Schools have flexibility in deciding report formats, in consultation with parents and carers and the school community, to suit the school's context and student needs.

The timing of the twice-yearly report is not set by the department. Schools, in consultation with parents and carers, determine reporting at times that are most valuable to support student learning progress. For example, schools may issue reports at the end of Term 1 and the second at the start of Term 4.

Communicating with parents and carers

Between the formal reporting periods, schools can update parents and carers on student progress through:

• parent-teacher interviews
• the collaborative curriculum planning process
• informal channels like emails or phone calls.

Parent/teacher interviews

After formal reports are issued, schools must provide parents and carers with an opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers. Whole-school negotiated processes to meet this requirement should be time efficient and managed in a way that supports teachers, students and families.

This can be achieved in several ways including:

• Face-to-face parent/teacher meetings.
• Three-way learning conferences.
• Invitations for parents and carers to arrange individual discussions with teachers.

Digital reporting systems

Schools may use Learning Management Systems (LMS) to issue formal reports to parents in digital or print format. LMS features to consider include:

• communicating using plain English
• parent portals
• translation capabilities (multiple languages)
• sending reports to multiple recipients.

Schools should ensure alternative options are available for parents and carers who cannot access digital formats.

Reporting on outcomes

The number of syllabus outcomes to be reported in each subject/course report is determined by the school. It is recommended to report on no more than 7 outcomes per subject/course in each reporting period.

Selected outcomes should represent the knowledge and skills taught and assessed during the reporting period.

Outcomes on the report should be written in plain English for parents and carers to easily understand.

Use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions

The National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions are a valuable tool for supporting teaching and learning but are not syllabus outcomes must not be reported on as part of twice-yearly reporting to parents.

The progressions include indicator points that can help teachers identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement. When sharing this information with parents and carers, always use plain English to ensure clarity and understanding.

By focusing on the NSW syllabuses and using the progressions as a supplementary resource, teachers can provide clear and meaningful insights into student learning and achievement.

Using a grade scale

Teachers make professional judgements about student achievement using state-wide syllabus standards. The relevant Grade Scale should be used by teachers to inform professional judgements about a student’s achievement.

The use of grades is not required for Kindergarten students. Reports should describe how a student’s achievement compares with syllabus standards through teachers’ comments.

When reporting to parents, schools may select the most appropriate scale from the list below:

• Common Grade Scale Years 1–10
• Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses
• Personalised reporting scale (for students with disability)
• the plain English achievement descriptors (provided below).

Teacher professional judgement

Teacher professional judgement about student achievement should be based on quality evidence of student learning. Evidence may include results from formative and summative assessments as well as teacher observations.

Non-curriculum inclusions in the report

Whole school activities

Schools will need to decide how best to record their students' engagement in whole school activities, informed by their school context and reporting system.

Whole school activities that can be included:

• extracurricular activities, such as gardening club or school performances
• academic events and competitions, such as public speaking, maths Olympiad, or Tournament of the Minds
• student leadership opportunities, such as student representative council
• community involvement projects, such as volunteering for local community groups or helping with Breakfast Club
• sporting events and competitions, such as inclusive school sports events, dance competitions or zone swimming.

Attendance information

Attendance information must be included in a student’s report. This can be completed by administration staff or automatically generated by a learning management system.

Social development and commitment to learning

Schools may choose to include information on a student’s social development and commitment to learning in each key learning area/subject/course. Alternatively, they may choose to collate the information into a general overview of the student’s social development and commitment to learning. If schools choose to take the alternative approach, it should be completed by the core teacher or the year adviser.

A scale to report on these areas is not mandated. If schools do choose to use a scale, the various levels should be explained in the report.

Signing reports

There is no requirement to include a principal or teacher signature on the report. However, reports need to be distributed in an un-editable format with the statement 'Issued without any correction'.

If you choose to include a signature, the use of digital signatures or images of a signature is recommended, as this may make the sign off process more efficient.