Reporting on student and school achievement

This report is the outcome of a project designed to review the needs and expectations of parents and the wider community for information on school programs, student progress and school performance. The project reviewed the relevant national and international literature, surveyed the policies and practices of Australian education systems, and met with Australian parents to ascertain their experiences, views and expectations.

Statements of best practice have been derived from what parents indicate they require in the nature of information provision about school and student achievement. These include:

• schools should ensure that the standard of achievement of students is reported to parents;
• reports to parents should provide interpretative comments about the progress and achievements of their child;
• reports should describe achievement in both academic and non-academic areas;
• reports should be presented in a format and language that is readily understood by parents;
• schools should ensure that the frequency and timing of reports maximises the role of parents in supporting student progress;
• schools should support and encourage all parents to attend parent-teacher meetings;
• parents should be provided with comprehensible reports on student achievement in standardised tests;
• schools should have a planned strategy for informing parents about their programs;
• schools should facilitate opportunities for parents to receive advice and discuss their child’s progress and how they can support their child’s education;
• parents should be encouraged to interact with school staff and other parents on an informal basis;
• schools should report annually to parents on their success in achieving goals and performance targets;
• parents should be provided with a range of accurate and reliable school performance and effectiveness information;  and
• schools and school systems should promote a culture of accountability by providing parents with access to school achievement information.

This report was funded under the Quality Outcomes Programme.