Schools are required to send at least one report a year, though many send one every term. The reports can vary in style and content from school to school, making them difficult to understand, so check out our crash course on how to read your child’s school report below!

What is in the report?
The Department for Education says that school reports should cover:

- General progress
- A brief overview of achievements, highlighting strengths and developmental needs
- Information about how to arrange a discussion about the report with the school
- Attendance record
- The results of any National Curriculum assessments, such as SATs or GCSEs

Beyond this, the style and depth of reports differs between schools and can include targets for the following year, attainment (of their predicted grade), classroom effort, homework effort and at A-Level, punctuality for deadlines.

Most schools use some form of grading system such as:

- Working towards the expected standard
- Working at the expected standard
- Working above the expected standard/working at greater depth

Or

- Emerging (working towards the expected standard)
- Developing (getting close to the expected standard)
- Secure (working at the expected standard with a secure grasp of the subject)
- Mastery (working above the expected standard in all areas of the subject)

Or gradings by number.

The report might talk about ‘age-related expectations’ - what pupils should be able to do by a given age.

School reports shouldn’t contain any big surprises as issues such as attainment or behaviour should be raised by the teacher directly or in parents' meeting.

Should you share your report with you child?
Many schools actually address reports to the child themselves, to make them feel empowered and actively engaged in their learning. Parents can share reports with their children as long as they’re happy with the content, and are able to discuss it in an age-appropriate way.

What if I have concerns about any of the content of the report?
If you want to raise any concerns about what’s written in your child's report, it’s mandatory for it to specify how you should contact the school so you should go through this channel first.

If you’d like to talk to us about your child’s report, or how we can support them, head here!