Report comment bank
606 report comments for Australian teachers, Foundation to Year 10. Type a student’s name and pronoun and every comment fills in. Copy one, or build a full comment from parts. Free, no login, and nothing you type leaves this page.
16 comments for English, Years 3 to 4, at standard
Openers 2
[Name] has had a successful semester in English.
Warm[Name] is achieving at the expected standard in English.
Formal
Strengths 4
[Name] reads a range of texts with fluency and expression and enjoys discussing their favourite characters.
Warm[Name] writes engaging narratives with a clear orientation, complication and resolution.
Warm[Name] identifies the main idea in information texts and uses evidence from the text to support their answers.
Formal[Name] writes persuasive texts that state a clear position and support it with reasons and examples.
Formal
Next steps 4
[Name] could now try using dialogue in their stories, punctuated with quotation marks.
WarmA next step for [Name] is to summarise a chapter in a few sentences, using their own words.
Warm[Name] is encouraged to edit their writing for sentence variety, combining short sentences with conjunctions.
FormalTo extend their reading, [Name] could compare how two authors present a similar idea.
Formal
Closers 6
Well done on a great semester, [Name]!
Warm[Name] should be very proud of their achievements this semester.
WarmIt has been a pleasure to watch [Name] learn and grow.
Warm[Name] is commended on a successful semester.
FormalI look forward to seeing [Name] continue to grow in the semester ahead.
FormalCongratulations on a positive semester, [Name].
Formal
Want a whole term of comments in your school’s format? Australian teachers sell editable comment banks and report writing kits for Years 3 to 4.
Report writing resources for Years 3 to 4
How to write a good report comment
A parent reads a report comment looking for one thing: do you know my child? The comments that answer yes are specific. They name a skill, not a feeling, and they say what comes next. I build mine in four parts, which is how the bank is laid out:
- An opener that says where the student sits against the standard, in words that match the grade beside it.
- A strength that names something the student can actually do, such as “writes persuasive texts that state a clear position” rather than “is doing well in English”.
- A next step that is one clear goal, framed as forward motion. One is plenty. A list of five reads like a list of faults.
- A closer that ends on encouragement or on the partnership with home.
Treat every comment here as a starting point. Add a detail only you know, like the book they could not put down or the moment the times tables clicked, and the comment becomes theirs.
What to avoid
- Deficit words. “Cannot”, “fails to” and “struggles with” are what a parent remembers. “Is beginning to” and “with support” describe the same student honestly and kindly. None of the comments in this bank use them.
- Jargon. Write “works out what a character is feeling from clues”, not “makes inferences using literal and inferential comprehension”.
- Identical comments. Reports get read side by side at the school gate. Vary the strength and the next step even when two students sit at the same level.
- Pronoun slips. Copying a comment from one student to the next is where “he” ends up on a girl’s report. Type the name and choose the pronoun here, and the whole bank changes with them.
Report season comes twice a year
Most Australian schools send reports home twice: at the end of Semester 1 in late June and at the end of Semester 2 in December. The writing happens weeks earlier, from late May to mid June and again through November, usually alongside assessment, moderation and the end of year concert. Bookmark this page before then. Every comment says “this semester”, so it works for both.
Read more
My report card comments guide covers A to E language and how to structure a comment. For the two reporting peaks, see end of semester report comments and end of year report comments, which include Year 6 transition statements. If a report leads to a hard conversation, the parent-teacher interview guide has a script.
Frequently asked questions
Are these report comments free to use?
Yes. Every comment in the bank is free to copy, edit and paste into your school reports. There is no login and no download limit, and nothing you type, including the student name, leaves your browser.
How do I change he or she to they in a report comment?
Choose They under the student name and every comment changes at once, including the verbs: she reads becomes they read, and he has becomes they have. The same works for she and he, so you never have to fix pronouns by hand after pasting.
What is a good general comment for a school report?
A good general comment names one thing the student does well, gives a short example of it, and finishes with one next step. Choose Personal and social or Work habits and effort in the bank, then build the comment from an opener, a strength, a next step and a closer.
How long should a report comment be?
Most Australian schools ask for around 80 to 120 words per learning area and 150 to 250 for the general comment. The builder counts the words as you go. Check your school template, because some reporting systems cut text off at a character limit.
Which achievement level should I choose?
Match the comment to the grade on the report. At standard fits a C or Sound, Above standard fits an A or B, and Working towards fits a D. Needs support is for students well below the standard or on an adjusted program, and its comments lead with what the student can do.
Do the comments follow the Australian Curriculum?
Yes. The comments describe skills from the Australian Curriculum for each band, from letter sounds and counting in Foundation to analytical essays and linear equations in Years 7 to 10, in plain words a parent can follow.