Your Child's School Report Just Landed. Now What?
The report is home. You've opened it — maybe with a coffee, maybe with a deep breath.
Perhaps you're relieved. Perhaps you're confused. Perhaps you're not quite sure what "working towards expected standard" actually means, or why the comment about your child's "enthusiasm in class discussion" doesn't match the quiet kid who sits at your dinner table.
Whatever you're feeling, you're not alone. Research from the Australian Council for Educational Research confirms what most parents already suspect: school reports are often genuinely difficult to understand. The language can feel generic, the grading system unclear, and the path from "here's how they're doing" to "here's what to do about it" frustratingly vague.
So let's make it simpler.
First: What are you actually looking at?
Most UK school reports assess your child against "age-related expectations" — essentially, where they should be compared to national standards for their year group.
Here's what the common phrases typically mean:
Working towards expected standard — Your child is performing below the level expected for their age. This is a wide range: it could mean they're nearly there, or it could mean there's a significant gap. Worth asking the teacher for clarity.
Working at expected standard — Your child is where they should be. This is good news, even if it doesn't feel exciting.
Working at greater depth / Exceeding — Your child is performing above expectations and applying their knowledge in more complex ways.
If the report includes effort grades alongside attainment, pay attention to both. A child with high effort and lower attainment is in a very different position to one with low effort and higher attainment — and the support they need looks different too.
The conversation matters more than the document
Research on effective feedback from the Education Endowment Foundation shows that feedback works best when it's specific, when it focuses on what can be improved (not just what went wrong), and when the person receiving it has a chance to act on it.
The same applies at home.
Before you open the report with your child, psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado suggests starting with curiosity rather than judgement. Ask them:
What do you think went well this term?
What did you enjoy?
What felt tricky?
How can I help?
This creates space for them to reflect before the grades enter the conversation — and reminds them you're on their side.
When reading the report together, try asking:
"What do you think about this grade?"
"Does this match how you feel about the subject?"
"Why do you think the teacher wrote this comment?"
These questions matter because sometimes a child's view of their performance doesn't match the report — and understanding that gap is where the real insight lies.
What to look for (beyond the grades)
Effort vs attainment: A mismatch here tells you something. High effort with lower grades might indicate a child who's struggling and needs support. Lower effort with higher grades might suggest a child who's coasting — or bored.
Patterns across subjects: Is there a subject where confidence has dropped? A subject where they're thriving? These patterns can reveal interests, challenges, or teaching relationships worth exploring.
The language in comments: Generic comments ("a pleasure to teach", "tries hard") are often placeholders. Specific comments ("has developed strong analytical skills in source work", "finds it difficult to show working in multi-step problems") give you something to work with.
What's not said: Sometimes the most important information is what's missing. If there's no mention of participation, homework, or behaviour, it might be worth asking why.
Three things to avoid
1. Comparing to siblings or friends. Every child's learning journey is different. What matters is whether your child is making progress from where they started.
2. Making the report the whole conversation. A report is a snapshot — one teacher's view at one point in time. It doesn't define your child, and it shouldn't dominate the holiday.
3. Jumping straight to solutions. Before suggesting a tutor or extra practice, take time to understand what's really going on. Sometimes the issue isn't academic at all.
A simple next-steps framework
If the report raises concerns:
Talk to your child first. Understand how they feel about school, the subject, and their own progress.
Identify one or two focus areas. Trying to fix everything at once overwhelms everyone.
Speak to the teacher. Ask: What specifically would help? What does good progress look like from here? What can we do at home to support this?
Make it visible. A wall chart, a weekly check-in, a shared goal — small systems create momentum.
If the report is positive:
Celebrate the effort, not just the outcome. "I can see how hard you've worked" lands better than "You're so clever."
Ask what's next. What are they excited to learn next term? What challenge would stretch them?
Don't let it slide. Good reports can sometimes lead to coasting. Keep the habits going.
In summary
A school report is a tool, not a verdict. It gives you data about where your child is — but what matters most is what happens next.
Three things to remember:
Start with curiosity. Ask your child how they feel before diving into the grades.
Look for patterns. Effort vs attainment, consistency across subjects, specificity in comments.
Pick one thing. One focus area, one conversation with the teacher, one small action.
The holidays are a good time to reflect — not to overhaul. Small shifts now can make a real difference by the time the next report arrives.
