Reception Literacy report comments
Literacy in Reception covers comprehension, word reading and writing. These comments describe phonics, early reading and early writing against the Early Learning Goals.
15 example comments across 3 levels, plus 6 next steps. Type a name below to fill in every comment.
Strong progress, securely at the expected level
[Pupil] is a confident early reader. They know all the sounds taught in Reception, blend words quickly and read simple sentences with understanding. They love talking about stories.
[Pupil] writes independently with enthusiasm. They use their phonics to spell words they can hear, form most letters correctly and write simple sentences that others can read.
[Pupil] has a real love of books. They retell stories in detail, use new vocabulary from them in their play and read common exception words with confidence.
[Pupil] has made excellent progress in literacy this year. They read and write simple phrases and sentences and are proud to share their writing.
[Pupil] understands stories very well and can predict what might happen next. Their reading and writing are well developed for their age.
At the expected level of development
[Pupil] has made good progress in literacy. They know most of their sounds and can blend them to read simple words. Reading their school book every day at home will help them become more fluent.
[Pupil] enjoys mark making and is now writing simple words using their phonics. Writing a short sentence independently is the next step.
[Pupil] loves listening to stories and can retell familiar ones. They are learning to read some common exception words, such as the and said.
[Pupil] is developing well as a reader and writer. They can write their name and some words, and they are beginning to use finger spaces.
[Pupil] knows many sounds and is growing in confidence when blending. Practising sounds little and often at home will help them remember them quickly.
Emerging: still working towards the expected level
[Pupil] is developing their phonics knowledge and can recognise some letter sounds. They enjoy stories and are beginning to join in with repeated phrases. Practising sounds daily at home will make a real difference.
[Pupil] is learning to blend sounds to read short words with support. They are growing in confidence, and their interest in books is lovely to see.
[Pupil] enjoys mark making and is learning to write some letters correctly, including the letters in their name.
[Pupil] is building their early reading skills. Sharing picture books and talking about the story will help develop their understanding and vocabulary.
[Pupil] is making progress with phonics with extra support. Playing simple sound games, such as I spy, at home will help them hear the sounds in words.
Reception literacy next steps
Finish a comment with one specific, achievable target. Parents find these the most useful line in a report.
- Blend sounds to read new words more quickly.
- Read common exception words such as the, said and was.
- Write a simple sentence independently, using finger spaces.
- Form letters correctly, starting in the right place.
- Retell a familiar story using story language.
- Read their school book every day and talk about it.
How to use these comments
Replace [Pupil] with the child's first name and adjust any detail that does not fit your class or school style. These comments are designed to be a solid starting point, not a finished product. The best report comments are the ones where you have added something specific about that child: a particular achievement, a moment you remember, a challenge they have worked through.
If you want to generate comments that are already specific to your pupils, Staffroom does exactly that. Add your notes about each child, choose a tone, and the comments it generates will be genuinely personal rather than adapted from a template.