Effort and Engagement Report Comments, Years 9-10 (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 9-10: 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
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Consistently C
Strengths
- Major assignments from [Name] are thoroughly researched, carefully edited and presented to a polished finish.
- When something does not make sense, [Name] asks a clear question straight away rather than letting the confusion build.
Next step
- An independent research question linked to future subject selection would give [Name] a worthwhile challenge to pursue.
Usually U
Strengths
- While balancing commitments such as sport or part-time work, [Name] generally maintains sound effort in class.
- When unsure, [Name] generally asks the teacher for clarification, which keeps [his/her/their] learning on track.
Next step
- Drafting and then editing major assignments, rather than submitting a first draft, would help [Name] lift the polish of [his/her/their] work.
Sometimes S
Strengths
- Some of [Name]'s major assignments are well presented, while others would benefit from more careful editing before submission.
- At times, [Name] shows a keen interest in how things work, and this curiosity could be drawn on more often in class.
Next step
- Editing each major assignment once before submitting it would help [Name] present work that reflects [his/her/their] true capability.
Rarely R
Strengths
- Several major assignments from [Name] remain incomplete, and a step-by-step plan with check-in dates is helping [him/her/them] work through each section.
- With teacher support, [Name] is beginning to ask a question about each new topic, which is helping [him/her/them] connect with the learning.
Next step
- Talking with the careers adviser about possible pathways could help [Name] link class effort to goals that matter to [him/her/them].
Support at home
- Before an assessment task is handed in, you could offer to read it through together and check that it is complete and well presented.
How to write effort and engagement comments for Years 9-10
- Home group or mentor teachers can compare effort in electives the student chose with effort in core subjects. If engagement is uneven, name it gently and suggest bringing the same questions and care to every class.
- For larger assessment tasks, describe what effort looked like at each stage, such as research notes, a draft submitted for feedback or careful editing, rather than judging the finished product, which belongs to the subject result.
- Curiosity in older students shows in the questions they ask, such as how an idea connects to another topic or why a method works. Describe the type of question, and suggest one question per lesson for quieter students.
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 7-8
- Organisation and Work Completion, Years 9-10
- Independent Learning, Years 9-10
- Critical and Creative Thinking, Years 9-10
- Collaboration and Communication, Years 9-10
- Respect and Responsibility, Years 9-10
- Self-Management and Resilience, Years 9-10
- 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.