The Learning Page

Change to Semester Reports: Trial for 2026

At SMPS, we are always reviewing our practices to ensure that the information we provide to families is meaningful, helpful and supports student learning. After carefully considering what is most effective in our Semester Reports, we have decided to trial providing written general comments once per year.

As part of this trial:

• Semester 1 reports will continue to provide families with information about student achievement and progress, however they will not include a written general comment. Instead, a verbal reflection will be shared by teachers during Parent-Teacher-Student-Interviews.
• Semester 2 reports will include a written general comment from your child’s teacher. This comment will reflect your child’s achievements and progress across the school year.

We recognise the value of personal communication between teachers and families. In Semester 1's Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews, teachers will provide a verbal overview of each child’s progress in the classroom, including academic and behavioural updates. In addition, families will continue to receive our termly Dashboards, which provide ongoing information about student learning throughout the year.

The industrial action across the education sector has meant that some Victorian government school teachers are not writing general comments for reports this semester. Our decision to trial one written general comment per year was made prior to this industrial action and is unrelated to it. It is a school-wide trial for 2026 and will be consistent across all classes and year levels.

We appreciate ongoing partnerships between home and school. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure clear communication about your child's progress and achievements.