Reception Report Examples — EYFS Report Writing Guide

Writing reception reports is a different skill from writing KS1 or KS2 reports. The language is developmental rather than attainment-based, you're reporting against the Early Learning Goals (ELGs), and parents of four- and five-year-olds want to hear about the whole child — not just their academic progress.

This guide provides example paragraphs for each area of learning, plus practical advice for getting the tone right.

Communication and Language

Meeting ELG: Beatrice is a confident communicator who listens attentively during carpet time and responds thoughtfully to questions. She uses full sentences to express her ideas, asks her own questions to find out more, and enjoys retelling stories in her own words. She participates enthusiastically in class discussions and is beginning to use past, present and future tenses accurately.

Emerging: Kai is becoming a more confident speaker. He is learning to listen to others without interrupting and is developing his ability to respond to simple instructions. We are supporting him to extend his sentences and use new vocabulary in context. At home, talking about what you have done together each day would help develop his language skills.

Physical Development

Meeting ELG: Rosa demonstrates excellent fine motor control. She holds her pencil with a comfortable tripod grip, forms most letters correctly, and can use scissors with precision. In the outdoor area, she climbs, balances and negotiates space with confidence and awareness of others.

Emerging: Finley is developing his fine motor skills. He is practising his pencil grip and is beginning to form some recognisable letters. He enjoys large-scale mark-making activities and construction play, which are helping to build the hand strength needed for writing. Threading beads, playdough and cutting activities at home would support his development.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Meeting ELG: Nadia has settled beautifully into school life. She forms positive relationships with both adults and children, takes turns and shares fairly, and shows empathy when others are upset. She manages her own needs independently — including changing for PE, using the toilet and managing her belongings — and she shows resilience when faced with challenges.

Literacy

Meeting ELG: Arthur can read simple sentences using his phonic knowledge. He segments and blends sounds accurately, recognises several common exception words by sight, and is developing fluency when reading familiar texts. In writing, he can form recognisable letters and is beginning to write simple sentences with a capital letter and full stop.

Emerging: Eliza is at an early stage of her reading journey. She recognises some Phase 2 sounds and is learning to blend them together to read simple CVC words. She enjoys sharing books with an adult and can talk about what is happening in the pictures. Daily phonics practice at home — even five minutes — will make a significant difference.

Mathematics

Meeting ELG: Toby has a strong understanding of number. He counts reliably to 20 and beyond, understands the “one more” and “one less” relationship, and can solve simple addition and subtraction problems using objects. He recognises basic 2D shapes and uses positional language accurately.

Understanding the World / Expressive Arts and Design

Example: Chloe is curious about the world around her. She enjoys exploring natural materials in our outdoor area, talks confidently about her family and community, and has shown a keen interest in our topics about growing and seasonal change. In creative activities, she uses a range of materials and tools imaginatively, and her junk modelling is always inventive and ambitious.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Don't forget to comment on how children learn, not just what they learn:

• Playing and exploring: “Oscar approaches new activities with curiosity and willingness to have a go.”
• Active learning: “Mabel concentrates deeply on activities she has chosen and shows real satisfaction when she achieves something new.”
• Creating and thinking critically: “Zach makes links between his experiences and comes up with his own ideas for solving problems.”

Tips for Reception Reports

• Use developmental language: “Emerging,” “developing” and “meeting” rather than “below” or “behind.”
• Paint a picture of the child: Parents want to recognise their child in the report. Include personality, interests and social qualities.
• Keep suggestions practical: “Practise cutting with scissors” is more actionable than “develop fine motor skills.”

For more, see our complete EYFS report writing guide. Or try Reportify — it understands EYFS language and can generate reception reports in seconds.