Reporting on Learning

Reporting on Learning: A holistic and balanced approach to reporting on student learning is of paramount importance in fostering effective communication between educators and parents. By encompassing various components such as written reports, learning celebrations, conferences, and portfolios, this approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of a student's progress, strengths, and areas for improvement. Written reports provide a snapshot of a child’s development. Learning celebrations allow parents to witness their child's accomplishments firsthand, fostering a sense of pride and motivation. Conferences provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions, enabling parents and educators to collaboratively develop strategies for further growth. Additionally, portfolios serve as a tangible record of a student's growth, capturing their work samples, projects, and personal reflections. By integrating these diverse elements, a holistic and balanced approach to reporting enables parents to gain a comprehensive understanding of their child's learning journey, fostering a strong partnership between home and school.

Reporting to Early Years and Year 1 Parents: 

• Tapestry Learning Journal is an online learning journal with weekly observations on your child's learning which detail the activity and the learning objectives met. Nursery - Year 1 parents are able to access the journal via an app (Google Play/App Store), the Tapestry website, or QR code provided by the teachers. 

• Communication Book: Nursery and K1 classes use the communication book to supplement the information provided via Tapestry. This includes daily information about a child’s nap time and food intake, as well as an area for teachers’ and parents’ comments to be used as needed. 

• A Settling-In Meeting is held in October to update parents on their child’s progress.

• Parent-teacher conference takes place in February and reviews the child’s learning so far and their next steps.

• Budding Day is a less formal way of reporting to parents on students’ learning via an end of unit celebration during Term 1. Budding Day is a little brother of Blossom Day which is celebrated at the end of the year. The format might change from term to term, but the goal remains the same: invite parents to join them in the learning centres, sharing how they learn at school and some of their favourite activities from the unit. 

• Tea with Teachers are classroom-based meetings with homeroom teachers. The first one occurs before the start of the first term. This is where parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s classroom teachers and exchange information on expectations, the plan for the year and daily routines. Another “Tea with Teachers” is organised each year for parents to learn about and better understand the school approach. 

• End of the year formal report card provides a snapshot of academic achievements and offers valuable insights into a child's performance in different categories of development.

• Friday “This Week in…” Tapestry is a message in which homeroom teachers share the learning goals for the following week via Tapestry. 

Reporting to Year 2-6 Parents: 

• Monday emails from the homeroom teachers include a summary of the previous week and the main learning goals for the current week. You can expect it before 12:00 noon every Monday. 

• End of Unit Progress Reports are issued at the end of each of the six units of learning studied during the year; these reports provide “point in time” feedback on how your child is performing against the taught learning expectations. 

• Reporting verbally to parents: during the students’ pick-up time, homeroom teachers have a chance to chat informally with parents. Teachers may also need to phone a parent to discuss any questions or concerns. 

• Student-involved parent-teacher conference and portfolio presentation take place at the beginning of term 2.

• Goal Sharing takes place towards the end of September and then again during student-involved parent-teacher conferences at the beginning of term 2.

• Portfolios are kept to document and celebrate a student's learning journey. These highlight work that a student is proud of and that demonstrate their growth over An important artefact of the child's learning, the portfolios are shared at the end of terms. 

• Tea with Teachers are classroom-based meetings with homeroom teachers. The first one occurs before the start of the first term. This is where parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s classroom teachers and exchange information on expectations, the plan for the year and daily routines. Another “Tea with Teachers” is organised each year for parents to learn about the school approach and strategies for supporting your child’s developmental stages. 

• End of the year formal report card provides a comprehensive snapshot of academic achievements and offers valuable insights into a child's performance in different subjects.

• Budding Day and Blossom Day are student centred capstone moments to showcase a student's learning. These celebrations of learning provide students with the opportunity to celebrate their growth and practise their presentation skills as they showcase their learning to parents and each other.

Additional meetings may be held to report to parents on student progress.

“Just in Time” Meetings: We prefer in person dialogue between teachers and parents about student behaviour or concerns. Should the need arise, parents and teachers are encouraged to set up an appointment to meet with each other rather than wait for a student-involved parent-teacher conference. 

School-based team meetings (SBTM) bring together teachers and parents directly involved in a child’s education. This might also include specialists the student sees outside the school. The school counsellor or learning support teacher may call those meetings with the approval of the Vice Principals when classroom teachers’ interventions are not sufficient to support the child’s progress. Parents can also request an SBTM if they deem their meetings with homeroom teachers did not yield sufficient results.