How to set better targets in school reports

The targets section of a school report is often the weakest part. After several paragraphs of thoughtful, specific commentary, the report ends with something like “to develop confidence in writing” or “to continue to work hard across all subjects” — phrases that are not wrong, exactly, but that don't actually tell anyone anything useful.

A well-written target does three things: it tells the child something specific about what they should work on, it tells the parent something concrete about how they can help, and it is honest about where the child actually is.

The problem with vague targets

“To develop confidence” is not a target. Confidence in what, exactly? In what context? What would it look like if it had been developed? Neither the child nor the parent has anything to do with this information.

“To try harder” is not a target. Try harder at what? In what way? The child reading this has no idea what “trying harder” would look like in practice.

These targets have survived because they are easy to write and hard to argue with. But they do not help children improve. A target should change what a child does.

What makes a target useful

A useful target is specific enough that both the child and the parent know what it refers to. It describes something observable. And it ideally suggests a mechanism for how it might be achieved.

Not: “To develop his writing.” But: “To focus on varying his sentence openings — starting some sentences with time phrases, questions, or descriptions rather than always beginning with 'I' or a character's name.”

Not: “To continue to grow in confidence in maths.” But: “To practise her times tables regularly at home — confident recall of the 6s, 7s, and 8s will make a real difference to her speed and accuracy in Year 5.”

Not: “To read more widely.” But: “To try reading in a different genre — [Name] has read a lot of fantasy and adventure this year. Non-fiction, historical fiction, or humour might open up new interests and build vocabulary in different areas.”

One target or three?

Many schools specify a set number of targets per report. If you have a choice, one strong target is more useful than three weak ones. A child cannot meaningfully work on five things at once. A single specific, achievable target is more likely to be remembered and acted on.

Targets for high-attaining pupils

High-attaining pupils often get the weakest targets because it's harder to identify what their next step is. Avoid the temptation to write a target that amounts to “keep doing what you're doing.”

For high-attaining pupils, targets that point to depth rather than coverage work well: “To support her mathematical arguments with more detailed reasoning — not just the answer but the step-by-step thinking behind it.”