EYFS Nursery Report Comments: Characteristics of Effective Learning
The Characteristics of Effective Learning describe how a child learns across every area: playing and exploring, active learning through concentrating and keeping on trying, and creating and thinking critically by having their own ideas and making links.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Nursery (FS1): two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Expected: secure and confident / Expected / Emerging: developing well / Emerging: beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 173 characteristics of effective learning sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Expected: secure and confident · Expected · Emerging: developing well · Emerging: beginning · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Expected: secure and confident S
Strengths
- [Name] settles to a chosen activity, such as building a train track, and stays focused on it for a sustained time without adult help.
- [Name] becomes deeply absorbed in activities of [his/her/their] own choosing and concentrates for long stretches, even when the classroom is busy.
Next step
- A next step is for [Name] to talk about [his/her/their] plans with [his/her/their] key person before starting, then share how it went afterwards.
Expected E
Strengths
- Threading beads or completing a simple puzzle holds [Name]'s attention for a good length of time, and [he/she/they] can stay focused until the job is done.
- With activities that interest [him/her/them], such as building with blocks, [Name] can concentrate well and mostly sees them through to the end.
Next step
- We will offer [Name] new open-ended resources outdoors, such as crates and tubes, to encourage fresh ideas in play.
Emerging: developing well D
Strengths
- With encouragement, [Name] is spending longer at favourite activities, such as the playdough table, before moving on to the next.
- Concentration is developing well, and [Name] now stays with chosen activities such as building and small-world play for longer.
Next step
- Stacking toys and simple puzzles will help [Name] practise keeping going until a task is finished.
Emerging: beginning B
Strengths
- [Name] is beginning to settle at one activity for a short time, especially with [his/her/their] key person sitting alongside.
- Activities with water, sand and vehicles hold [Name]'s attention, and with adult support [he/she/they] can stay with them for a little longer each time.
Next step
- Threading, posting and stacking toys will give [Name] lots of chances to keep trying and enjoy finishing a task.
Support at home
- You could offer your child simple choices during play, such as which blocks to use or where to build, and then follow their ideas.
How to write characteristics of effective learning comments for Nursery (FS1)
- Describe how long the child stays involved in a chosen activity, such as building a train track or filling containers in the sand. Concentration measured in minutes is evidence parents easily understand.
- Note willingness to have a go at something new, such as the climbing frame or a messy activity, and the encouragement that helps, like an adult joining in first.
- Show early ideas of their own in play, like using a block as a pretend phone or inventing a game outdoors. Parents can encourage this by following the child's lead at home.
Watch out: Avoid repeating what you wrote under PSED or another area. Keep this comment on how the child learns, such as exploring, persisting and having their own ideas, with one example from any area of play.
At the most secure level, words such as confidently, independently and in a range of situations fit, backed by one example from play. At the earliest level, name what the child can already do and the support that helps, such as modelling or a visual prompt. Let the observation show the level rather than restating it.
What Characteristics of Effective Learning covers
In these comments, characteristics of effective learning covers these behaviours:
- Playing and exploring: finds out and explores, plays with what they know, is willing to have a go
- Active learning: is involved and concentrates, keeps trying, enjoys achieving what they set out to do
- Creating and thinking critically: has own ideas, makes links, chooses ways to do things
More EYFS comments
- Communication and Language, Nursery (FS1)
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Nursery (FS1)
- Physical Development, Nursery (FS1)
- Literacy, Nursery (FS1)
- Mathematics, Nursery (FS1)
- Understanding the World, Nursery (FS1)
- Expressive Arts and Design, Nursery (FS1)
- Characteristics of Effective Learning, Reception (FS2)
- Opening and closing sentences
- All EYFS skills and grade bands
- Build a comment with the comment picker
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.