EYFS Reception Report Comments: Physical Development
Physical Development covers gross motor skills such as running, balancing, climbing, hopping and ball skills, and fine motor skills such as holding a pencil, using scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery, and drawing with growing care.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Reception (FS2): 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 physical development 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] skips, hops and balances with confidence in PE, linking movements smoothly into short sequences.
- Threading small beads, using pegs and turning pages one at a time show how well [Name] controls [his/her/their] fingers in small, precise movements.
Next step
- Ready for the move to Year 1, [Name] could practise skipping with a rope and playground games that need careful timing.
Expected E
Strengths
- During PE, [Name] hops on each foot and skips across the hall, keeping a regular rhythm for much of the way.
- Threading large beads onto a lace and pressing pegs into a board are activities [Name] can do with care and control.
Next step
- In PE, [Name] will enjoy learning to skip with a rope and to throw and catch with a partner over a longer distance.
Emerging: developing well D
Strengths
- [Name] joins in with hopping and skipping in PE, and [his/her/their] coordination is improving steadily with practice.
- [Name] enjoys drawing and painting and sometimes adds small features, such as eyes and fingers, to [his/her/their] pictures.
Next step
- Practising cutting soft foods such as pancakes with a knife and fork will help [Name] feel ready for lunch in the hall.
Emerging: beginning B
Strengths
- [Name] is beginning to hop on one foot for a moment in PE, holding an adult's hand for balance.
- [Name] pushes large pegs into a board and is beginning to thread chunky beads onto a stiff lace in small steps.
Next step
- Practising with a knife and fork at home and in role play will help [Name] feel ready for lunch in the hall.
Support at home
- Drawing with chalk outside, painting with water on a wall or tracing shapes in flour on a tray all help to strengthen little fingers.
How to write physical development comments for Reception (FS2)
- Describe the pencil grip precisely, such as a tripod grip, and whether letters are formed with control, rather than calling writing neat. A next step like forming letters in sand is concrete.
- Refer to PE lessons: moving safely around the hall, jumping and landing, or throwing and catching a beanbag. Name one skill the child performs well and one to practise.
- For scissors, note what the child can cut, such as a straight line or a curve, and whether the other hand turns the paper. This gives parents a precise target for cutting practice.
Watch out: Avoid comments on a child's size or on how sporty they seem. Describe what their body can do, such as balancing along a beam, and suggest a free active game for home.
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 Physical Development covers
In these comments, physical development covers these behaviours:
- Gross Motor Skills: moves safely with control, balance and coordination
- Fine Motor Skills: holds a pencil effectively, uses scissors, tools and cutlery
More EYFS comments
- Communication and Language, Reception (FS2)
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Reception (FS2)
- Physical Development, Nursery (FS1)
- Literacy, Reception (FS2)
- Mathematics, Reception (FS2)
- Understanding the World, Reception (FS2)
- Expressive Arts and Design, Reception (FS2)
- Characteristics of Effective Learning, Reception (FS2)
- Opening and closing sentences
- All EYFS skills and grade bands
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How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.