Effort and Engagement Report Comments, Years 7-8 (Australia)
Effort and Engagement is what a student puts into each lesson and task: sustained effort in class and on assessment tasks, joining discussions and activities, asking questions out of curiosity, and taking care with the quality and presentation of work.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Years 7-8: two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Consistently / Usually / Sometimes / Rarely), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 173 effort and engagement sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Consistently · Usually · Sometimes · Rarely · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Consistently C
Strengths
- [Name] joins in house activities and class challenges with enthusiasm and encourages classmates to have a go as well.
- In practical activities and group tasks, [Name] gets involved from the start and stays engaged until the job is done.
Next step
- One optional extension activity each term, such as a reading challenge or a school showcase, would give [Name] a further goal.
Usually U
Strengths
- [Name] often joins in house activities and class games, and is becoming more confident about sharing ideas in front of new classmates.
- In group and practical activities, [Name] generally takes an active part and does [his/her/their] share of the work.
Next step
- Before handing in assessment tasks, [Name] could use a simple checklist in [his/her/their] diary to check headings, spelling and neatness.
Sometimes S
Strengths
- House activities and class games draw [Name] in at times, and [he/she/they] could build confidence by joining in more often.
- When prompted, [Name] answers questions in class and is developing the confidence to volunteer ideas unprompted.
Next step
- Taking part in at least one class or house event each term, such as a sports carnival or a lunchtime activity, would help [Name] feel more connected.
Rarely R
Strengths
- Exercise books for [Name] have several incomplete pages, and a weekly book check with the teacher is helping [him/her/them] set work out neatly.
- With frequent reminders, [Name] is returning to class activities more quickly and showing more involvement in shared tasks.
Next step
- [Name] could join one lunchtime club or house activity with a friend, as a gentle way of becoming more involved in school life.
Support at home
- You can support effort by praising the work your child puts in, such as drafting and checking, rather than only the finished product.
How to write effort and engagement comments for Years 7-8
- In Year 7, effort can dip as students meet many new subjects and teachers. Say whether the student gives each subject a fair go, including unfamiliar ones, and name one lesson or activity where engagement stood out.
- Use the first assessment tasks as evidence of care: did the student read the task notification closely, add detail beyond the minimum and present the work neatly? Families can read the next notification together with their child.
- Camps, excursions and house activities show engagement outside the classroom. A brief mention, such as asking guides questions on an excursion, rounds out the comment for a student who is quieter in class.
Watch out: Avoid treating compliance as engagement. A quiet, well-behaved student may still be passive, while a talkative one may be off task, so describe participation, questions and care with work, and leave conduct to Respect and Responsibility.
Let frequency words carry the rating. Consistently suits reliably, independently or without being asked; Usually suits generally or with few reminders; Sometimes suits at times or when prompted. For Rarely, describe what is emerging and the support that helps, such as weekly check-ins with the year adviser. Show the behaviour you saw rather than restating the rating.
What Effort and Engagement covers
In these comments, effort and engagement covers these behaviours:
- applies consistent effort in class and on assessment tasks
- participates actively in discussions and activities
- shows curiosity and asks questions to deepen understanding
- takes care with the quality and presentation of work
More Australian secondary comments
- Effort and Engagement, Years 9-10
- Organisation and Work Completion, Years 7-8
- Independent Learning, Years 7-8
- Critical and Creative Thinking, Years 7-8
- Collaboration and Communication, Years 7-8
- Respect and Responsibility, Years 7-8
- Self-Management and Resilience, Years 7-8
- Opening and closing sentences
- All Australian secondary skills and grade bands
- Build a comment with the comment picker
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.