In short
- A reading report for parents answers five questions: what was read, how much, what was understood, what the level means, and what to do at home.
- Short, personal messages linked to learning can make a difference; in one trial, weekly one-sentence notes from teachers cut course failure.
- Turn every level and score into a sentence about what the child can read, and compare the child with their own earlier record.
- Leave out ranks, class averages, login counts and jargon, and never name other children.
Parents want to know three things about their child's reading. Is the child reading? Understanding? Getting better? A level code or a table of scores rarely answers those questions. This article sets out what to tell parents, in what words, and how often. It gives an example report for an invented pupil, a list of what not to send, and advice on reporting a child who is struggling. It also says what research found about messages to parents, and where that research stops.
What should a reading progress report tell parents?
A good report answers five questions about one child, in plain words. What did the child read? How much? What did the child understand, and which words have stuck? What is the child's level, and what does it mean? What can the family do at home? Everything else is optional.
| Part | Say this | Not this |
|---|---|---|
| What was read | This term Karim read six stories, including The Lost Kite. | Units 4 to 9 completed. |
| How much | Six stories this term; four last term. | 78% completion rate. |
| What was understood | He answers most questions about what happened, and is learning to explain why characters act. | Comprehension: 71%. |
| The level and what it means | He reads short stories on everyday topics on his own (level A2). | A2+, sub-band 3b. |
| What to do at home | Once a week, ask him to tell you the story he read, in any language. | Please support reading at home. |
Reporting to parents is a different job from reporting to a board. Parents need one child in plain words; a board needs totals by class and term. For the second job, see How to Write a Term Reading Report for Your Board.
What research says about messages to parents
One clear test of short messages comes from Kraft and Rogers (2015). Teachers sent the parents of high school students in a credit recovery program a one-sentence, individual message every week. The share of students who failed to earn course credit fell from 15.8% to 9.3%. Most of that came from fewer students dropping out.
Messages about what the student could improve had larger effects than messages about what the student was doing well. Note the limits: one program, older students, and an outcome of course credit, not reading.
The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) reviewed the wider evidence in a guidance report for schools. It found that well-designed school communications, such as weekly texts and short termly letters, can improve attainment and attendance. The effects may look small, but the approach is cheap and simple. Messages are likely to work better when they are personalised, linked to learning and framed positively.
None of these studies tested reading reports for pupils learning English as a foreign language. The advice below applies their findings, and marks what comes from practice.
Turn the level into a sentence
A level code means little at home. Translate it into what the child can read now, and say what the next step looks like. The wording below is an example of plain language, not an official description. CEFR Levels A1 to C2 Explained gives fuller descriptions you can borrow.
- A1: "She can read very short, simple texts with pictures, a few words at a time."
- A2: "He can read short, simple stories on everyday topics such as family, school and shopping."
- B1: "She can follow a longer story with a clear plot on her own."
- B2: "He can read longer stories with more complex plots and less common words."
A CEFR level is a wide band, so a child can make real progress without changing level. Report steps within a level as well, and show the trend: this term next to last term. How to Measure CEFR Progress by Cohort explains how to measure those smaller steps.
An example report for one pupil
Here is a termly report block for an invented pupil. The name, the story titles and the numbers are made up. Change them to fit your class.
Example termly report (invented pupil)
Reading report, Term 2: Karim, Grade 5
What he read: six stories, including The Lost Kite and The Lighthouse Cat.
How much: six stories this term, up from four last term. He came to 11 of 12 reading sessions.
What he understood: he answers most questions about what happens in a story. He is starting to explain why characters act as they do. Words he now knows include "borrow", "brave" and "whisper".
His level: Karim reads short stories on everyday topics on his own (level A2). Next, he will read longer stories with more than one problem to solve.
At home: once a week, ask Karim to tell you the story he read, in any language you share. Then ask what the main character should have done.
Questions? Reply to this message or call the school office.
The report fits on a phone screen. It names real stories and real words, so a parent can ask about them that evening. It compares Karim only with himself.
How often to report, and in what form
The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) reports that weekly messages over six to eight months appear to be effective. It also warns that there is such a thing as too many texts. It suggests sharing sample messages first and asking parents what they find helpful.
| When | What | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Every week or every story | The story the class read and one question to ask at home | A short class message |
| Two or three times a term | One personal sentence about the child's reading | An individual message |
| Every term | The five-part report | One page or one screen |
| Once a year, or when needed | Progress, concerns and next steps | A meeting or a call |
The rhythm is practice, not a tested schedule. Count what your school already sends before you add more. Ask parents which channel and language suit them; the same report advises that communication should be two-way.
What to suggest for home
A next step should be small, specific and possible in any language. For older children, the Education Endowment Foundation (2018) suggests that parents listen to them read and use "pause, prompt, praise". That means pausing so the child can work out a word, giving a clue rather than the answer, and praising the child for working it out. It adds that talk about the story still matters for comprehension.
For younger children, Sénéchal and Young (2008) reviewed 16 studies with 1,340 families. Parents who tutored their children with specific literacy activities produced larger gains than parents who listened to them read. In the three studies where parents read to their children, there were no significant reading gains. These children were in kindergarten to grade 3.
Hill and Tyson (2009) combined 50 studies of middle school pupils. Parental involvement was linked with achievement, except for help with homework. The strongest link was with what the authors call academic socialisation: parents talking about the value of education and about learning. How to Share Values Learning With Parents covers these studies further. Suggestions that fit all of this:
- Ask your child to retell this week's story, in any language.
- Ask one why question: why did the character do that?
- Ask your child to teach you three English words from the story.
- Listen to one page read aloud, and pause before helping with a word.
- Keep it to ten minutes, and stop while it is still enjoyable.
Do not ask parents to teach grammar or correct English. The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) warns against sending curriculum content that parents do not know how to respond to.
What not to send
Some things make a report longer without making it more useful. This list is practice, not research:
- Class rank or comparisons with classmates. Compare the child with their own earlier record.
- Class averages and percentiles. They describe the class, not the child.
- Login counts and minutes online. They count visits, not reading or understanding.
- Scores without meaning. "14 out of 20" needs a sentence saying what it shows.
- Codes and jargon. Replace sub-levels, bands and test names with a sentence.
- Long data tables. If it does not fit on one page, it will not be read.
- Other children's names or work. A report is about one child.
- Labels. "Weak reader" describes a person; "finds longer stories hard for now" describes reading.
Hattie and Timperley (2007) found that feedback to learners about the person, rather than the task, tends to work least well. Their review was about pupils, not parents, but the same care seems sensible. If reports go through a platform, check who can see them; see Student Data Privacy: Questions to Ask an EdTech Vendor.
Reporting on a child who is struggling
Be honest, specific and constructive. The two main sources pull in slightly different directions here. Kraft and Rogers (2015) found that messages about what to improve had larger effects than positive ones. The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) advises positive framing and careful wording that does not blame or discourage parents. A four-part note respects both:
- Start with something true and positive: a story the child finished, or a question they answered well.
- Name the difficulty in terms of reading, not the child: "Longer stories are hard for him at the moment."
- Say what the school will do: an easier story, more time on new words, a check in three weeks.
- Give one step for home, and invite a reply or a call.
For important messages, talk rather than write. For parents who are less involved, the Education Endowment Foundation (2018) suggests that face-to-face conversations, phone calls or text messages are more likely to work than generic emails or letters.
How iRead handles this
In iRead, every game clear and quiz answer feeds one progress record per word, and teachers see retention per word, per game and per class. Values learned appear next to vocabulary gained in progress views, including the parent's view. School leaders see levels reached, words retained and stories completed, by class, grade and term.
The core principle: Report one child, in plain words, against their own earlier record. End every report with one thing the family can do at home.
See it in iRead: School leaders see levels reached, words retained and stories completed, by class, grade and term. Values learned appear next to vocabulary gained, including in the parent's view.
See the leadership viewKey takeaway
A reading report works when a parent can read it in a minute and act on it that evening. Say what was read, how much, what was understood and what the level means, then give one step for home.
Frequently asked questions
How often should schools report reading progress to parents?
A short message every week or every story, plus a fuller report once a term, is a sensible starting rhythm. The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) reports that weekly messages over six to eight months appear effective, but warns against too many texts. Ask parents what they find useful.
What should a reading progress report include?
Five things: what the child read, how much, what the child understood and which words stuck, the level with a sentence on what it means, and one thing to do at home. Keep it to one page and compare the child with their own earlier record.
Should a report compare a child with classmates?
No. Compare the child with their own earlier record. A rank or a class average says more about the class than about the child, and it gives the family nothing to act on. This is advice from practice rather than a tested finding.
How do I explain a CEFR level to parents?
Turn it into a sentence about reading. "Level A2" becomes "reads short, simple stories on everyday topics on his own". Add what the next step looks like, and report progress within the level too, since a whole level is a wide band.
How can parents help with English reading if they do not speak English?
They can ask their child to retell the story in the family's language and ask why a character acted as they did. The Education Endowment Foundation (2018) notes that talk about the story matters for comprehension. That talk does not have to be in English.
Sources
- Kraft, M. A., & Rogers, T. (2015). The underutilized potential of teacher-to-parent communication: Evidence from a field experiment. Economics of Education Review, 47, 49-63. doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2015.04.001
- van Poortvliet, M., Axford, N., & Lloyd, J. (2018). Working with parents to support children's learning: Guidance report. Education Endowment Foundation. eric.ed.gov/?id=ED612191
- Hill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: A meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 740-763. doi.org/10.1037/a0015362
- Sénéchal, M., & Young, L. (2008). The effect of family literacy interventions on children's acquisition of reading from kindergarten to grade 3: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 880-907. doi.org/10.3102/0034654308320319
- Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112. doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487