The Premier announced a new way of reporting individual student performance to parents on 15 August 2005. In July 2006 the Minister for Education and Training released a brochure explaining the changes to parents. In September, the NSW Minister for Education and Training has written to the Federal Minister seeking her agreement for schools to use A-E grades OR the equivalent word description to describe student achievement.

The new reporting processes are based on a new policy “Curriculum Planning and Programming, Assessing and Reporting to Parents K ‑ 12”. The new policy is intended to provide consistency in reporting but not limit school flexibility. The policy can be accessed on the Department’s policy website.

The new approach to reporting for K –- 12 schools came into effect in 2006.

The Department has developed a number of sample reports, explanatory notes and a parent brochure explaining the new reporting requirements. These documents, along with a question and answer document are available by clicking the links on this page.

The Curriculum Planning and Programming, Assessing and Reporting to Parents K – 12 policy has been developed in response to recommendations from the report, Time to teach – time to learn, by Professor Ken Eltis and recent Australian Government school funding legislation. The legislation, entitled Schools Assistance (Learning Together – Achievement through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004 includes requirements for the reports that schools in all States and Territories provide to parents. This legislation provides funding to education authorities in each state and territory for the period 2005-2008.

The sample reports comply with the new policy for reporting to parents and the requirements of Federal legislation.

Copies of the Eltis report and the Australian legislative requirements for reporting to parents can be accessed through the links on this page.