Reporting pupils' achievements to parents — key stage 3/4

Headteachers' responsibilities

Headteachers are responsible for ensuring that they send a written report to parents on their child's achievements at least once during the school year. The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations and Amendments prescribe the minimum content of pupils' reports. Schools may issue more than one report, provided that the minimum information is sent to parents by the end of the summer term.

Where information, such as the results of national curriculum assessments, is not available before the end of the summer term, headteachers must ensure that it is sent to parents as soon as practicable, and in any case no later than 30 September.

For more information, visit the A-Z Of School Leadership page on pupil reports.

For all pupils

Brief comments of a pupil's progress in each subject and activity studied as part of the school curriculum. These should highlight strengths and development needs.
The pupil's general progress.
Arrangements for parents to discuss the report with a teacher at the school.
A summary of the pupil's attendance record during the period to which the information in the report relates.

Additional information required for pupils at the end of key stage 3

The pupil's national curriculum assessment levels including, among other things, a brief commentary setting out what the results show about the pupil's progress in the subject individually, and in relation to other pupils in the same year, drawing attention to any particular strengths and weaknesses.
The percentage of pupils at the school at each level of attainment at the end of key stage 3.
Reports should show the previous years national test results summary for end of key stage 3 pupils, showing which proportion of pupils achieved which levels.
Reports should show the proportion of end of key stage 3 pupils at W, and at levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, disapplied and absent for teacher assessment for all national curriculum subjects.

Additional information required for pupils during and after key stage 4

The subjects in which the pupil was entered for any GCSE and the grade achieved.
Any other qualification or unit towards a qualification and the grade achieved (where available).
Comparative information about the attainments of pupils of the same age in the school and nationally must be available at the school for parents to look at on request.

Powers of headteachers

Headteachers have discretion to:

arrange for the report to be translated;
include in the report additional information about the pupil's progress, beyond the minimum required;
decide when to issue the report to parents, as long as the minimum required information is sent to parents by the end of the summer term;
decide to issue more than one report, as long as the minimum required information is sent to parents by the end of the summer term.

Headteachers may also exclude from the report to parents (or adult pupils) information which may breach a confidence, be harmful to the pupil or parents, or involve disclosing information about another pupil.

Summary of information that must be reported to parents

Requirement	Year
Requirement	7/8	9	10/11
General progress	x	x	x
Brief particulars of achievements, highlighting strengths & developmental needs	x	x	x
Arrangements for discussion	x	x	x
Attendance record	x	x	x
National curriculum assessment results and a statement that the levels have been arrived at by statutory assessment		x
If applicable, a statement explaining why the pupil has not been entered for the test or has been disapplied		x
Comparative information about the attainments of pupils of the same age in the school		x	*
Comparative information about the attainments of pupils of the same age nationally		x	*
The grade achieved in subjects for which the pupil was entered for GCSE			x
Any other qualification or unit towards a qualification and the grade achieved			x

* Comparative information about the attainments of pupils of the same age in the school and nationally is contained in the school performance tables for the area, the school prospectus and the governors' annual report, and must be available at the school for parents to look at on request.