School report writing has two main components: an assessment component and an advice component.
The advice component takes the form of a progress report, but no one model or framework works for everybody.
If you have to write 50 school reports in two weeks, you might struggle to include individual, quality feedback.
A recent report from the Open University mentions using robotic assistants to answer student queries and help with assessment. It would, in theory, open up more time for teachers to give good feedback on school reports.
However, we’re not quite there yet! So, as we wait for robots to make their way into the classroom, here are some school report writing tips to help you improve your practice.
- Use Simple, Jargon-Free Language
Parents and children must understand the report to understand their progress fully.
Here’s a jargon-heavy example: “Claire was enthusiastic about the new pedagogic tools we implemented last week and maneuvered the tools aptly.”
To compare, here’s a better example free of jargon: “Claire is starting to understand that hard work leads to success; she has a positive attitude and is taking increased ownership of her learning.”
See the difference? Making your writing easy to understand will ensure everyone can get as much helpful information from the report as possible.
- Be Precise
Carefully chosen and precise feedback can be influential.
Statements like ‘she has done a good job’ are too vague. But, unfortunately, they’re unclear enough and don’t provide concrete ways to improve.
Instead, be specific, so parents and children know what to do next.
- Use Examples
Another way to improve school report writing is to give examples.
Why is this beneficial?
It helps the student understand what worked and what didn’t.
The student will be able to remember the example, so they can help explain it to their parents.
It means the report is individual to each learner.
For example, you could write: “Claire is starting to understand that hard work leads to success. It can be evidenced by her essay on ‘Deforestation’ in which she has used the feedback from the last term to improve her grade this term.”
- Share the Gradings and Provide a Model or Example
If you explain more about how children have been graded or scored, it’ll help learners and parents better understand what they’ve achieved and what is needed to reach the next level.
A model or example can also help with this. It puts the grade into practice and can inspire children to improve their work.
- Sandwich Model
One model to be aware of is the ‘sandwich model.’ The Open University has credited this for its high student satisfaction scores in assessment and feedback.
The basic model is to provide constructive criticism sandwiched in between praise, like a slice of cheese between bread!
First, praise the student for something they’ve done well. Next, give them an example of where they haven’t met the expected outcome. Finally, finish with more praise.
It gives you a good balance between praising students, which ensures they keep up their excellent work and constructive feedback that helps them to understand any inaccuracies.
- Refer to Guidelines
It’s worth checking school guidelines before you start writing your school reports.
For example, your school may want you to use the National Curricular statements for most of the report and devote only 10% to anecdotal evidence.
- Feedforward
It’s essential to remember that you must include concrete steps students must take.
It can be as simple as listing a step. For example, “learn a word a day to improve vocabulary.” Or you could point parents to a resource that might benefit the student.
- Timely
School reports should be timely.
Feedback should be given as soon as possible; in theory, you shouldn’t wait for a report to provide feedback. Instead, the information should reinforce any feedback you’ve already given.
It’s also worth bearing in mind the pace of life for parents. For example, I used to send two significant reports yearly but found out that they’d only read them weeks after receiving them.
It often means there’s a delay in them carrying out the actions in the report.
Now, I send at least two other minor reports that alert the parents to what’s coming up and any actions they might take.
An example of a minor report could read something like this:
“Claire has been performing consistently in all her subjects. It would appear that she has acted on the feedback from my year-end report and made the necessary adjustments to her daily practices. I sincerely thank you for your support in helping Claire realize her potential. By the first week of July, I will send a detailed year-end report to articulate how well Claire has performed in her subjects in grade 8 about national standards and with peers from her class. If you would like to discuss any aspects of Claire’s progress, please reach out to me.”
- Personalise It
It isn’t easy when you’re writing dozens of reports. But a few tweaks can go a long way.
Here’s a quick checklist:
| Done | |
| Get the child’s name and pronoun correct. | |
| Include an anecdotal sentence about the child’s behavior. For example, “Claire is always eager to help her peers, and she demonstrated this again when she helped her peers who were struggling with their science project.” | |
| If the child has mentioned, they’re interested in something, mention that in the report. | |
| Be honest. You don’t want to say that the child is good at reading when the parent knows they aren’t. It is inaccurate and suggests you don’t know the child well. |
Proofread
Ensure to proofread every report you write!
Attention to detail is essential. It shows parents that their child is receiving a quality education and reassures them that their children are in good hands.
