KS2 Writing Report Comments (Years 3-6)

Writing covers composing sentences, stories and non-fiction for a purpose and reader, organising ideas into sentences and paragraphs, grammar and punctuation as taught, editing and proofreading, and handwriting. Spelling is reported under Phonics and Spelling.

Below are 9 sample sentences for KS2 (Years 3-6): one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Confident / Developing / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 119 writing sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Extending · Confident · Developing · Beginning · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Extending E

Strengths

Joined handwriting in [Name]'s work is fluent and consistent, with letters evenly spaced and downstrokes parallel.Lower KS2

Next step

[Name] could extend [his/her/their] paragraphing by using headings and sub-headings to organise non-fiction writing such as reports and leaflets.Lower KS2

Confident C

Strengths

Settings and characters are described with well-chosen detail in [Name]'s stories, and dialogue often helps to move the action on.Upper KS2

Next step

A next step is to use semicolons, colons and dashes to mark the boundaries between clauses, making [his/her/their] sentences more varied.Upper KS2

Developing D

Strengths

When writing non-fiction, [Name] is learning to include the main features of the text type, such as an introduction, with a model text to refer to.

Next step

Planning each paragraph with a short heading or key words would help [Name] organise [his/her/their] ideas before writing.

Beginning B

Strengths

In handwriting practice, [Name] is beginning to join some common letter pairs with a model to follow.Lower KS2

Next step

[Name] could practise joining common letter pairs in handwriting, such as 'th', 'ch' and 'ai', with a model to trace over first.Lower KS2

Support at home

Short, regular handwriting practice, such as writing labels for a drawing or copying a favourite rhyme, helps letters become neater.

How to write writing comments for KS2 (Years 3-6)

Name one grammar or punctuation feature the child uses in their own writing, not only in exercises: fronted adverbials or inverted commas in Years 3 and 4, relative clauses, semicolons or the passive in Years 5 and 6.
Describe editing: does the child reread, check against a success checklist and make changes that improve the piece, beyond fixing spellings? Cite one revision you saw, such as a stronger verb or a reordered paragraph.
Comment on writing for audience and purpose: does the child change vocabulary and sentence style between a report and a story? A next step such as keeping a formal tone through a whole letter is clear.

Watch out: Avoid listing every punctuation mark covered in class. Choose the one or two features that matter most in the child's own writing and pair each with a next step they can practise.

The scale describes how independently the child shows the learning. Extending suits independently, applies it in new contexts and explains reasoning; Confident suits usually and with occasional support; Developing suits sometimes, or with a model or word mat; Beginning names what the child does with adult support. Show the point through one piece of learning rather than writing the scale word itself.

What Writing covers

In these comments, writing covers these behaviours:

plans, says out loud and writes sentences, narratives and non-fiction for different purposes and audiences
organises writing into sentences, paragraphs and sections, with ideas that are linked
chooses vocabulary and grammar for effect and uses punctuation taught in class accurately
proofreads, edits and improves writing, and reads it aloud to others
forms letters correctly and develops legible, joined handwriting

More UK primary subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.