based on what they need and adjusts as they progress. That is how Alto works today: as regular daily practice that looks after itself.
Being able to intervene is what is still being built. Teachers will be able to point practice at recently taught topics, revisit important earlier learning or strengthen the foundational skills pupils will need before starting something new.
Alto will fold this into each pupil’s personalised practice, continuing to bring earlier learning back at carefully spaced intervals.
That will mean Alto can run quietly as regular daily practice, or be used more deliberately to support what you are teaching.
What teachers say
The platform’s ability to provide differentiated, engaging content while freeing up teacher time for targeted support made it an invaluable addition to my teacher toolkit.
Used Alto Term 4 2024 and part of Term 1 2025.
Full reference available on request.
What it costs
Times tables, number facts and spelling are free for UK schools, including use of the class dashboard and home practice through pupils’ school logins.
Broader maths, mental maths strategies and grammar are available for a low fee. Schools can start with the free learning areas without committing to a paid subscription.
Quick answers
Do I need a class list before I start?
You will need your class details, but there is no spreadsheet to send us. The Setup Wizard guides you through entering your pupils and creating your class.
You only need a username for each pupil, which can be a first name or nickname plus a surname initial, along with your class name, year group and school.
Do pupils need email addresses?
No. Each pupil receives an Alto username and two secret words on a printed login card. Pupil email addresses are not required.
Do I need to set work before pupils begin?
No. Alto chooses appropriate practice for each pupil automatically, so your class can start as soon as setup is complete.
Do I need parental consent?
There is no separate Alto consent process for parents. Follow your school’s or education authority’s requirements for using third-party learning tools with pupils.
During setup, the school accepts Alto’s data processing agreement, which sets out what Alto does with pupil information.
How long does setup take?
You set your own class up through the Setup Wizard, without waiting for Alto to create accounts for you. Once setup is complete and the login cards are printed, pupils can begin practising.
What happens if we stop using Alto?
There is no problem if your class takes a break from Alto. Pupil accounts and their existing progress are retained, so pupils can return later without starting again.
If your school decides to discontinue Alto altogether, you can contact us and ask for the relevant school accounts to be closed.
For information about data retention and deletion requests, see our data and safety information.
Can more than one teacher oversee the class? Coming soon
Not yet. Inviting a colleague onto a class is being built. For now the teacher who sets the class up is the teacher who oversees it.
Questions? support@alto.guru