Reporting to Parents and Whānau

Introduction

Reporting is an important way we work in partnership with parents and whānau to support student learning, progress, and wellbeing. Clear, regular communication helps ensure learning is understood, supported at home, and responsive to each student’s needs.

Reporting is not a single event. It is an ongoing conversation that includes assessment information, feedback, meetings, and written reports across the year.

Why Reporting Matters

Through reporting, we aim to:

  • keep parents and whānau well informed about learning progress and engagement
  • support students to reflect on their learning and set goals
  • identify strengths early and respond quickly where support is needed
  • strengthen home–school partnerships

Schools are also required to report regularly on student progress and achievement in ways that are clear, timely, and easy to understand.

How We Report

We use a combination of ongoing updates, meetings, and written reports to ensure learning progress is shared clearly and consistently.

Ongoing Reporting (Throughout the Year)

Parents and whānau receive regular updates through:

  • assessment results and feedback published via the Web Portal
  • classroom feedback shared directly with students
  • email or phone contact when clarification, support, or celebration is needed

This ensures learning progress is visible across the year, not just at reporting times.

  • You can access the web portal via any browser at:🔗 https://thameshigh.school.kiwi
    • Use your unique username and password (provided by the school)
      • Parents/caregivers will receive a login for each student. Students also have individual logins.

Fortnightly Classroom Effort Grades (Years 9–11)

In addition to assessment results, students receive Fortnightly Classroom Effort Grades, which provide a regular snapshot of day-to-day learning behaviours.

These grades focus on learning behaviours:

  • Learning engagement and behaviour
    • participation in learning activities, discussions, and group work
    • focus, cooperation, and readiness to learn during lessons
  • Productivity and progress over time
    • completion of learning tasks and use of lesson time
    • progress made across lessons and weeks, rather than a single task

They help to:

  • keep parents informed about learning habits
  • identify patterns early
  • recognise positive effort and improvement
  • support meaningful conversations about learning

Where patterns of concern or sustained positive effort emerge, these grades help prompt timely communication and support.

Meetings and Conferences

We value face-to-face (kanohi ki te kanohi) conversations and provide several opportunities each year.

Year 9 – Meet the Kaitiaki (Week 5, Term 1)

    • Opportunity to meet your child’s Rōpū Kaitiaki
    • Focus on settling into secondary school and early learning routines

Direction Afternoons (Week 6, Term 1 – Years 10–13)

    • Short meetings involving the student, parent/caregiver, and kaitiaki
    • Used to:
      • discuss goals and expectations
      • confirm course pathways
      • identify early learning or wellbeing needs

Student–Parent–Teacher Conferences (Term 2)

    • Held after the mid-year report
    • Focus on subject learning, progress, and next steps
    • Follow-up meetings can be arranged if needed

Additional meetings may be arranged at any time, by request from parents or the school.

Written Reports

Written reports are published online (via our Web Portal) and form key checkpoints during the year.

 Reporting Schedule

  • Term 1 – Interim Report
    • Published Friday, Week 5
    • Includes Key Learning Indicator (KLI) grades only (see below for more information)
  • Term 2 – Mid-Year Report
    • Includes KLI grades and written comments
    • Used to support student–parent–teacher conferences
  • Term 4 – End-of-Year Report
    • Includes KLI grades and summative comments
    • Reflects progress and engagement across the year

Overview of Reporting by Term

Term 1 – Settling In and Early Progress

  • Assessment results and feedback shared regularly via the Web Portal
  • Fortnightly Classroom Effort Grades continue
  • At least one progress assessment per subject
  • Interim Report (Friday, Week 5): KLIs only
  • Year 9 Meet the Parents Evening – Week 5
  • Direction Afternoons – Week 6

 Term 2 – Progress and Next Steps

  • Ongoing assessment updates via the Web Portal
  • Fortnightly Classroom Effort Grades continue
  • NCEA progress updates emailed for senior students from Week 2
  • Mid-Year Report (Week 9)
  • Student–Parent–Teacher Conferences (Weeks 9–10)

 Term 3 – Ongoing Monitoring

  • Continued assessment updates via the Web Portal
  • Fortnightly Classroom Effort Grades continue
  • Additional NCEA progress updates for senior students as required
  • No formal written report

 Term 4 – End-of-Year Summary

  • Years 11–13: End-of-Year Report (Week 4)
  • Years 9–10: End-of-Year Report (Week 9)
  • Reports include KLIs, assessment summaries, and summative comments

What Is Included in Reports?

Key Learning Indicators (KLIs) – Years 9–13

KLIs describe how students approach their learning, not just what results they achieve.

The four Key Learning Indicators are:

  1. Learning engagement and effort
  2. Learning progress
  3. Respect for others in learning
  4. Respect for self in learning

Grades used:
Excellent | Very Good | Acceptable | Needs Attention | Cause for Concern

These grades reflect patterns over time, not one-off events.
A parent-friendly explanation of KLIs is included with reports.

Written Comments (Terms 2 and 4)

Comments are provided by:

  • the Rōpū or Whānau Kaitiaki
  • Kaiāwhina and/or senior leaders where appropriate

 Term 2 comments:

  • summarise progress to date
  • identify strengths and areas to work on
  • include suggestions for the remainder of the year

 Term 4 comments:

  • provide a summative overview of the year
  • reflect growth and engagement over time
  • may include guidance for the following year or future pathways

If a report indicates Needs Attention or Cause for Concern, this should not come as a surprise. Prior communication and support should already have occurred.

Senior Students (Years 11–13)

Senior reports also include:

  • NCEA progress summaries
  • progress towards literacy, numeracy, and qualification requirements
  • Overall Teacher Judgements, and estimated credits, indicating whether students are on track

Working Together

Parents and whānau are encouraged to:

  • check the Web Portal regularly
  • attend meetings and conferences
  • contact subject teachers or Rōpū / Whānau Kaitiaki with any questions
  • contact the school to celebrate success as well as address concerns

Learning is most successful when students, parents, whānau, and the school work together.

If you have any questions about reporting or would like further information, please contact the school.

Understanding Progress Descriptors (Emerging → Exceeding)

From 2026, reporting to parents and whānau (especially in English and Mathematics & Statistics) will include common progress descriptors that describe how a student’s learning is tracking against curriculum expectations. These descriptors are designed to give you a clear picture of where your child is in their learning and what comes next. (New Zealand Curriculum)

What the Progress Descriptors Mean

Emerging
Your child is beginning to show evidence of the learning expected for their year level. They may need support and guidance to meet curriculum expectations and build confidence with new ideas.

Developing
Your child is making some progress towards the learning expectations for their year level. They are starting to build their knowledge or skills but may still need regular support to apply them independently.

Consolidating
Your child is meeting many of the learning expectations for their year level. They are gaining strength and consistency in their understanding and are becoming more confident learners.

Proficient
Your child is confidently meeting curriculum expectations for their year level. They can demonstrate understanding and skills with growing independence and are well positioned for future learning.

Exceeding
Your child is showing learning beyond the expected curriculum outcomes for their year level. They can apply knowledge and skills with independence and depth, often making insightful connections and solving complex problems.

How to Read These Descriptors in Reports

✔ The descriptor shows where your child is at now in relation to the learning expectations for their year level.
✔ These are not pass/fail labels — they show growth over time.
✔ Teachers use evidence from day-to-day learning, assessment tasks, and progress over time to decide the descriptor that best fits a student’s learning.

✔ The descriptor is often linked to specific learning goals and next steps that can help you support learning at home.

How This Helps You Understand Learning

Instead of simply reporting a mark or percentage, progress descriptors:

  • highlight what your child can do and what they are ready to learn next
  • give you a developmental picture of their learning growth
  • help you see patterns over time rather than one single task outcome
  • support meaningful conversations with teachers about progress and next steps

Why These Descriptors Are Used

Progress descriptors are part of Ministry of Education guidance for reporting under the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. They help provide consistent language across schools so that you can clearly understand your child’s learning, regardless of where they learn.

Parent/Student Portal | Te Tomokanga Matua me te Ākonga

The Thames High School Web Portal provides secure access to:

  • Attendance records
  • Reports and timetables
  • Account balances and online payments
  • Other important information
  • You can access it via any browser at:🔗 https://thameshigh.school.kiwi
    • Use your unique username and password (provided by the school)
      • Parents/caregivers will receive a login for each student. Students also have individual logins.

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