Working Towards, Expected Standard, Greater Depth: Writing Report Comments That Match

Since national curriculum levels disappeared in 2014, most primary schools in England describe attainment against the expected standard for a pupil’s year group. The words are simple. Using them well in a report comment, for parents who have never seen an assessment framework, is harder.

Where the language comes from

At the end of key stage 2, statutory teacher assessment of writing uses three standards: working towards the expected standard, working at the expected standard, and working at greater depth. Science uses working at the expected standard or has not met it. Pupils working below the national curriculum are assessed against pre-key stage standards or the engagement model.

Many schools have adopted the same three phrases for every year group and subject. That consistency helps parents, as long as the comment explains what the phrase means for their child.

Working towards the expected standard

Be honest and specific. Name something the pupil can do, the gap, and a clear way forward.

Sam has good ideas for his writing and enjoys planning stories. He is working towards the expected standard, and his next step is to organise his writing into paragraphs and check the spelling of words from the Year 5 list. Using a short checklist before handing work in has already started to help.

Working at the expected standard

Parents sometimes read “expected” as “average” or “fine”. Make it clear this is a secure, positive outcome, then offer a stretch.

Priya is working at the expected standard in maths. She is accurate with written methods and explains her reasoning using the correct vocabulary. To deepen her understanding, she should practise multi-step word problems and check whether her answers are sensible.

Working at greater depth

Greater depth is not “doing next year’s work”. It means applying this year’s learning confidently, flexibly and independently. Say what that looks like, and still give a next step.

Grace is working at greater depth in writing. Her stories are carefully structured, and she chooses vocabulary deliberately to create atmosphere. She is ready to experiment with sentence length for effect and to edit her own work more critically.

Reception: expected and emerging

The EYFS profile has only two judgements for each early learning goal: expected and emerging. “Exceeding” was removed in 2021, but it still appears in old comment banks. Show depth through what the child does independently, not through a third label. The EYFS profile handbook also asks teachers to explain that “emerging” does not mean a child has failed, and your comment should carry the same reassurance.

Secondary: targets and grades

Key stage 3 has no statutory scale, so schools vary widely. At GCSE, reports usually refer to working-at, predicted or target grades on the 9 to 1 scale. Only use the type of grade your school reports, and never put a grade in a comment that is not already in the data.

Five mistakes to avoid

1. Using levels (“a secure 4b”). They were abolished in 2014.
2. Describing a Reception child as exceeding.
3. Saying a Year 4 pupil passed the multiplication tables check. There is no pass mark.
4. Treating a KS2 scaled score of 100 as an average. It is the expected standard.
5. Comparing the pupil with classmates instead of the standard.

How School Reports UK helps

Pick the year group, subject and achievement level, add a few notes, and you get a draft comment that uses the right language for that stage, in British English, with a specific next step. You never enter a pupil’s name: comments use a placeholder you replace in your MIS. You review and edit every word before it goes anywhere.

Sources

• Key stage 2 teacher assessment guidance
• Early years foundation stage profile handbook
• Pre-key stage 2 standards