Report card week is hard on teachers. The scores are in, but every pupil still needs a comment, and by the twentieth child most teachers are writing "Good effort" over and over. Parents notice. A report card with the same sentence on every page tells them nobody looked closely at their child.
The goal is a comment that is quick to write and still sounds like it was written about one specific child. Here is a simple way to do it, followed by examples you can adapt.
A three-part formula
A strong comment has three short parts:
- What the child does well. Something true and specific.
- One thing to improve. Just one, written kindly and clearly.
- What happens next. A small action the child or the parent can take.
For example: "Ada reads confidently and her handwriting has improved this term. She should check her work for careless mistakes in Mathematics. Practising her times tables for ten minutes each evening will help."
Once you have the formula, you can write most comments in under a minute.
Examples for a pupil who is doing very well
- "Tunde is a focused and capable pupil who consistently produces excellent work. He should now challenge himself with harder problems. Keep up the reading habit."
- "Ngozi has had an outstanding term. She leads by example in class. She could help classmates who are struggling, which will deepen her own understanding."
- "A strong result across the subjects. Ibrahim's neat work and good manners are a pleasure. He should continue to ask questions when he is unsure."
Examples for a pupil who is doing well
- "Chika has worked steadily and her results show it. A little more practice with long division would raise her Mathematics score further."
- "Seun participates well in class and his written work is improving. He should read his answers again before handing in his tests."
- "A good term. Amina is dependable and well behaved. Regular revision at home will help her move from good to excellent."
Examples for an average pupil
- "Emeka is capable of more than his scores show. He sometimes loses concentration in class. Sitting near the front and completing homework daily should help."
- "Blessing is making progress, especially in English. She needs more practice in Science. Reviewing her notes for a few minutes each day will help her remember."
- "A fair result. Yusuf is polite and cooperative. He should read more at home to build his vocabulary."
Examples for a pupil who is struggling
Be honest and kind. Never write a comment that a child would be ashamed to read.
- "Kemi finds some topics difficult at the moment, but she tries hard and never gives up. Extra practice in reading and number work, with support at home, will make a real difference."
- "David's results show he needs more support, especially in Mathematics. We would like to work with his parents on a plan to build his confidence. Please speak to his class teacher."
- "Fatima has missed several lessons this term and has fallen behind. Regular attendance and ten minutes of daily practice will help her catch up."
Comments about behaviour and character
- "Bola is kind and respectful and is liked by her classmates."
- "Chidi is lively and has a great sense of humour. He should learn to keep his voice down during lessons."
- "Hauwa is hardworking and tidy. She would benefit from speaking up more in class."
Mistakes to avoid
- Vague words. "Good", "average" and "fair" do not help a parent. Say what, where and how.
- Comparing with other children. Write about this child's own progress.
- Harsh labels. "Lazy" or "stubborn" close doors. Describe the behaviour instead: "does not always finish classwork".
- Surprising a parent. If something is serious, speak to the parent during the term. The report card should never be the first time they hear it.
- Spelling and grammar errors. Parents read these carefully. Ask a colleague to proofread a sample.
How to make the writing faster
Write a bank of ten to fifteen comments for each performance level, in your own words. For each child, choose the closest one and change one detail: the subject, the habit, or the name. That keeps the quality high and the time low.
How StudyPat helps
In StudyPat, the class teacher writes a remark for each pupil, and the principal can add a remark too. Both print on the report card with the scores, grades and positions. Teachers can work from their phone. You can copy a comment from your own bank and adjust it, so report card week takes hours, not days.