Headteacher comments on reports -worth it?

[captainflash]

This is more a general question really -and I'm not sure who else to ask! I'm head of a 2-form entry primary school -around 400 pupils.

We're right in the middle of report time and I'm making my way through a headteacher personal comment on every report. I've always done it -I think it's important that we acknowledge the child. I try to make them personal to each child. It takes me ages!!!

Another HT I was talking to yesterday said she doesn't bother and that no-one cares anyway. That made me wonder if all these hours are worth it.
Does it matter to you if the HT comments or not?

I think they’re a really nice touch but appreciate it will take you a lot of time.

I suspect our head has a few stock ones she just copies and paste though. Mine had another child’s name on it one year and it didn’t tie in with the wider report (i.e. said my child had made really good progress throughout the year when she was expected at the start and expected at the end),

I think headteachers know some children well and others not at all. I'd rather have an accurate and personal final comment from the class teacher.

Yes it’s worth it. I appreciate reading ours.

I have always appreciated a Headteacher's comment if it shows they have actually read my child's report, and made an effort to say something relevant and personal. I can't stand copy-and-paste or meaningless comments - why bother in that case.
Thank you @captainflash for making the effort to do meaningful ones!

No we’ve done away with that and I don’t think anyone has noticed, or if they have, they haven’t commented. It’s a lot of work for you and I wouldn’t base this decision on the potential for one or two parents to comment on it, more I’d make the decision on what else could you do to benefit students in that time.

I got what I thought were lovely HT remarks for DS1 in primary school, until I opened DS2's and they were word for word the same. I've since assumed all narrative comments come from some sort of drop down list.

What is the aim of them? What are they supposed to achieve which would make them "worthwhile?"

What about making HT's comments for yr 6 final reports only. That way you've had several years to see the child's development, can make a good luck on your next steps type comment, and it would be considerably less work. I'd appreciate that kind of effort.

I used to love reading the head teachers and the class teachers comments on the school reports. The head teacher at my son's primary was absolutely fantastic and he still quotes things that she said now and he's 25. Reading something personal about your child makes all the difference.
When he started at the school, I noticed within a week that the head teacher knew all the kids names including the two new reception classes. She would probably have had roughly 400 kids in the school .

When they finished their leavers assembly in year 6 She read a poem about there's no one quite like you about how unique person is I think she really embodied that as a head teacher that she recognised all the children are different. You want feel like they're talking about and know your child .

I think it depends. If you genuinely know them and/or class teacher tailors their report very well so that you get an understanding of the child then yes appreciated.
Something generic added to a class teacher report that has obviously been written woth AI/stock phrases and is barely comprehensible - no added value.
My reports in both primary and secondary were always lovely to read and even read back down the line, my kids - some very variable quality.

Interesting range of opinions.
Mine are never stock phrases or cut and pasted. I read their report and then comment on sections of it or anecdotes, personal interactions I know about them, family things etc.
Our teacher ones are not cut and pasted or stock comments either.
I'd be sad to stop it I think- but it does take its time!

DC went to small schools (even Secondary) so I always liked to think they did know them, and usually referenced another part of the report, so we did appreciate them. However, I am also mindful of the time that must be taken especially in larger schools

We never had any comments from HT and tbh too much work and you can't say a lot about a lot of the pupils anyway.

Yeah, I really appreciate that. Ours do it in reception, one of the middle years and year 6. Maybe that’s a good compromise?

When DS left infants the head teacher did a little card for all the leavers, in DS's she wrote good luck etc then "i hope i can ride a tube train that youre driving one day" - this is DS' dream in life and it was so touching that she remembered- I have kept it although it makes me cry lol!

They do this at my children’s school but it annoys me as it’s quite clear that the HT doesn’t know the children. She has just read through the reports and regurgitated bits. Absolutely pointless.

Please think of your one precious life here.

The sun is shining, it's a Friday afternoon. Individual comments are gorgeous and such a nice touch, but as a teacher who chronically over-does the loveliness of my class' reports, if you don't actually have to do it, maybe it's time to review the precedent? I'm thinking that, even if it's 1 minute per comment, that'll be close to 7 hours -half a working day for most head teachers. I'm sure you've got an SDP to crack with or something? 7 hours could achieve so much: relaxation, sleep, researching funding for a nice project, spending time with your family, reading a book or even drafting a new report format that reduces the amount of time it takes for any poor sod who has to wade in to the report-mire.

I'm sure you're doing an amazing job -I see you, and all the other brilliant head teachers closing in on the finish-line in the coming weeks; not long to go now!

Honestly, no. I like the little note but it's s often just a throwback away 'well done Florencia on a great year' that I wouldn't miss it if it weren't there.

If you've had a lot of involvement with particular children for any reason I would think it appropriate but the vast majority of comments could be a simple copy and paste job surely?

Ours can be any SLT rather than specifically the HT. As a parent I like reading them.

It’s funny reading this now because my son brought his report home today and the HT comment was the thing that I found most touching! I am feeling extra emotional because it’s his last report of primary school, but it really was lovely and I appreciated very much.

So to answer your question OP it does matter to me, and I do appreciate all the effort it must’ve taken for so many pupils.

Whilst I would notice it, I would make the assumption it’s a copied and pasted job with name changes for each child, so the time spent on it probably wouldn’t get the recognition or appreciation it deserves.

The most important thing is that teachers know the children, and have time to focus on them-I'm told most teachers just feel it's all about paper and there's never enough time. While have reports from teachers and HT is nice, it's more important to return the system to how it was, and they don't feel they're drowning in admin, for everyone's sake.

I was always offended when the headteacher would write some bullshit on my report when he hadn't actually said a word to me all year. It was always perfectly pleasant, but I had no idea why he felt able to comment on me when he didn't know me in the slightest. Who did he think he was?

I should add that I had a horrific time at the school (Westminster School - don't send your kids there, absolutely zero safeguarding). I may have felt differently if I was having a good time.

If you are making the effort to do individual ones then definitely worth it.
At secondary we used to get a head's comment. The first head I had (who was a lovely chap and took time to get to know everyone individually) used to write "great" "Superb" "Well done" "Good improvement" etc. Never paid much attention to them.
The new head would write something more along the lines of:
"Wonderful history mark - I spoke to Mr M and he said your interest in the subject is extraordinary" or "Thank you for your support of XXX (something not in the report) over the term", "You are much appreciated for being someone who notices who needs help and acting on it" - really nice words that showed he'd watched and they were often things not on the report so it added to them.

Our Head normally does a personal message on all 420 reports, but we are in a perfect storm of approaching Ofsted and changing curriculum and she’s only doing the Year 6 Leavers this year. Normally the proofreading and comments take her 3 days and we can’t spare her!

I’ve always really appreciated it and thought positively of teachers who write comments that feel personal to my child.