
What Your Child’s School Report Really Means (and the Actions to Take)
- Posted by Karen Goode
- Categories Blog
- Date August 17, 2022
- Comments 0 comment
Your child’s school report is a valuable resource – as long as you know how to interpret it and get the most out of their teacher’s feedback. Here, learn what your child’s school report really means and what actions you should take based on the feedback you receive.
What is a School Report and What’s Included?
A school report is a legal requirement and teachers must send them out at least once a year – however, many schools split up reports across terms, so you may receive several. Put simply, a school report documents your child’s performance across the different subjects they are studying, helping you as a parent to understand their strengths, as well as areas where they may need some extra support.
School Report Language and What it Means
Understanding your child’s school report is the first step – schools assess children against age related expectations (ARE) to indicate whether they are performing at, below or above expectations for their year group.
- These are some of the phrases most commonly found in school reports:
- Working towards – your child is currently performing below expected standards for their age
- Working at – your child’s performance is in line with expectations for their age
- Greater depth – your child is working at a greater depth within the expected standard – in other words, they are exceeding expectations
- With assistance – if your child needs assistance, this suggests they should look to improve skills in this area so they can work more independently
- Challenged by – this is an area of development for your child
- Requires encouragement – your child may not be feeling confident or motivated in this area
Taking Action After Receiving Your Child’s School Report
Finding out your child is performing below expectations for their age can feel deflating, but it’s important to remember that a report doesn’t indicate exam or assessment results. Treat a school report as a tool that you can use to help your child improve their performance, so they can up their grades ahead of exams.
Even if your child is performing as expected or above expectations, they may be feeling worried, concerned, stressed or anxious. One of the best things you can do as a parent is talk to your child about their report so you can better understand what you can do to help them. There may be specific areas where they are struggling which you could help with. They may simply need some encouragement and might feel more motivated by your support. If your child is exceeding expectations, they might be getting bored at school, which can be demotivating. Some children might feel that they need further academic help.
If there are areas where you would like further information, don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher. They will be more than happy to help and discuss your child’s progress.
If your child needs some additional support, private tuition could be one route to go down. Working with a tutor gives children confidence in their skills and allows them to improve in the areas of the curriculum they find more challenging. To discuss private tuition with a qualified expert, call 01484 844 222, email info@yestuition.co.uk or send us a message.
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