NZ Key Competencies Report Comments, Years 1-8
In New Zealand primary, full primary and intermediate schools, classroom kaiako write short comments on the five key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum: thinking; using language, symbols and texts; managing self; relating to others; and participating and contributing. Schools give students, parents and whānau a plain-language written report at least twice a year, and where these comments sit varies by school. This pack uses a Consistently, Usually, Sometimes and Not yet scale.
Each page below covers one skill for one grade band, with sample strengths and next steps at every level and tips for writing your own. These comments are written for the key competencies comment in a New Zealand primary or intermediate school report to parents and whānau.
Comments by skill and grade band
| Skill | Years 1-4 | Years 5-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Thinking | Thinking, Years 1-4 | Thinking, Years 5-8 |
| Using Language, Symbols and Texts | Using Language, Symbols and Texts, Years 1-4 | Using Language, Symbols and Texts, Years 5-8 |
| Managing Self | Managing Self, Years 1-4 | Managing Self, Years 5-8 |
| Relating to Others | Relating to Others, Years 1-4 | Relating to Others, Years 5-8 |
| Participating and Contributing | Participating and Contributing, Years 1-4 | Participating and Contributing, Years 5-8 |
Also: opening and closing sentences for each report period.
The 4 comment levels
| Code | Level |
|---|---|
| C | Consistently |
| U | Usually |
| S | Sometimes |
| N | Not yet |
Each label describes how often you see the behaviour. Consistently suits reliably, independently or without being asked; Usually suits regularly or with few reminders; Sometimes suits at times or with some support; Not yet suits is beginning to, together with the support that helps. Describe what the child actually does rather than repeating the rating, and keep Not yet comments warm and constructive.
Tips for key competencies comments
- Keep key competency comments separate from achievement. Leave out curriculum levels, expectations, test names and reading ages; describe how the child thinks, communicates, manages self, relates and contributes, and report progress in literacy and maths in its own section.
- Write in plain language whānau can act on. Name one setting they recognise, such as mat time, reading groups, an inquiry project, camp or assembly, and one next step. Comment length is set by each school, so check yours.
- Use the te reo Māori words your kura uses every day, such as whānau, ākonga, kaiako or kōrero, inside English sentences with correct macrons and no English plural s. One or two words per comment reads naturally.
This site shows 144 of the 1,061 sentences in the pack. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the New Zealand Ministry of Education or Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga. The New Zealand Curriculum and its key competencies are named for identification only.
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.