Writing High-Quality Comments
ACER Report writing tips
Report comments are one of the most powerful tools teachers have to communicate student progress to parents, carers, and the students themselves. Well-written comments can motivate, clarify next steps, and build a strong partnership between school and home. Poorly written comments, however, can confuse, discourage, or fail to provide meaningful insight. This guide outlines best practices for writing effective report comments, along with clear examples of strong and weak approaches.
1. Be Clear and Specific
Effective report comments avoid vague language. Instead of general statements, they provide specific information about what a student can do and where they need to improve.
Good example:
James can confidently add and subtract numbers up to 100 and is beginning to apply these skills when solving word problems.
Bad example:
James is doing well in maths.
2. Balance Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Strong comments acknowledge achievement while also identifying clear next steps. This creates a balanced and constructive tone.
Good example:
Amira writes with creativity and uses a wide range of vocabulary. She would benefit from focusing on punctuation, particularly using full stops and capital letters consistently.
Bad example:
Amira struggles with punctuation.
3. Use Professional and Objective Language
Comments should be professional, neutral, and based on observable behaviour or outcomes.
Good example:
Liam participates actively in class discussions and listens carefully to others' ideas.
Bad example:
Liam is a lovely boy who tries his best.
4. Focus on Progress, Not Just Attainment
Parents value understanding how their child is progressing over time.
Good example:
Since the start of the term, Sophie has improved her reading fluency and is now more confident when reading aloud.
Bad example:
Sophie is an average reader.
5. Provide Actionable Next Steps
Effective comments guide future learning by suggesting specific actions.
Good example:
To continue improving, Ethan should practise recalling multiplication facts regularly at home.
Bad example:
Ethan needs to work harder.
6. Avoid Overly Generic Phrases
Generic comments reduce impact.
Bad example:
Working well. Keep it up.
Better example:
Ella completes her work independently and takes care to present her writing neatly.
7. Tailor Comments to the Individual
Each comment should reflect the unique strengths and needs of the student.
Good example:
Noah shows strong problem-solving skills and enjoys tackling challenging tasks, particularly in science investigations.
8. Maintain a Positive Tone
Even when addressing challenges, the tone should remain supportive.
Good example:
Olivia is beginning to stay focused for longer periods and will continue to benefit from encouragement to complete tasks independently.
Bad example:
Olivia is easily distracted and rarely finishes her work.
9. Write for the Audience
Avoid jargon and overly technical language.
Good example:
Daniel can explain his thinking when solving problems and is becoming more confident using mathematical language.
Bad example:
Daniel demonstrates emerging metacognitive strategies in mathematical reasoning.
10. Keep It Concise but Meaningful
Comments should be concise but informative.
Good example:
Grace reads with expression and understands the main ideas in texts.
Bad example:
Grace is a student who reads books and understands what she reads when she is reading.
11. Structure Your Comments
A useful structure is strengths, progress, and next steps.
Example:
Henry approaches his work with enthusiasm and contributes thoughtful ideas during lessons. He has made good progress in developing his writing skills this term. To improve further, he should focus on organising his ideas into clear paragraphs.
12. Be Honest but Kind
Honesty should always be delivered with care.
Good example:
Mia is beginning to engage more with her learning and will benefit from continued support to build her confidence.
13. Highlight Effort and Attitude
Effort and attitude are key indicators of success.
Good example:
Leo consistently shows a positive attitude towards learning and is willing to take on new challenges.
14. Avoid Comparisons
Focus on the individual student.
Bad example:
Emma is one of the best readers in the class.
Better example:
Emma reads fluently and demonstrates a strong understanding of a wide range of texts.
15. Proofread Carefully
Always check spelling, grammar, and clarity before submitting comments.
Example Full Student Report Comments
Oliver
Oliver has had a positive term and approaches his learning with enthusiasm. He contributes regularly during class discussions and shows a good understanding of key concepts, particularly in mathematics. Oliver has made steady progress in his writing and is beginning to organise his ideas more clearly. To continue improving, he should focus on checking his work for spelling and punctuation errors. Overall, Oliver is a motivated learner who responds well to feedback.
Sophia
Sophia is a conscientious student who takes pride in her work. She reads fluently and demonstrates a strong understanding of texts. In writing, she uses a wide range of vocabulary and is developing greater confidence in structuring her ideas. Sophia would benefit from taking more risks in her learning and contributing more frequently during class discussions. She has made good progress this term and continues to be a pleasure to teach.
Ethan
Ethan has shown good progress in mathematics this term and can confidently apply his knowledge to problem-solving tasks. He works well independently and demonstrates resilience when faced with challenges. In English, Ethan is developing his writing skills and is beginning to use more varied sentence structures. To improve further, he should focus on expanding his ideas in greater detail. Ethan has a positive attitude and is making steady progress.
Ava
Ava is a creative and thoughtful student who produces imaginative pieces of writing. She engages well in lessons and listens carefully to others' ideas. Ava has made noticeable progress in reading and is becoming more confident when discussing texts. To continue developing, she should focus on improving the accuracy of her spelling and punctuation. Ava’s enthusiasm for learning is commendable, and she continues to grow in confidence.
Noah
Noah has had a successful term and demonstrates a strong understanding across most subjects. He particularly enjoys science and shows excellent problem-solving skills during investigations. Noah works collaboratively with others and contributes positively to group tasks. To further improve, he should aim to present his work more neatly and take greater care with detail. Noah is a capable student who consistently strives to do his best.
