Year 2 Reading Report Comments — Examples & Writing Guide
Year 2 is a pivotal year for reading. Children sit their phonics screening check (or retake), transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” and develop comprehension skills that will underpin the rest of their education. Getting reading comments right matters.
Decoding and Phonics
Confident: Charlotte reads with fluency and accuracy, using her secure phonic knowledge to decode unfamiliar words confidently. She rarely needs to sound out common exception words and self-corrects quickly when she makes an error.
Developing: Ethan is becoming more confident applying his phonics knowledge when reading. He can blend CVC and CCVC words accurately and is now practising longer words with adjacent consonants. Regular reading at home continues to make a positive difference to his progress.
Working towards: Ruby is still consolidating her Phase 3 and 4 phonics. She benefits from adult support when reading, and we are focusing on building her sight vocabulary of common exception words. Daily reading practice at home, even for five minutes, would greatly support her development.
Comprehension and Inference
Confident: Noah demonstrates strong comprehension skills. He can retell stories in sequence, answer retrieval questions with accuracy, and is beginning to make simple inferences about characters' feelings using evidence from the text.
Greater depth: Sophia reads with excellent understanding. She makes perceptive predictions, explains her reasoning with reference to the text, and draws thoughtful comparisons between books she has read. Her ability to infer meaning beyond the literal text is impressive for her age.
Developing: James can answer simple retrieval questions about a text he has read, such as identifying key characters and events. He is developing his ability to predict what might happen next and we are practising finding evidence in the text to support his answers.
Reading for Pleasure
Example: Zara is an enthusiastic reader who enjoys sharing books with her friends. She has developed clear preferences for non-fiction texts about animals and space, and she regularly visits the book corner during choosing time. This love of reading is having a wonderfully positive impact on her vocabulary and writing.
Tips for Year 2 Reading Comments
- Reference the phonics screening: If appropriate, mention how the child performed or how they're preparing for the check.
- Distinguish decoding from comprehension: A child can be a fluent decoder but struggle with comprehension, or vice versa. Comment on both.
- Celebrate reading habits: Mentioning a child's favourite books or genres shows parents you value reading for pleasure, not just attainment.
- Suggest specific actions: Rather than “read more at home,” try “ask questions about what happened and why after reading together.”
Browse our full Year 2 Reading comment bank for more inspiration. Or let Reportify create personalised reading comments for your whole class — try 5 free.