General report comments for primary school: effort, behaviour and wellbeing

What the general comment is for

The general comment, sometimes called the overall, pastoral or class teacher comment, is often the first thing a primary parent reads. It's where you show you know the child as a person: how they learn, how they get on with others, how they've grown and what you hope for next. Grades and subject comments cover achievement; the general comment covers the learner.

Commonwealth rules require a grade per subject twice a year, but the general comment is a school decision. Some schools use it in place of subject comments in early years, and in NSW, Kindergarten reports may describe progress through comments instead of grades. Many schools also report learning behaviours (effort, behaviour, organisation) on a separate rating scale, so check that your comment and those ratings tell the same story.

A simple structure

Foundation and Prep general comments

In the first year of school (called Kindergarten in NSW and the ACT, Prep in QLD, VIC and TAS, Pre-primary in WA, Reception in SA and Transition in the NT), the general comment carries a lot of weight. Focus on settling in, routines, independence, friendships and early learning dispositions.

• [Name] has settled happily into school life and confidently follows our class routines. They are making new friends and enjoy playing cooperatively at lunch and recess. [Name] is becoming more independent with packing up and organising their belongings. Next semester, their goal is to share their ideas during whole-class discussions.
• [Name] has grown in confidence throughout the year and now comes into the classroom ready to learn each morning. They listen well during story time and love creative play. [Name]'s goal is to keep practising turn-taking in games, which they are getting better at every week.
• [Name] is an enthusiastic learner who loves to explore and ask questions. They are learning to manage big feelings and are beginning to use calm-down strategies when frustrated. With support, [Name] is making great progress, and their goal is to use their words to tell friends how they feel.
• [Name] has made a gentle start to school and is becoming more comfortable each week. They have formed a close friendship and enjoy quiet activities such as drawing and puzzles. [Name]'s goal is to try new activities and to ask a teacher for help when they need it.

Years 1 to 6 general comments by focus

Strong learners and role models

• [Name] is a motivated and conscientious learner who consistently gives their best effort. They organise their time well, take pride in their work and act on feedback. [Name] is a respected member of our class who leads by example and supports others kindly. Next semester, [Name] is encouraged to take on new challenges, such as entering [opportunity], to keep stretching themselves.
• [Name] approaches learning with curiosity and determination. They ask thoughtful questions, work well independently and collaborate generously in groups. [Name] has shown maturity in helping new students feel welcome. Their goal for next semester is to share their ideas more often in whole-class discussions.

Steady, reliable students

• [Name] has worked steadily throughout the semester and is a reliable, cooperative member of our class. They follow routines, complete tasks and are always willing to help. [Name] has grown in confidence this year. Next semester, they are encouraged to take more risks in their learning by attempting challenging tasks.
• [Name] is a friendly and positive student who gets along well with classmates. They listen carefully, complete work on time and take care with presentation. [Name]'s goal is to ask more questions when they are unsure, so they can build on their solid foundation.

Growing in confidence

• [Name] has blossomed this semester, becoming more confident to share ideas and try new things. They are a thoughtful friend and a careful worker. It has been wonderful to see [Name] volunteer to present to the class. Their goal is to keep building this confidence by contributing to group discussions.
• [Name] is a quiet achiever who works carefully and gets along well with others. This semester they have begun to put their hand up more often, which is great to see. [Name]'s goal next semester is to ask for help early when a task feels tricky.

Effort and focus as the goal

• [Name] is a capable student with lots of great ideas. At times this semester, they have found it difficult to stay focused during independent work, which has affected how much they complete. When [Name] settles quickly, the quality of their work is impressive. Their goal is to use their task checklist to complete each activity.
• [Name] is a sociable and energetic member of our class who enjoys group activities. They are learning to balance chatting with friends and getting work done. [Name] has improved in recent weeks, and their goal for next semester is to choose a workspace that helps them concentrate.

Organisation and independence

• [Name] is a willing learner who is working on their organisation skills. With reminders, they bring the right materials and hand in home learning. [Name]'s goal is to use their diary to keep track of tasks independently, which will be an important skill as they move towards secondary school.
• [Name] has become more independent this semester, managing their belongings and starting tasks with fewer reminders. They are a kind friend and a positive presence in our room. Their goal is to check their work carefully before handing it in.

Behaviour comments that stay constructive

Behaviour belongs in the general comment when it affects the student's learning or others'. Describe the behaviour and what's being done, keep it brief, and make sure the parent has already heard about it from you. For academic D and E wording, see report comments for struggling students.

Wellbeing and social-emotional comments

• [Name] shows great resilience, bouncing back from setbacks with a positive attitude.
• [Name] has developed lovely friendships this semester and is a caring, loyal friend.
• [Name] is learning to recognise and name their feelings and uses our calm corner when they need to.
• [Name] has shown real empathy, noticing when classmates are upset and offering kindness.
• [Name] is growing in confidence and is more willing to try new things, even when they feel unsure.
• [Name] has taken on responsibility well this year, including their role as [class role].
• [Name] includes others in games and helps create a welcoming classroom.
• [Name] is learning to be kind to themselves when they make a mistake, which is helping them take on challenges.

Words that work in general comments

Speeding up general comments

Keep a running note for each student through the term: one line whenever you see something worth reporting (a kind moment, a new skill, a tough day handled well). At report time you'll have real material instead of a blank page. Group students by learner profile, draft one strong comment per profile, then personalise each one with your notes. Our how to write reports faster guide has the full workflow, and positive report card comments has more openings.