Headmaster's Bulletin (37)

The reporting season is in full swing, and my task over three weekends is to read and comment on the reports of Fifth Year, Upper Sixth and Third Year pupils – to add words of encouragement or counsel to those of my colleagues!

We aim for reports which are both summative and formative; i.e. we should reflect our pupils’ achievement and progress in relation to Bablake standards (and national standards in the examination years) whilst also giving advice for improvement. As I read reports, they always reinforce my view of the joint endeavour which is at the heart of education. On the one hand we aspire to the best possible ‘inputs’ of leadership, teaching and pastoral care, whilst on the other, it is the ‘outputs’ of learning, achievement and personal development which reflects a child’s progress and happiness. The two are obviously interdependent, and at the heart is the relationship between learner and teacher – as well as the relationship between learners and between teachers in our community.

As you read your child’s report, especially if it is a full report rather than a grade report, I hope you will feel that we know him/ her. Reports focus primarily on the academic side of school life, and that is why we also enjoy meeting you personally on parents’ evenings. All our pupils are individuals, and our understanding of them as people helps them to know that we really care - our teaching and mentoring then helping them to become happy and successful learners.