At Oakbridge, we use Arbor to manage our pupil information.
When you join the school, you’ll receive an email invitation to set up your Arbor account.
To help you get started, we’ve provided some useful information below to guide you through the setup process.
What is the Parent Portal?
The Parent Portal is our version of Arbor accessible to guardians on a laptop or computer.
What is the Parent App?
The Parent App is the mobile version of our Parent Portal, for use on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. If your school has switched on the Parent Portal, you can download the App and begin using it straight away.
An overview of the Parent App
Downloading the Parent App
Android
Go to your Play store and search for ‘Arbor’. Click the top option.
Click Install to download the Parent App. Once it has installed, click Open.
IOS
Go to your App Store and search ‘Arbor’. Click the top option. Click Get to download the Parent App.
Enabling push notifications
Android
You can turn Push Notifications on or off at any time by going to your Settings on your phone. For example, on a Samsung Galaxy S8, go to Settings > Apps > Arbor > Notifications.
Tap the slider to turn Push Notifications on and manage your settings.
IOS
When you download the Parent App, you will receive a prompt to receive notifications from Arbor. Make sure you select Allow to enable your school to send you push notifications. This will ensure you receive a notification when you have a new In-app message.
If you select Don’t Allow, you can turn Push Notifications back on at any time by going to your Settings on your phone. For example, on an iPhone SE, go to Settings > Arbor > Notifications.
Tap the slider to turn push notifications on and manage your settings. We recommend setting you banner style to Permanent, so it doesn’t disappear.
Logging in
Before you log in for the first time, please wait until your school has enabled the Parent Portal. You will not be able to log in until they have.
When your school enables Parent Portal and the Parent App, they will send you a welcome email to set your password. You won’t be able to do this through the app, as the links in our reset password emails only work with a browser. Please follow the Logging in for the first time instructions in the Logging in on the Parent Portal section below.
Logging in on the Parent Portal
Logging in for the first time
The welcome email from your school will contain your login details and a link that will take you to the browser version of the Parent Portal where you need to set up a password.
You can reset your password using a computer, or using a mobile browser on your phone or tablet.
Click the link, then click Forgot your password? Add in your email address then click Reset password.
If you have a child at more than one Arbor school, you will be asked to select the appropriate school.
You’ll then receive another email. Click the link in this email to set your password.
Create your password. You will then be logged in when you click Create password.
Click to accept the terms and conditions.
As a security precaution, you will then be asked to confirm one of your children’s dates of birth. Once you click verify, you will now be logged in!
You can then close your browser and switch to using the app.
Returning to log in again
Now your password has been set up, you can log into the Parent Portal by going to login.arbor.sc and inputting your email address and password.
If you have a child at more than one Arbor school, you will be asked to select the appropriate school. Enter your password, then click Log in.
If you can’t log in, use the I’m a guardian link on the right-hand side to view troubleshooting tips.
Logging in on the Parent App
Save your password and fill it in automatically using your phone’s built-in Face ID, fingerprint scan or pin entry.
Top Tip: You will need to download the latest version from the app store to use biometric login:
- The version number for iOS for biometric login is 24.1
- The version number for Android is 35 (24)
Logging in for the first time
When you open the app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to add in your email address and password.
The Remember my password box will be ticked by default but you can untick it if needed. This allows Arbor to remember your password the next time you log in.
Make sure both your email address and password are correct, or you’ll receive this message.
When your email address and password are correct, we’ll check your biometric details – either by Face ID, fingerprint scan or pin entry.
- Once the check is successful, biometric login will be enabled for the next time you log in, and you won’t need to input your Arbor password.
- You need to ensure one of these options is enabled to be able to save your password, or you’ll need to untick the box.
Next you’ll need to select your school. If you have accounts on more than one school, there’ll be a tick next to any schools your password works for.
- Click on a school with a tick to be logged right in.
- Click on a school without a tick to input your alternative password for that school.
Once you input your alternative password, it’ll save this password for next time.
If you have more than one child at the school, please select the child you wish to view. Don’t worry, you can select another child once you are logged in.
Returning to log in again
When you open your Parent App and you chose to save your password, we’ll run a biometric check.
Please note that if you haven’t logged into the Parent App for 1 month, you’ll need to enter your password the next time you log in.
We’ll then automatically log you in with your email and password – just click on the school with the tick.
If the biometric login fails, a message will be displayed (this will vary based on device OS) and you’ll need to retry or enter your passcode to be able to select your school.
If you fail all authentication, you’ll have the option to input your Arbor password.
Logging out
From Parent Portal
To log out, just click the Sign out link at the top-right of your page.
You will also be automatically logged out after a period of two hours of inactivity. If you click back into your Arbor tab just before the time is up, you can choose whether to remain logged in.
From the Parent App
You will automatically be logged out of the Parent App after 30 minutes of inactivity. You can also log out by using the logout feature or by closing down the Parent App completely (see instructions below).
From within the Parent App
Tap the profile icon in the bottom right of your screen and select Logout.
Closing the Parent App
On Android, for example on a Samsung Galaxy S8, you can close the Parent App by clicking the vertical bars icon at the bottom left of your screen. Swipe the Parent App up to close it and you will be logged out.
On IOS, for example on an iPhone SE, you can close the Parent App by clicking the home button twice. Swipe the Parent App up to close it and you will be logged out.
Resetting my password
Having difficulty resetting your password? There’s a number of reasons why you may be struggling to log in to the Parent App or Parent Portal. Use the tips in this article before raising an issue with your school: Troubleshooting login issues – why can’t I log in?
From within Arbor
From within the Parent Portal
Go to My Items > My Account. Add in your new password details.
From within the Parent App
If you are logged into the Parent App, you can change your password by clicking the profile icon, then clicking your name.
You will then be able to see your account details including your non-email username. Click to change your password.
On the next screen, type in your current password and your new password, then Change Password.
I’ve forgotten my password
Reset your password for the Parent Portal
Click the Forgot your password? link on the login page to be sent a reset password email.
Reset your password for the Parent App
If you have accessed Arbor previously and have forgotten your password, select the Forgotten password? option when signing in to the Parent App.
This will take you to a second screen where you can enter your email to generate a password change email.