How to write a report comment for a pupil who has only just joined your class

Every teacher has at least one: the child who joined in September, or arrived in January from another school, and now needs a report comment alongside pupils you have taught for a full year. You do not have the evidence base you would like, and parents can tell when a comment is padded.

The good news is that an honest comment about a new pupil can be one of the most useful ones you write.

Be upfront about how long you have known them

You do not need to apologise, but a short, truthful framing builds trust. For example:

• “Since joining us in September, Amira has settled quickly and...”
• “In the half term since Daniel joined our class, I have seen...”

This tells parents the comment reflects real observation rather than guesswork, and it sets sensible expectations about what you can say regarding progress.

Use what you do have

Even after a few weeks you can usually draw on:

• Baseline or entry assessments from your own checks in the first fortnight.
• Previous school information, including reports, records and any SEN or EAL details passed on.
• Observations: who they work with, how they approach a task, what they choose in free time.
• Books and early work, compared against the first pieces they completed with you.
• What the child tells you, and what their parents shared at the first meeting.

A line a day in your notes for the first fortnight is enough to build from.

Focus on settling and starting points

For a new pupil, progress is often less important than starting points and next steps. Useful comment content includes:

• How they have settled socially and into routines.
• A clear picture of where they are now in reading, writing and maths.
• One or two strengths you have already seen.
• A specific next step for the coming term.

Avoid these traps

• Comparing them with the class. They may still be adjusting; focus on their own starting point.
• Over-claiming progress. If you cannot show it yet, say what you will look for next term.
• Treating gaps as failings. Different schools teach topics in a different order, so gaps are often just differences in sequence.
• Leaving out the positives of a fresh start. A new pair of eyes sometimes spots strengths a previous teacher did not mention.

A worked example

“Since joining us in September, Mia has become a confident member of the class and has made friends quickly. She reads fluently and can explain what a character is feeling, and she is beginning to use evidence from the text to back up her ideas. In maths, she is secure with place value to 1,000 and our next focus is using this to solve two-step problems. Over the next term, I would like Mia to practise adding detail to her writing, and I will share some simple prompts to try at home.”

Where to get support

If the child arrived with SEN or EAL needs, make sure the comment lines up with the provision in place. Our guides on writing reports for SEN pupils and EAL pupils cover this in more depth, and phrases to avoid is worth a skim before you send anything home.