Success Criteria Reports

Parent Partnership Based on Authentic Learning

Over the last few years, teachers at SMP have been working closely with the students to ensure that their learning is visible. Students know what they are learning and why. We have achieved this through explicit use of Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and a strong Learning Environment for the students.

The next step on this journey is to support parent understanding in this area as well. When parents understand what their child is learning, and why, as well as what success looks like for their child at their current grade level, they are empowered to be a strong part of their child’s learning journey. This aligns perfectly with feedback we received from parents from the Tell Them From Me Surveys. 

The strongest constructive criticism received from parents through these surveys, as well as our school review, was that you wanted to know more about how your child is going in their learning and how you may be able to support this at home. We believe we have come up with a great way to authentically do this that ensures your child’s learning is visible to you as well. We want parents to know what their child is learning, how they are going, and how you may be able to support them at home. An example is attached, but what this entails is;

Beginning of each term families receive:

• The Success Criteria in Reading, Writing and Number

• Examples of what good learning looks like alongside a glossary for families for understanding

Middle & End of each term families receive:

• How you child is tracking with this Success Criteria in Reading, Writing and Number 

All families will receive this, however it is totally up to you if you wish to do extra work with your child around this at home. The examples will show you what is the expected level for Reading and Writing. You may then do some extra reading and writing with your child at home, knowing what success looks like from these examples. This may help them continually develop and stay at expected level. Reading at night remains an expectation for all students and your Home Reading Record should continue to be completed. This is authentic Home Learning, not just providing activities that have limited to no benefit, allowing families to own & tailor the learning, with good examples, for your child. 

Grade level expectations are based on the NSW Syllabus and align with content covered in class. If your child is receiving a specialist intervention program that does not align with grade level, their success criteria will reflect this, and this will be communicated clearly on the document. There is no point reporting against a success criteria that your child is not currently working on.

If your child is at expected level for their grade, this is EXCELLENT, and exactly where they should be. The vast majority of students will never be Working Beyond, no matter how much home and the school does and this is perfectly ok. Your child may continue to be “Working Towards” throughout their schooling, and this allows us at school to identify areas we can offer them extra support and it gives parents an idea of where they can also target the work they do with their child. We will always continue to target your child’s learning, for continual growth, no matter where they sit in regards to “grade level expectations”

We will meet towards the end of First Term and Third Term around these with our Student Led Conference. Reports will come out at the end of Term 2 and Term 4. They will not contain a comment, as we have found that they have predominantly been too much teacher jargon anyway and believe that this new approach is more authentic to indicate where your child is at, and how you can monitor and assist their development.

This will come in paper format so you can have it up around the place, but will also be accessible via our website. A simple video explaining how this will all work will follow soon.