Progress reports for parents

What a progress report from us contains

A progress report is the written record that sits between lessons. It tells you what your child has covered, how they performed on the work we set, and what we plan to change next. Think of it as a working document for everyone involved. It is not a school report, and it is not a predicted grade.

Reports follow a consistent shape so you can compare one period with the next. The first page names the subject, the exam board specification and the tier or paper code where relevant. For GCSE maths that might be Foundation or Higher, for English Language it might be the paper and section, and for combined science it might be the separate components within the course. We list the topics covered since the last report and the specification reference for each one, so you can see exactly where the work sits in the course.

The middle section is evidence. We record scores from timed work and the mark scheme band awarded, with a short note on why marks were lost: a dropped unit, a missing formula, a misread question or a weak piece of analysis. We also record homework completion and the number of lessons in the period. No scores are invented and no grade is promised. If we have no timed work to draw on, the report says so and explains what we will use next.

The part parents read first

At the top we put a short plain-English summary, three or four sentences long. It states what is going well, what is still fragile, and the single next action. We write it for a parent who has ten minutes on a Sunday evening, not for an examiner. If your child is in Year 11 and the mocks are close, the summary will say what we are prioritising. If they are in Year 9 and the work is about foundations, it will say that too.

The page we use in the next lesson

The final page is our teaching plan. It lists the two or three topics we will revisit, the exam technique we will drill, and any resources to bring. This is the page we open at the start of the next lesson. It keeps the report useful rather than decorative.

Who the reports suit, and who they do not

Reports suit parents who want to know what is happening between lessons without sitting in on them. They suit families running more than one subject at once, where it is easy to lose track of which tutor is doing what. They suit parents who speak to school and want something concrete to take to a parents' evening. And they suit pupils in Years 10 and 11 who need to see their own patterns: the topics they avoid, the marks they lose on the same skill.

They do not suit every arrangement. If you want a weekly essay, a dashboard you check every day, or a predicted grade written down as a promise, we are the wrong service. Reports are periodic, not live. If your child is in Year 7 or 8 and lessons are mainly about confidence and number fluency, the report will be shorter and more narrative, because there is less exam evidence to record. If you are looking for a formal diagnostic assessment for a special educational need, that is different work and we will say so. A report describes our lessons. It cannot describe what happens in school, and it should not be read as a second opinion on the school's own assessment.

How the reporting cycle works, step by step

Step one: agree the baseline

Before the first report, usually in the first lesson or two, we agree what we are measuring. For GCSE maths that might be a set of topics from the specification, a timed paper, or both. For English Literature it might be a response to an unseen poem under timed conditions. We also ask what you already have: school reports and mock results, plus any topics the school has flagged. You do not need to prepare anything formal. A photograph of the school report and a note of the exam board is enough.

Step two: collect evidence in lessons

Every lesson produces something we can use: a marked question, a timed section, a verbal explanation we write down. We keep a simple log. This is why the report does not rely on memory. If a pupil has a bad week, the log shows it; if they have a good week, the log shows that too.

Step three: write and send

We write the report, check it against our notes, and send it to you by email. You can ask questions by reply. If something is wrong, tell us and we correct it. We do not send reports to your child's school unless you ask us to.

Step four: review and adjust

The report ends with a review conversation, usually at the start of the next lesson with the pupil and by email with you. We agree what changes. Sometimes nothing changes. Sometimes we drop a topic, add a timed section, or move a lesson to focus on exam technique. The report is a decision point, not a receipt.

What you bring, and where you stay in control

You bring context. Tell us the exam board and tier if you know it. Tell us the dates of mocks and any school assessments. If your child has an access arrangement at school, tell us, so the report reflects the same conditions. If you have a school report or a marked paper, share it. These details make the difference between a generic summary and a report that lines up with what the school is doing.

You stay in control of several things. You choose whether reports go to anyone else. You choose the level of detail: some parents want the full subject breakdown, others want the one-page summary. You can ask for a call instead of a written reply. You can pause reporting if lessons stop for a holiday or a school exam period. And you can say if a report has missed the point. We would rather rewrite a section than let a wrong picture stand. Your child has a say too. We show them the report before it goes to you where that is practical, and we ask them to add one line about what they found hardest. That line often tells you more than the scores.

Every tutor in our network is DBS-checked and qualified, and the report is written by the person who taught the lesson. We tutor maths, English and science for pupils aged 7 to 18, through one-to-one lessons at home or online. The report looks the same either way, because the evidence comes from the same lesson log.

What affects timing and cost

Timing depends on the lesson rhythm and the assessment points. A report written after a timed paper takes longer to prepare than one written after a block of topic teaching, because there are scripts to mark and a mark scheme to apply. A report covering separate science components takes longer than a report for one subject. Around mocks and the summer exam season, reports may shift by a week so that the evidence includes the most recent paper. We agree the reporting dates with you when lessons are set up, and we confirm them again at each review. If you need a report before a specific parents' evening, say so early. We will tell you honestly whether the evidence will be ready.

Cost is part of the tuition arrangement, not a separate product. Reports are included in the arrangement, and any separate fee is on request when you book. We do not add charges without telling you first. If you want a report for a subject you are not studying with us, we cannot write one. If you want an extra review meeting, ask; we will tell you what is possible and what it costs. Families around Bristol often ask for a report before the autumn parents' evenings, so it helps to mention that at the start of term. Call +44 117 0451935 or email [email protected] to ask about a sample report or to set reporting dates.

Questions parents ask about progress reports

How often do reports arrive? We agree the rhythm with you at the start, usually around assessment points and the school calendar. We do not promise a fixed number before we know the lesson pattern. Ask when booking and we will confirm what fits.

Will the report include a predicted grade? No. We report evidence: topics covered, marks on timed work, mark scheme bands, and next steps. A predicted grade belongs to the school. If you want to understand how a mark maps to a band, we will explain the mark scheme, but we will not turn that into a promise.

Can I see a sample? Yes. Ask when you enquire and we will send an anonymised example for the subject and level you are considering. You will see the layout before you commit to anything.

Do you write reports for online lessons as well as home lessons? Yes. The evidence comes from the same lesson log, whether the lesson happens at home or online. The report looks the same.

What if my child is not in Years 10 or 11? We tutor from age 7 to 18, so reports are written for younger pupils too. For younger pupils the report is usually shorter and focuses on number fluency, reading, and the small steps that matter at that stage.