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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

What do you really want in a school report?

122 replies

letthembe · 29/05/2011 20:24

So I am sat here, at the start of my report writing mountain, deadline is set and my 'journey' to the summit has been broken into stages. But what I want to know is what do parents really want to read in the child's end of year report?

Personally, I'm only really interested in the general comments. And I hate reports written on report assist!

OP posts:

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exoticfruits · 08/07/2011 22:22

I would like the teacher to just think about my DC and write a general comment about what they think is important-I don't want sections and I don't want any cutting and pasting and I don't want to be told what he has done in subjects when we have had curriculum news, he has told me about it and I have seen it.
1.How is he doing in relation to the rest of the class.

Strengths and weaknesses.
How he gets on with other DCs and adults.

4 Behaviour 5 Personality

(the way they used to be before teachers had to follow a formula)
Unfortunately the whole report is a waste of time, except for the last comment-but it isn't the teacher's fault that they have to do a box ticking, meaningless exercise.

BusterGut · 08/07/2011 22:25

So, glasses, what do you want to know, if you know it already?

glassescase · 08/07/2011 23:06

I already said in my first post.

thecaptaincrocfamily · 08/07/2011 23:16

I want to know how some of the conclusions have been arrived at! i.e. if they get 7 points at EYFS why is that? DD1 got a great report but her weaker areas she got 7's when if I read the requirements they should be 8/9. I think parental discussion about what they achieve outside school is also important before assigning scores in EYFS. If a child of 4 is trampolining at level 6, rides a 2 wheeled bike before starting school and is swimming without floats then clearly that is beyond the EYFS iyswim in physical development. This was not reflected in the report.

thecaptaincrocfamily · 08/07/2011 23:19

Oh and I agree about the cut and paste thing. I had a comment 'dd1's fine motor control is good' ..... actually it is excellent and has been from age 2!

BusterGut · 08/07/2011 23:25

ok glasses - difficult to predict Oxbridge in Y2.

glassescase · 08/07/2011 23:38

OP did not specify yr 2 !

BusterGut · 08/07/2011 23:48

True - OP is Y5. Again, probably not thinking about Oxbridge.

superjobeespecs · 09/07/2011 00:12

i got DDs school report last month and it was just brilliant bugger stealth boasting it was!! the one thing mentioned more than once was that she never shuts up [hgrin] dont know where she gets it from ..

so long as you make sure that you are selling the kids great points and mention weaknesses and ways to improve you'll be grand im sure :)

glassescase · 09/07/2011 00:20

Didn't specify which year,
And not too soon for me!

cammomilehaze · 09/07/2011 02:10

Hello all,
I agree it is really important to know how a child measures up to his peers in the 3 R's and science. Also to celebrate their efforts and achievements and to home in on their weak areas to support them in progressing to an acceptable standard. Reports are ineffective if as parents and carers we are not provided with this information in a constuctive way.

Original poster

letthembe · 09/07/2011 16:08

I am going to defend the cut the paste - sort of. Most classes are 30 children. They receive a very similar education (differentiated for by ability and interests). I hate to sound mean people, but some children are very similar in turns of ability, areas of strengths and weaknesses. Therefore some comments do fit more than one child, especially in Maths and English, but you can write it in a way that individualises the comment. However, general comments about the child should NEVER be cut and pasted. Obviously if a school uses a report writing program, such as report assist, every report is very very similar and rather bland.

Each report we did at my school was 1000 words (30 000 words per class - it's a big job). The HT also write a personal on every report (that's over 500 reports).

OP posts:

BusterGut · 09/07/2011 16:26

It's difficult to individualise 'X knows his/her 2x,5x,10x tables and now needs to move on to the 3x and 4x tables', if that applies to a group of 6 children! Sentences like that would be a cut and paste job.

cory · 09/07/2011 16:28

Myess, I can see what you mean, letthembe- but does the cut and paste have to include the words "X enjoyed the activity" when the truth is that if X is reasonably well mannered the teacher is never going to know if he hated it or not? It is such an meaningless term- and chances are the parent gets better insights into this than you do.

And would it not be nice for the teacher to check that X was actually in school during the relative part of the term? How are you to react, as a parent, to a report that seems to include information that cannot possibly be factual?

As a university teacher I have to write reports on far more students than a school teacher ever does, but I do at least ensure that I have the relevant paperwork in front of me.

Original poster

letthembe · 09/07/2011 18:25

I agree with you BusterGut. But then I add if the child has enjoyed Multiplication Bingo or tried extra hard to learn a particular table or likes to lead the multiplication chant dance (don't ask - could be very embarrassing if someone caught actually doing this with a class).
I also give the children a sort of questionnaire during report writing season asking what they liked, what they didn't like, which activities they have done, etc. etc. Then I can check whether a child has enjoyed something before I write it.

OP posts:

Original poster

letthembe · 09/07/2011 18:27

whoops - caught me

And I check if a child was present for particular activity by having a quick flick through the photos I took.

OP posts:

exoticfruits · 09/07/2011 18:29

Why do you even have to put knows his 2x table etc-as a parent you would be the one testing them and making sure they know it!
We have had a good laugh with DCs over things they were supposed to have enjoyed!

Ormirian · 09/07/2011 19:15

DD just had her report. A list of targets for the end of Yr9 and a list of levels so far. Also a set of levels acheived for behaviour, hw, attitude and effort. So about as bare bones as possible. But we did have a more extensive report earlier in the year. I guess it's enough.

ZZZenAgain · 11/07/2011 09:48

cut and paste group comments have no place in a dc's school report IMO. There is no need for a report to be wordy and long. Short, to the point and individual; otherwise it appears to me as a fairly pointless waste of everyone's time. I'd even prefer just a form with boxes to be ticked and space for a couple of brief comments here and there.

ruler84 · 11/07/2011 10:06

Hate the cut and paste thing and the long spiel about class enjoyed x topic. Compete waste of paper. Just want to know how they are doing against their targets. Don't mind the grid working towards, achieving or consit achieving but I would like a personal comment for each area not meeting etc again. (Also not sure how dd managed to meet and consit meet same goal. More care/ checking would be appreciated.
Also want to know how there are doing socially and behaviour.

ruler84 · 11/07/2011 10:06

they not there.

ruler84 · 11/07/2011 10:06

More checking required by me!

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