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Schools, teachers ditching student report card comments

Queensland schools are increasingly ditching teacher comments on report cards as part of a union push to decrease workloads, but opponents warn it’s the “last thing that needs to be happening”.

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QUEENSLAND schools are increasingly scrapping teacher comments on report cards, with warnings parents could be “left in the dark” over their child’s progress.

Following the teachers’ union striking a deal with the education department regarding concerns over rising workloads, a growing number of schools have ditched comments on report cards altogether.

In a recent message to parents, Kedron State High School’s acting principal Mick Leigh said as of the next reporting cycle, comments would no longer be included on report cards.

“In response to growing workload concerns for teachers, the Department of Education has engaged with the Queensland Teachers’ Union to investigate a number of ways to reduce the impact for teachers.” Mr Leigh said.

“One of the measures is the removal of comments on report cards.

“The result for achievement, effort and behaviour will still be included as well as an indication of whether a parent teacher interview is required.”

LNP education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan MP. Picture: Liam Kidston
LNP education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan MP. Picture: Liam Kidston

But LNP education spokesman Christian Rowan warned parents could be “left in the dark” if feedback on how their kids were performing at school was reduced.

“It is vitally important that parents are given as much information and feedback as to how their children are progressing against the curriculum,” he said.

“Without such information, parents can be left in the dark as to how they can best assist with improving their own child’s educational outcomes, particularly with respect to literacy and numeracy.”

A Department of Education spokeswoman said KSHS had not received any complaints about the change, and that providing comments was an “optional, school-based decision”.

QTU president Cresta Richardson said information for parents was not limited to report cards, and some schools had not included comments for several years.

Queensland Teachers' Union president Cresta Richardson. Picture: Supplied
Queensland Teachers' Union president Cresta Richardson. Picture: Supplied

“Our teacher and school leader members have identified many ways to provide accurate and timely information to parents and students about progress,” she said.

“Teachers provide regular feedback to students based on the teaching and learning cycle.”

Ms Richardson said decisions about whether to keep or ditch report card comments were made in consultations within schools.

“Different schools make different decisions based on their local context,” she said.

Dr Rowan said following the state government’s scrapping of the Year 12 Outcomes Report earlier this year, “the last thing that needs to be happening is parents not being provided with timely information on their child’s performance at school.”

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/education-queensland/schools-teachers-ditching-student-report-card-comments/news-story/c439f366448e84fc709f59c4f69d1dbb