Nursery Progress Reports — What to Write & Examples
Nursery reports look and feel different from school-age reports. They're typically shorter, warmer in tone, and focused on the three prime areas of learning. Many nurseries write termly progress summaries rather than a single end-of-year report. Whatever your format, the goal is the same: to give parents a clear, affectionate picture of how their child is developing.
Communication and Language
Example: Mila is becoming a confident communicator. She enjoys joining in with songs and nursery rhymes, and she is beginning to use short sentences to express her needs and ideas. She listens well during story time and can answer simple “who” and “what” questions about familiar stories. We are encouraging her to extend her sentences by modelling new vocabulary during play.
Example (early stage): Ibrahim is at an early stage of developing his spoken English. He communicates effectively using gestures and single words, and he is beginning to combine two words together. He responds to simple instructions and enjoys listening to stories with repetitive language. We are providing lots of opportunities for him to hear and practise new words throughout the day.
Physical Development
Example: Zara is an active and adventurous child who loves outdoor play. She climbs confidently on the climbing frame, pedals a tricycle with ease, and is developing her ball skills. Her fine motor development is progressing well — she can thread large beads, use chunky crayons to make marks, and is beginning to show a preference for her right hand.
Example (developing): Tommy enjoys physical play, particularly running and jumping. He is learning to climb with more confidence and is developing his balance on the balance beam. We are working on his fine motor skills through activities like playdough, threading and mark-making with chunky pens. Providing similar activities at home would support his development.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Example: Elsie has settled happily into nursery and has formed lovely friendships with several children in her group. She is learning to share and take turns, though she sometimes finds this difficult when playing with a favourite toy. She separates from her parent confidently and is becoming more independent in managing her coat and shoes.
Example (shy/settling): Reuben has taken a little longer to settle into nursery but is now growing in confidence each week. He has formed a close bond with his key person and is beginning to play alongside other children. We are gently encouraging him to join in with group activities, and he has started to show an interest in small-world play with dinosaurs — a lovely way for him to build connections with his peers.
Tips for Nursery Reports
- Keep the tone warm: Nursery parents are often receiving their first-ever report. It should feel personal and reassuring, not clinical.
- Focus on the prime areas: Communication and language, physical development, and PSED are the priority at nursery age.
- Use “developing” and “beginning to”: These phrases acknowledge progress without implying that a three-year-old is “behind.”
- Include their interests: “Reuben loves dinosaurs” tells parents you know their child as an individual.
- Give practical home learning ideas: Suggestions like “sing nursery rhymes together” or “let them help pour water at bath time” are accessible and specific.
Writing nursery reports doesn't have to take all weekend. Reportify can help you draft personalised progress summaries from your observations — try 5 reports free at reportify.uk.