Updated: Mar 2000 | Reporting Methods

Review Reporting Methods

	Reporting Methods		Learning Journeys
	Interviews		Portfolios
	Information Sessions		Communication Books
	Conferences		Summative Reports

All government schools: ... 4. develop and implement procedures for reporting to parents/caregivers about individual students that: are developed in consultation with the school community. provide regular information on student achievement during the year. use a variety of information, including reports on all learning area strands at least once every two years, to describe achievement. Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting: Policy and Guidelines, (1998), p.3

Reporting Methods

Most parents remember the reports that they received at school and teachers need to develop close links with parents to inform them how reporting in an outcomes-focused approach provides information that is different from what they might expect. They need to see the value of this reporting approach.

There are many ways in which a teacher may communicate to parents about students' progress. Reports can be formative or summative, oral or written, and may vary in frequency. On some occasions the teacher may use other personnel to report to parents, such as the school psychologist or personnel in workplace programs.

Interviews

Individual student performance can be conveyed in three-way interviews with parents, teacher and student: a summative or formative account can be given and sometimes accompanied by a written report. During these meetings the student's progress is discussed and new goals are set for learning. The outcome of this collaboration should be recorded for program planning purposes.

The school should notify parents as soon as there is any indication that a child's achievement level, rate of progress or behaviours differ noticeably from past performance and his/her peers. Making the Difference: Policy and Guidelines for Students at Educational Risk. (1998) p.11

Information Sessions

Parent information sessions (for instance, parent evenings which are held toward the end of Term 1) allow teachers to discuss the progress of students after the settling-in period at the beginning of each school year.

Different approaches may be appropriate for reporting information to parents at other times in the year.

Other information nights can be about particular curriculum or assessment initiatives being adopted in the school or classroom.

Professional development for volunteers and work experience mentors can also be arranged. Sometimes important information can be conveyed between teachers and parents in informal encounters and discussions, or as parents participate in classroom and school activities.

Conferences

Conferences can be held routinely or when the need arises. Parents and staff involved with the student are invited to meet to make decisions regarding his or her progress and future programs. Parents can request the people they would like to attend the conference: for example, the student, parents, teachers, principal, therapists, health staff or school psychologist.

Learning Journeys

Students may be made responsible for learning journeys when their parents visit classrooms and schools on occasions such as open days or parent evenings. In planned visits to classrooms, students should be encouraged to show parents their workbooks, files and portfolios, projects or displayed pieces of work.

It is important that students be able to explain to parents the tasks they have accomplished, what they have learnt, and how they might need to improve or change some aspect of their learning.

Portfolios

Student portfolios that are used for linking school and home communication are enhanced when:

	an information sheet explains their purpose.
	work samples are annotated to explain the outcomes that the students are working toward and the students' level of success in completing the task.
	a plan of action for the students' future learning indicates their areas of strength, areas that need improving, and new goals that need to be achieved.
	student self evaluations and reflections are included.

A quality portfolio provides a sound starting point for parent interviews and parent feedback.

Communication Books

Communication books are written forms that can move between school and home on a daily/weekly basis or at some other designated time, to exchange messages with parents about students' progress. They can be organised for teacher, parent and student comment.