What is the point of school reports?

[unknownrebelbang]

My school reports, a long long time ago, were one line for each subject; a general comment at the bottom, along with test results; A, B, or C; and class position. Ok, so I know we don't need to know the class position etc, but at least my parents knew how things were.

I've received DS2 and DS3's reports recently and tbh they're full of cut/pasted gobbledigook. There has been a trend for this over recent years, but this year it was so noticeable because they're both currently in the same class (yr5/yr6).

Obviously I'd like to know how they're doing in each subject; where progress has been made; where progress needs to be made; targets etc, but do we really need all this information?

The only thing that made any real sense was the PHSE; general and head's comments.

So, when did the reports get so complicated; and why?

Oh good. I was just checking you weren't offended by my OP, as it genuinely isn't a dig. I have the utmost respect for the majority of teachers I've come into contact with, and am sure they've got better things to do than write these reports.

I could start in my marking, I teach 21 sets if I were to mark there books as I am instructed that would be 42 hours over a fortnight!

I am in a mood tonight!

not at all!

One comment in DS's report says "he can count reliably up to ten everyday objects and can order numbers up to ten". No shit. He's 5. Of course he can. In fact, like most 5 year olds at the end of reception, he can count way beyond ten everyday objects! It does make me , but I know what the reality of writing all the reports is like.

I actually really like writing reports and feel if done correctly they are very useful , the attraction does wear off though as I get to the early hours of the morning.

You're allowed to be in a mood!

My dad was a tacher abroad when I was growing up. The school system over there was based around monthly tests, monthly!! So every month he had to write tests, get all the kids to do the tests, mark all the tests, and write monthly report cards!!! Then there where end of term exams and big end of year exams and you had to pass all of them or you'd fail and have to repeat the year.

He was a secondary teacher. That was hours and hours and hour of marking and report writing! Ridiculous.

i used to find them v. useful - of lat thi computersied bullshit makes me think no-one gives a shit - and often that they don't even know what child they are writing about - seriously

Unknownrebelbang - SMT, in the first instance.

They've resisted getting in report writing software (ie. comment banks) which would enable us to snap through the bit we cut & paste anyway - so the first job when writing reports is to set up a 'generic' report with multiple adjectives to select from.

('xxx has made excellent/pleasing/satisfactory/limted progress...' & so on for 150 words)

Writing, then cut & pasting your adaptable generic bit over 30 reports probably takes a half hour or so.

Then you do the attainment & targets (reproducing from your mark book the info you provided to the school data base a month previously, but which the school is too tight/inept to transfer into the report database). Probably another half hour.

Then adapting the generic bit (ie. deleting the spare adjectives) & checking you've altered the gender where necessary (original generic report for whichever sex predominates in teaching group). One hour.

Final, personalised statement? Probably another hour. This is where you praise/put the boot in, assuming you haven't by now lost the will to live.

It is also probably the only bit of the report worth reading.

We have report writing software that crashes if too many people use it at once, so I tend to do mine in word and then import it in.

I find it much more satsisfying in a protestant work ethic kind of way tinged with a good dose of catholic guilt to just write them from scratch rather than lots of copying, deleting changing of he/she etc.

But as I am sat here gossiping on Mumsnet when I have another 100 reports to write by 3.10 tomorrow when I also have lessons to teach and plan is probably a sign that I should be ignored!

I'd just like to be able to write 50 pithy & well chosen words per student, rather than farting about producing 150+ words that are immediately recognisable as customised c&p by any parent bright or motivated enough to read it...

Weare instructed to write at least 50 and aim for 100. We prefer short and pithy to long and waffly.

I ahve now been kicked of the school portal which is my cue for bed.

Mine were funny in retrospect. They sort of went like this:

English - A
French - A
German - A
Everything else I wasn't interested in B+
Except for Chemistry A (fancied the chemistry teacher)

I wonder if my mother ever got to the bottom of my strange fascination with Chemistry?

Its intersting to read this, TSAP (and others) I do not envy you the task of producing something parents want and are interested into read, without exhausting yourselves.

Ds (just finished year 7) gets a report each term. One A4 page double sided. It has his name on the front, and his expected attainment levels for year9. On the other side it lists all 13 subjects he studies and by the side it shows what grade he got that term ie 5A, 6C etc. Nowhere in the report does it tell me anything at all about my child. He did a huge project for science re the solar system, it has been kept by the school in the science lab as an example of creative and informative work. (proud mummy emoticon) however he didnt receive the promised certificate for outstanding work, nor did he even get a mention in the report because ther is nowhere for anything personal. Its a complete pile of twaddle crap.

Re the earlier comment about one line to show the teachers actually know the child, couldnt happen here as thers is nowhere at all to write it. Nothing personal at all. I can see what he has doen well at but I have no idea if he is acheivng his very best or could do better. Parents evening doesnt do any better either but thats another thread.

Sorry for rant.

I still get really excited about my dc's reports (ds's due this evening!) sad person that I am. But I agree about the cut and paste - dd was once referred to as "he" for a couple of paragraphs!

If we were really honest, I suspect most of us would say that the most useful thing on a report would be a form order. Knowing how your child is doing in relation to their peer group would help parents put their child in context, if you see what I mean. I can see why this can't happen, and it would be dreadful for number 29 out of 29, but there would be no room for misunderstanding, would there!

Hear, hear, hear, hear, hear.....

I sooooo agree.

Ds's (year 5) was a proper report, but as for dd's reception report. It was complete gobbledegook. There was some kind of bar chart with no explanation of the meaning of the axes, and several pages of waffle saying she had reached various "Stepping Stones". But it could have applied to anyone. It was a waste of paper.

As other posters have said, I don't want a full-blown essay, just a few lines to let me know if she is good at reading/bad at reading/has improved at reading/lazy at reading and similar for other aspects of school life.

Currently these reports are wasting teachers' time.

In fact, was just reading in the Daily Mail today (free copy in M&S cafe!) an article by Esther Rantzen saying that political correctness has now gone quite mad in schools. I must admit, I'm starting to notice more and more lunacy at dd's infant school.

lol Quattro.

No seeker, I don't need to know where he is in class.

That's a shame starmummy.

Yours are too far the other way, obviously.

One comment on ds's nursery report was" Fimble can share with others". Err no he does not, because I am trying to work on this when we have his friends round to play.

I'd love to be able to be honest in reports. I'm sure that the MNetters who have asked for the truth would find the comments useful.

However there are lots of parents who cannot stand any comment about their child that does not intimate that the sun shines out of their dc's jacksie.

it is, as raven said, very hard to write 200 reports without some degree of repetition

and colditz, LOLOL at your 'would be' report

Oh the cut and paste comments re. Ofsted targets really irritate me. And they must wind the teachers up, too. What a waste of time having to drop "he can count reliably up to ten everyday objects..." into 45 reports for reception. Multiply by what seems to be dozens of stupid Ofsted standards and that's the report. I know ds can count up to 10 (and far more) what I want to know is how he's doing!

Dd'd first 2 reports were pretty unhelpful in some way - this year the reports are much better imo (nursery and Yr2)

The reports I write have 750 characters, all original and composed for the specific student.

some translations that I posted on an earlier thread

X is a lively student ( I can't get him to sit down in the class)

Who is always happy to contribute to class discussions (never shuts up)

His written work is not as good as his oral contributions to the lessons (he never completes a written task unless I stand behind him)

To improve he needs to take control of his own learning (and do some work)

He needs to have a more consistent attitude to homework (he needs to do some)

He is capable of doing well, but he needs to concentrate on his studies (so it will be a cold day in Hades then)

I don't mind some repetition, I'm realistic.

It's the waffle I don't want.

Sadly, I know all too well about parents who can't face the truth too - blardy fellow parent been emailing all day about her sons' provisional SATs results. .

Had to really bite my tongue, her being a friend...