Writing report comments
Guidance on what to include when writing report comments.
Comment guidelines
Section 3 of the Curriculum policy standards outlines requirements for all NSW public schools. Teachers’ comments describe students’ knowledge and skills as evidence of academic progress. Avoid discussing behaviour unless it directly relates to strengths, areas for development or commitment to learning.
Written comments must be based on evidence collected across the reporting period and support the overall judgement and grade.
Include:
- personalised, constructive statements
- the student’s achievement and progress (overall or in specific tasks)
- at least one area for improvement and how it can be achieved.
Write comments that:
- use the student’s official given name
- provide specific, relevant student information
- use plain English and avoid syllabus-specific jargon
- are concise and written in the third person, starting positively
- reflect the A–E grade or equivalent
- highlight demonstrated knowledge and skills
- offer actionable guidance for improvement
- avoid predictions, use ‘could’ or ‘may’ rather than ‘should’ or 'will'.
For tone and readability, apply the Content style guide for consistency.
NSWEduChat
While NSWEduChat can assist with some aspects of workload efficiency for teachers, reports must adhere to the existing assessment and reporting guidelines to ensure accuracy, alignment with curriculum and a personalised approach reflective of each student's progress.
The professional judgement of teachers remains paramount in delivering high-quality, meaningful and personalised student reporting. Teacher judgements about student achievement should be based on quality evidence including results from formative and summative assessments as well as teacher observations.
Please note that the use of individual free-to-use generative AI tools other than NSWEduChat is neither endorsed nor recommended by the department. While not endorsed, staff still have access to most free-to-use generative AI tools but must use their professional judgement and follow minimum safety practices. For more information see our Guidelines regarding the use of generative AI.
Audience
Address comments to the parent or carer, not the student. Maintain a professional, positive tone while clearly identifying where improvement is needed. Avoid first-person sign-offs such as 'Congratulations, Dari!'.
Comment banks or pre-prepared comments
Use of comment banks is a school-based decision. All comments must reflect informed, individualised professional judgement about each student’s strengths and areas for development.
Reviewing comments
Schools may establish internal processes before reports are distributed to parents and carers. Define reviewer roles clearly. A ‘buddy-check’ is not required.