INTRODUCTION

Effective communication between home and school is now widely regarded as a prerequisite for good education. Reports on pupil progress are an important form of communication between home and school.

The approach to reporting recommended here is embedded in the 5-14 programme. The analysis of the curriculum by attainment targets and levels and the guidance offered in Assessment 5-14 form the framework around which the recommendations have been fashioned.

Reporting 5-14 invites teachers to write comments on pupils' progress which conform to a set of principles, called guidelines. The same guidelines have been applied to reporting by Primary, Secondary and Special schools to facilitate the transfer of information between the sectors. The guidelines are also wholly compatible with a smooth transition to a Record of Achievement for older pupils.

When reference is made to parents in these guidelines, it is intended that the term should be interpreted to mean any appropriate guardian. When parent/teacher meetings are referred to, the term should be interpreted in the widest sense, to include not only formal meetings but also the less formal opportunities for dialogue, either individual or group, which are increasingly common in schools.

A Staff Development pack has been written to accompany Reporting 5-14. Included in this are examples of ways in which the guidelines can be implemented.

A brief guide to Reporting 5-14 for parents is published along with these guidelines.