Holidays are coming and we have all just read the school reports for 2024. Some are ecstatic, some are devastated, and some are confused.
I have read many reports as a teacher, a parent and a grandparent. The most important thing to read is the behaviours list. What did your child do as a learner? These skills are essential and reflect the all-important effort made to learn. Effort is the next thing to read. Did your child work for their grade? An A for Achievement and a C for Effort is far more concerning than the other way around!
Read the teacher comments. These have taken hours and hours of writing and proof reading. They reflect the thought and consideration of the teacher. Please recognise, and possibly acknowledge, the efforts of your child’s teachers in giving you the report that they have prepared. Think a moment about how many reports that each teacher has written.
The academic grades are very specific in their meaning. Read the guide to grades carefully. A grade of C usually means that your child is working at the expected level for their age and stage. It is a grade to celebrate. A grades are very rare. There are times when no A grades are awarded. If you are concerned, make a note in your diary to contact the new teacher and ask what the approach will be for 2025 for your child. Just give them a couple of weeks to get to know their new class.
Remember that school is only one part of who your child is… enjoy your holidays with them – talk and play and read together.
We wish your family a joyful break.
Photo by Andreea Radu on Unsplash