Learning

Feedback and Reporting

Learner Attributes

Our community is characterised by commitment to lifelong learning. As part of our priority to support students as lifelong learners who are committed to continuous improvement and are equipped for their future, we have identified the following attributes of lifelong learners:

  • Attitude and Effort.
  • Reflection and Growth.
  • Collaboration and Communication.

These are aligned with our School values and are based in research that shows what lifelong learners and successful future workers think and can do. They were developed in conjunction and consultation with the St Mark's 2020 Report Review Group, Curriculum Team, and Executive.

From 2021, these learner attributes will be reported on from Years K-12, in ways that are developmentally appropriate. They will replace the work habits and affectives on the old-style report. Teaching staff will work to make the new learner attributes visible, and to translate these into language that students understand, and with which they can engage.

Want to know more? Check out the Learner Attributes information booklet below.

What is Reporting?

Reporting is part of feedback. The most effective feedback is timely, specific, and meaningful. It focuses on how a learner can improve and is acted on by the learner in the learning context. More important that understanding past performance and developing awareness of self, feedback should feed forward to help the learner enact positive forward action.

Effective feedback reflects the St Mark’s strategic focus area of Lifelong Learning. It is a key vehicle for empowering students to be autonomous learners who pursue excellence, are committed to continuous improvement, and are equipped for their future. It is linked to the St Mark’s Learner Attribute of Reflection and Growth, including self-awareness, setting effective goals, persisting in the face of challenges, and seeing challenges and feedback as opportunities to grow.

Continuous Reporting

At St Mark’s we continuously report on student learning by providing information that keeps parents informed and can be used by students for the purpose of improvement and growth.

In Years K to 5 this continuous reporting includes parent/teacher discussion, teacher/child contact, Learning Area books and files, portfolios, SeeSaw, and work samples. In Years 6 to 12, SEQTA is the platform for continuous reporting on student achievement through regular assessment results updates, online teacher feedback (such as comments and rubrics), and student self-reflection. Parents are also informed about their child’s progress through the work and feedback each child brings home, conversations at parent teacher interviews, and other communication between teachers and parents.

In addition to continuous reporting, the School provides an end-of-semester report. In Kindergarten, parents participate in detailed parent-teacher interviews in Semester 1 and receive an end-of-year report in Semester 2. From Pre-Primary to Year 11, students receive an end-of-semester report in both semesters. In Year 12, students receive a Semester 1 report and a Statement of Results at the end of their academic year. Parents are encouraged to discuss the report with their child, as an important part of the educative process and a means by which they can contribute to their child’s learning.

This suite of dynamic feedback and reporting practices is designed to keep parents well-informed of their child’s progress and achievement, and importantly to support students as lifelong learners each achieving their best version of success.

The End-of-Semester Report

The end-of-semester report provides a summary of the ongoing feedback shared throughout the semester and includes the following features.

Report cover and explanation

The report cover design incorporates the child’s photograph as a reminder that the child is at the centre of what we do at the School, and the report is about them as a unique individual. Following the cover is information about how to read and understand the report.

Pastoral comment

A pastoral comment (from the Classroom Teacher in Primary, Homeroom Teacher in Year 6, and Pastoral Care Tutor in Years 7-12) provides an overview of a child’s holistic progress. It appears at the beginning of the report, reflecting what we value: each child as an individual and their holistic development.

An academic summary

The academic summary outlines the student’s achievement.

In Kindergarten and Year 1, students are reported as Exceeding, Excellent, Expected, Emerging or Endeavouring against curriculum expectations. From Years 2 to 10, A-E grades are used to communicate a child’s achievement against the standard expected for that subject/course and year level, in alignment with the achievement standards described in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. A ‘C’ grade indicates meeting the expected standard. Semester 1 grades are indicative, showing an indication of a student’s achievement against the standards.

In Years 6 to 10, students studying an Extension or Engage course are provided with a grade showing their achievement in the course, and additionally a grade showing a student’s achievement against the Western Australian Curriculum standards. Students from Kindergarten to Year 10 who have an Individual Education Plan for one or more subjects are reported on against their individual outcomes.

In Years 11 and 12, A-E grades are reported in alignment with the grade descriptions for each course as determined by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority of Western Australia (SCSA). All Year 11 and 12 courses are studied concurrently, and Semester 1 grades are indicative. The Semester 2 grade is reported to the SCSA for both units studied that year. Vocational and Education Training (VET) courses are reported against each Certificate’s Units of Competency. The time taken to complete Units of Competency will depend on the duration of the course. Students studying the Curtin UniReady university enabling course are provided with a comment detailing their achievement and progress in that course.

For courses in Years 11 and 12 with ten students or more, the student’s achievement in relation to that of other students in the course is represented as a visualisation. This provides additional information for students and parents to understand where their child sits in relation to others in the course.

Learner Attributes

The St Mark’s Learner Attributes are aligned with our School values and are based in research that shows what lifelong learners and successful future workers think and can do. They are:

  • Attitude and Effort.
  • Reflection and Growth.
  • Collaboration and Communication.

Teachers work with students to understand and engage with these attributes, and they are reported on from Kindergarten to Year 12, in ways that are developmentally appropriate to the age and stage of the child.

As the Future Ready courses (Learn and Explore in Years 6-8, and Challenge and Enrich in Years 9-10) are designed to engage students as active agents of their own learning, these courses are reported only on Learner Attributes; there are no marks or grades.

In conclusion

The end-of-semester report is an important summary of student learning and development. The most positive and sustained impact on student learning, however, is achieved through timely, specific, meaningful feedback from teachers; ongoing self-reflection by students; and action of students as they work to continuously improve.

What is Reporting?

Reporting is part of feedback. The most effective feedback is timely, specific, and meaningful. It focuses on how a learner can improve and is acted on by the learner in the learning context. More important that understanding past performance and developing awareness of self, feedback should feed forward to help the learner enact positive forward action.

Effective feedback reflects the St Mark’s strategic focus area of Lifelong Learning. It is a key vehicle for empowering students to be autonomous learners who pursue excellence, are committed to continuous improvement, and are equipped for their future. It is linked to the St Mark’s Learner Attribute of Reflection and Growth, including self-awareness, setting effective goals, persisting in the face of challenges, and seeing challenges and feedback as opportunities to grow.

Continuous reporting

At St Mark’s we continuously report on student learning by providing information that keeps parents informed and can be used by students for the purpose of improvement and growth.

In Years K to 5 this continuous reporting includes parent/teacher discussion, teacher/child contact, Learning Area books and files, portfolios, SeeSaw, and work samples. In Years 6 to 12, SEQTA is the platform for continuous reporting on student achievement through regular assessment results updates, online teacher feedback (such as comments and rubrics), and student self-reflection. Parents are also informed about their child’s progress through the work and feedback each child brings home, conversations at parent teacher interviews, and other communication between teachers and parents.

In addition to continuous reporting, the School provides an end-of-semester report. In Kindergarten, parents participate in detailed parent-teacher interviews in Semester 1 and receive an end-of-year report in Semester 2. From Pre-Primary to Year 11, students receive an end-of-semester report in both semesters. In Year 12, students receive a Semester 1 report and a Statement of Results at the end of their academic year. Parents are encouraged to discuss the report with their child, as an important part of the educative process and a means by which they can contribute to their child’s learning.

This suite of dynamic feedback and reporting practices is designed to keep parents well-informed of their child’s progress and achievement, and importantly to support students as lifelong learners each achieving their best version of success.

The End-of-Semester Report

The end-of-semester report provides a summary of the ongoing feedback shared throughout the semester and includes the following features.

Report cover and explanation

The report cover design incorporates the child’s photograph as a reminder that the child is at the centre of what we do at the School, and the report is about them as a unique individual. Following the cover is information about how to read and understand the report.

Pastoral comment

A pastoral comment (from the Classroom Teacher in Primary, Homeroom Teacher in Year 6, and Pastoral Care Tutor in Years 7-12) provides an overview of a child’s holistic progress. It appears at the beginning of the report, reflecting what we value: each child as an individual and their holistic development.

An academic summary

The academic summary outlines the student’s achievement.

In Kindergarten and Year 1, students are reported as Exceeding, Excellent, Expected, Emerging or Endeavouring against curriculum expectations. From Years 2 to 10, A-E grades are used to communicate a child’s achievement against the standard expected for that subject/course and year level, in alignment with the achievement standards described in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. A ‘C’ grade indicates meeting the expected standard. Semester 1 grades are indicative, showing an indication of a student’s achievement against the standards.

In Years 6 to 10, students studying an Extension or Engage course are provided with a grade showing their achievement in the course, and additionally a grade showing a student’s achievement against the Western Australian Curriculum standards. Students from Kindergarten to Year 10 who have an Individual Education Plan for one or more subjects are reported on against their individual outcomes.

In Years 11 and 12, A-E grades are reported in alignment with the grade descriptions for each course as determined by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority of Western Australia (SCSA). All Year 11 and 12 courses are studied concurrently, and Semester 1 grades are indicative. The Semester 2 grade is reported to the SCSA for both units studied that year. Vocational and Education Training (VET) courses are reported against each Certificate’s Units of Competency. The time taken to complete Units of Competency will depend on the duration of the course. Students studying the Curtin UniReady university enabling course are provided with a comment detailing their achievement and progress in that course.

For courses in Years 11 and 12 with ten students or more, the student’s achievement in relation to that of other students in the course is represented as a visualisation. This provides additional information for students and parents to understand where their child sits in relation to others in the course.

Learner Attributes

The St Mark’s Learner Attributes are aligned with our School values and are based in research that shows what lifelong learners and successful future workers think and can do. They are:

  • Attitude and Effort.
  • Reflection and Growth.
  • Collaboration and Communication.

Teachers work with students to understand and engage with these attributes, and they are reported on from Kindergarten to Year 12, in ways that are developmentally appropriate to the age and stage of the child.

As the Future Ready courses (Learn and Explore in Years 6-8, and Challenge and Enrich in Years 9-10) are designed to engage students as active agents of their own learning, these courses are reported only on Learner Attributes; there are no marks or grades.

In conclusion

The end-of-semester report is an important summary of student learning and development. The most positive and sustained impact on student learning, however, is achieved through timely, specific, meaningful feedback from teachers; ongoing self-reflection by students; and action of students as they work to continuously improve.

Apply Now

Why St Mark’s?

Contact Us