Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think schools release reports right at the end of term to avoid being answerable to parents on what's in them

156 replies

Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 20:18

Why do schools do this? Its 2 weeks until end of term and still no reports.

It leaves no time to talk about interventions that might be needed or strategies to try and improve things. It also doesn't give time for parents to support on weak areas at home.

In theory there should be no surprises as there are parents evenings, but ime those aren't reliable, its when something is written down it counts.

They should be provided by spring half term so there's time to plan for the following year.

OP posts:
Crumbwell · 04/07/2023 21:54

Our reports contain end of year assessment data which shows how many steps progress have been made, which can’t be done any earlier. This year, SATs results aren’t out until 11th July, and should also be included in reports. If the written reports went out earlier then we would have to provide progress reports later on, and it is these which inform next steps.

Thebirdhouse · 04/07/2023 21:55

Most schools send a form out with the report for parents to acknowledge the report and to comment

Ive never in my life seen this!

Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:02

i don’t believe you’ve had no feedback on progress. It’s simply not true.

Parents evenings can be really, really fudgey, they can talk about progress without telling you where you child actually sits, attainment wise. They often over focus on effort, behaviour and attitude. Effort matters, but if a child is working really hard to be bottom of the class, its the attainment that needs communicating.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:02

Most schools send a form out with the report for parents to acknowledge the report and to comment

Yes, at the very end of term when your child has finished with that teacher. Pointless.

OP posts:
thatsn0tmyname · 04/07/2023 22:03

It's because we're still marking the assessments that will be reported in the end of term report.

Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:04

Shouldn't it be the child that is answerable to the parent as to what is in the report?

At 5?

Do you hold the car responsible for the mot, or the mechanic?

Teachers do have a role to play in you know, educating.

OP posts:
LadyGaGasPokerFace · 04/07/2023 22:06

Well, at least you don’t have to read and edit them all for every kid 😏

teacher45646 · 04/07/2023 22:06

This thread perfectly encapsulates why I’m leaving teaching

Wheelz46 · 04/07/2023 22:07

Poor form of the school if you are unable to speak to your childs current teachers about the report.

At my childrens primary, reports are always given out prior to parents evening, including the end of term one, so you can discuss any issues but you usually know about any issues beforehand because they are quite good at keeping you up to date without you having to wait for a written report/parents evening.

Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:07

Thatsnotmyname

In y1 the only assessment commented on is phonics test, it was done weeks ago. The vast majority of DC at our school pass it and this is known the day they take the test. Don't over egg it.

I know lots of schools do this better, but honestly, lots really do do this in a way that does not facilitate engagement with parents and you have to ask why that is.

OP posts:
RiotC · 04/07/2023 22:07

I'm currently collating the reports for the 500 students in my school! We do it twice a year though, and give them out on parents eve so that the parents can discuss them... so it's not always at the end of the year.

electriclight · 04/07/2023 22:09

We send them out at the end of the year because we are trying to give them as many weeks as possible to learn their year group's objectives.

They a report on your child's progress, attainment and effort and don't need any discussion.

If you are disappointed and want to discuss interventions or support, that is best done with next year's teacher, who will already have handover details from the current teacher and be well aware of their levels and what might help to move them on.

How can we report on their progress in Year 5 until they're finishing Year 5?

Sugargliderwombat · 04/07/2023 22:11

Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 20:44

It's a report not a discussion. Discussions are parents evenings.

My experience of parents evenings has beem that teachers sugar coat and avoiding commenting on attainment at parents evening - focusing on behaviour, effort, attitude to learning, improvement, but not attainment, unless a child is very far behind.

Its not the same as a written record.

Ahh, ours get a report with their parents evening, which clearly states their current attainment.

Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:11

They a report on your child's progress, attainment and effort and don't need any discussion.

I can't believe a teacher would say they "don't need any discussion". Are you a parent?

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:12

If you are disappointed and want to discuss interventions or support, that is best done with next year's teacher, who will already have handover details from the current teacher and be well aware of their levels and what might help to move them on.

Meanwhile in the real world, the next years teacher doesn't actually figure out any of this stuff for months and half the year is gone before anything is done.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 04/07/2023 22:14

Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 20:51

I totally agree, last year dd had been apparently at the right level in March parents eve, no issues raised, get to July last day of term and was below expectations for maths, reading and writing with a short generic sentence of well done… It was entirely unhelpful and then had to wait until Oct parents eve to speak to the new teacher to see how they are actually doing! It’s a daft system

This is exactly the common scenario i mean.

Then you are supposed to take it up with new teacher, who doesn't know your child from adam and says they need time to form their own opinion/assess child etc.

Dsis dd theyve only said how bad her maths is right at end of year having done no meaningful interventions all year.

Education is a long game, not a year-sized chunk and then reset next year.

If you've been told they're bad at maths, get a maths book to work on over the summer?

electriclight · 04/07/2023 22:15

Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:11

They a report on your child's progress, attainment and effort and don't need any discussion.

I can't believe a teacher would say they "don't need any discussion". Are you a parent?

Yes I'm a parent and a teacher. The clue is in the word report. Unless you get them on the last day, you can talk to the teacher about it can't you? Opportunity to discuss what they're planning to do to move your kid on is irrelevant. They'll have already done it all. Time to focus on next year now.

RSintes · 04/07/2023 22:17

Teachers do reports at the end of term as they're too goddam busy doing every bloody thing else beforehand.

HTH

electriclight · 04/07/2023 22:18

Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:12

If you are disappointed and want to discuss interventions or support, that is best done with next year's teacher, who will already have handover details from the current teacher and be well aware of their levels and what might help to move them on.

Meanwhile in the real world, the next years teacher doesn't actually figure out any of this stuff for months and half the year is gone before anything is done.

Don't be silly. Teachers have lots of handover meetings. I know the levels, needs and provision of next year's class right now. I've drawn up a list of children I want to have certain interventions, and who has the potential to work at an even higher level. I know who is struggling with bereavement, parental separation, anxiety.

Obviously I'll still be swamped by parents in the first week of September who think we don't know stuff until they tell us, but we do.

Elephantsdontlikechocolate · 04/07/2023 22:19

Absolutely

Original poster
Yellowlegobrick · 04/07/2023 22:21

Unless you get them on the last day, you can talk to the teacher about it can't you?
And if its given on the last day?

Opportunity to discuss what they're planning to do to move your kid on is irrelevant. They'll have already done it all.

No, they should have done it all. What about where they haven't? My dsis (a teacher!!!) Was not told the extent of how far behind her DD was in maths, all year. Was told not bad enough for interventions etc. Given messages at parents evening that didn't guide as to actual attainment eg "its her weakest area", "she's worked really hard at it", "she's made a lot of progress". No assessments.

Then the report - below expectations. If my dsis had been told, she'd have pushed for the interventions earlier, before it got this bad. Not all parents can manage to teach their children the maths at home over the summer - some will be working! And they should not have to.

OP posts:
JunipeJuniper · 04/07/2023 22:22

Also worth pointing out that the expectations are pretty arbitrary. They've changed recently and they'll change again soon. If a child is making progress and slightly behind expectations in maths in Y3, I'm not usually that concerned as I know that type of child matures and will do fine by Y6. If they are further behind, we're already doing all we can to catch them up! And for some children year group expectations are just not an attainable goal. Some children will always be below the expected standard - for those, progress definitely is what matters.

My school used to do comment slips with reports. You'd usually get back 2 out of 30.

RSintes · 04/07/2023 22:22

Going solely by the tone of your posts, @Yellowlegobrick, I suspect you are quite right and that the teachers are indeed deliberately avoiding discussing stuff with you, as it would likely for them be a tiresome and futile experience.

noblegiraffe · 04/07/2023 22:23

Not all parents can manage to teach their children the maths at home over the summer - some will be working!

And so they can just give up and let their kid continue to do badly and blame the school?

It's their kid. Even working parents have some time off.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/07/2023 22:23

I agrée it would make a lot of sense to have them a bit sooner, like around Easter time. However, I’m not sure they’re doing it on purpose, it’s probably a case of “we’ve always done it like this”

My dd’s secondary school does sent out reports much earlier on