mid year reports

[sleepyhead]

Just a quick query. We are currently looking at writing mid year reports as a whole school and I wondered whether anyone else in Foundation Stage writes these? If so would it be possible to give me some sort of idea as to what you include.

[Wildflowers]

I think it's important to communicate with parents soon after a baseline assessment is done / next steps are established, so they can support the child's learning. For us it's usually after the first half of term. Feeding back mid-year would be by the spring half-term break.

[Guest]

We do termly summary sheets, including each area of learning and how the child has developed in that area. We include the activities and play they have been doing which relates to that area (e.g. in literacy: Little Johnny has been visiting the book corner a lot recently; he especially enjoys looking at monster books and has been making some great comments about them. He has started to look at books independently and is beginning to 'read' the books using story language.... etc etc etc) We then highlight at the bottom which age band they are working within for each area. We find that it helps us to see how their interests and learning have shifted throughout the term.

Obviously on top of that we do do half-termly data reports, so their progress is being looked at more closely, but the parents like the summaries as they keep it simple and give them what they like to hear. We do really try to keep them simple though. As parents can always look at their child's learning journey whenever they want to, and we chat to them everyday, which I think gives them a more personal and better indication of how their child is learning anyway. I know it can sometimes be hard to get that balance between fitting in with the rest of the school, but also not over-complicating things within the EYFS but this approach seems to work for us!

Edited November 17, 2013 by Sarahrun

[Rufus]

There is no way in the world I would be doing mid year reports...as if we haven't got enough to do. Our beginning of the year is busier than anyone else's in the school, base lining, next steps, setting up tapestry etc. if my head asked for this I would tell him to do one!

Is it not enough that we regularly talk to parents? This, along with tapestry (which is so personalised and comprehensive) should be enough. Are you not just creating work for yourself?

Termly data analysis will give H/T what they want and should not be telling you anything you don't already know about children....and therefore haven't already communicated with parents.

Sorry to sound a bore....but thumbs down from me!

[Froglet]

We 'report formally' to parents 3 times a year: 2 parents evenings (autumn term - shortly after the baseline has been done, and spring term) and a written report towards the end of the summer term.

 

My head has very strong feelings that in these formal reports parents shouldn't be hearing anything that is a surprise so if you have concerns about progress, behaviour etc. these should have been shared already. We send home notes, postcards, certificates to celebrate achievements. I have all sorts of ad hoc conversations with parents as the majority drop off or pick up. The children's learning journeys are regularly updated (we don't as yet use tapestry) and are available in the classroom to be looked at whenever parents choose too. I honestly don't know what I would write in a mid-year report if I had to do one.

[Guest]

we are a nursery class in a school and write a termly progress summary. just 3 prime areas in autumn, and 7 areas for other 2. but do not for reception as my 2 nursery nurses write their key groups, so i only have my 12 and 20 more to just check over. but reception teacher would have 30 reports 3 times a year as can't expect teaching assistants to do them. i would absolutely agree that there should be no surprises in them!