NZ report comment templates: fill-in examples by NZC level
Copy-and-adapt NZ report comment templates for NZC Levels 1–4 — English, maths and general comments, with level wording and next steps.
Save hours on Aotearoa New Zealand report comments
Generate NZC-aligned comments in seconds. Pre-filled with a working example so you can see results immediately.
Try It Now →Pre-filled example • 1 token • 30 seconds
By the NZ School Reports Team – built for Aotearoa New Zealand kaiako
A good NZ report comment does four things: describes what the ākonga can do, says where that sits against the expected NZC level, offers evidence whānau can picture, and ends with one clear next step. These templates give you the structure – you bring the evidence from your own classroom.
How to use these templates
Pick the template closest to your learning area, replace the [bracketed] parts with real evidence, and check the achievement wording matches your judgement – working towards, working at, or progressing above the expected NZC level. If a non-teacher could read the comment once and understand it, it is plain language.
The five-part structure behind every template
- Achievement: what the student can do, and where it sits against the expected NZC level.
- Evidence: one concrete example – a strategy, a text, a task, an observation.
- Strength: a specific strength, named rather than praised generally.
- Growth area: what is developing, described honestly and kindly.
- Next step: one teachable goal, ideally with a way whānau can help.
General comment template (any learning area, any level)
"[Student] is [working towards / working at / progressing above] the expected NZC level in [learning area]. [He/She/They] can [specific skill or strategy], which [he/she/they] showed when [concrete example from class]. [Student]'s strength is [named strength]. [He/She/They] is [developing skill or area] and will keep growing with [specific practice or support]. Next step: [one teachable goal, with an optional way to practise at home]."
NZC Level 1 templates (typically Years 1–2)
Reading (Pānui)
"[Student] is [working towards / working at] the expected NZC level in reading. [He/She] recognises [letter sounds / common words] and uses [pictures / first sounds] to work out new words. [He/She] enjoys [shared stories / retelling the main events]. Next step: [pointing to the first sound of new words / reading picture books together at home]."
Mathematics (Pāngarau)
"[Student] is working at the expected NZC level in mathematics. [He/She] counts forwards and backwards to [20/100], reads and orders numbers to [20/100], and uses [objects/drawings] to solve [addition/subtraction] problems. Next step: [learning the number pairs that make 10 / practising counting patterns]."
NZC Level 2 templates (typically Years 3–4)
Writing
"[Student] is working at the expected NZC level in writing. [He/She] plans ideas first, writes sentences that begin in different ways, and uses [capital letters and full stops / describing words] with growing accuracy. [His/Her] [narrative/information] writing about [topic] showed [specific strength]. Next step: [rereading writing to check punctuation / adding detail with describing words]."
Mathematics (Pāngarau)
"[Student] is [working towards / working at / progressing above] the expected NZC level in mathematics. [He/She] uses [tidy numbers / doubles / skip counting] to solve [addition / multiplication] problems and explains [his/her] thinking to others. [He/She] is developing confidence with [fractions / division / time]. Next step: [using known facts to solve new problems, with weekly practice]."
NZC Level 3 templates (typically Years 5–6)
English (combined strands)
"[Student] is working at the expected NZC level in English. [He/She] reads for meaning across [fiction and non-fiction], summarises the main ideas, and supports [his/her] opinions with evidence from the text. In writing, [he/she] groups ideas into paragraphs and chooses vocabulary that suits the purpose. Next step: [varying sentence length in narrative writing / checking bigger texts stick to the main argument]."
Mathematics (Pāngarau)
"[Student] is [working towards / working at] the expected NZC level in mathematics. [He/She] solves multiplication problems using [arrays / known facts] and is secure with [his/her] [2, 5 and 10] times tables. [He/She] is developing confidence with [division / fractions of sets / measurement conversions]. Next step: [using multiplication facts to solve division problems during weekly small-group practice]."
NZC Level 4 templates (typically Years 7–8)
English
"[Student] is [working at / progressing above] the expected NZC level in English. [He/She] analyses how authors use [language and structure] for effect, compares themes across texts, and argues [his/her] interpretation with well-chosen evidence. [His/Her] formal writing is organised and accurately punctuated, including complex sentences. Next step: [adapting voice and register for different audiences / exploring bias in information texts]."
Mathematics (Pāngarau)
"[Student] is [working towards / working at] the expected NZC level in mathematics. [He/She] solves problems involving [fractions, decimals and percentages], finds [perimeters, areas and volumes] of everyday shapes, and checks whether an answer is reasonable before moving on. [He/She] still needs support with [metric conversions / proportional reasoning]. Next step: [converting between fractions, decimals and percentages with larger numbers]."
General / pastoral care template
"[Student] is a [thoughtful/energetic/focused] member of [Class/Team]. [He/She] contributes to [class discussions/kapa haka/group tasks] and shows [named value, e.g. manaakitanga] towards others. Next step: [one goal about learning behaviour, e.g. taking a leading role in group tasks so organisational skills grow]."
Worked examples at three judgement points
Working towards the expected level (Year 2, reading)
"Sam is building confidence towards the expected NZC level in reading. He recognises most letter sounds and uses pictures to work out unfamiliar words. He enjoys listening to stories and talks confidently about what might happen next. Next step: pointing to the first sound of a new word before using the picture, with daily guided reading. Reading picture books together at home will keep building his word knowledge."
Working at the expected level (Year 6, mathematics)
"Aroha is working at the expected NZC level in mathematics. She solves multiplication and division problems using known facts and arrays, explains her strategies clearly, and checks whether her answers are reasonable. Her strength is helping peers understand new concepts. Next step: building speed with basic facts through regular practice at home."
Progressing above the expected level (Year 3, mathematics)
"Tane is progressing above the expected NZC level in mathematics. He uses tidy numbers and doubles strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems, explains which strategy he chose and why, and applies his basic facts to problems about money and time. Next step: using his multiplication facts to solve equal-sharing division problems."
Personalisation checklist before you paste into Hero, EDGE or KAMAR
- The comment names a specific strategy, text or task – not just a subject.
- Achievement wording matches the level judgement on your school's report.
- One next step only, phrased so whānau can support it.
- Plain language throughout – no unexplained codes or jargon.
- No two students in your class have interchangeable comments.
- Cultural context is genuine – only te reo or tikanga the student actually experienced.
- The comment fits your reporting system's length limits.
Want more ready-to-adapt examples? Our NZC level comment examples page annotates a full set by level, and the templates library covers other learning areas.
Sources: New Zealand Curriculum (NZC Online), Ministry of Education plain language reporting guidance
Last verified: 26 October 2026
Turn any template into a personalised comment
NZ School Reports drafts NZC-aligned comments from your own notes about each ākonga – level wording, evidence, next steps and all. You review and approve every comment before it goes to whānau.
No subscription. Tokens never expire. Built for Aotearoa kaiako.
Ready to write your report comments?
Join NZ School Reports to generate personalised, NZC-aligned comments in minutes instead of hours.
Generate Example Comment →Pre-filled example • 1 token • 30 seconds
NZ Report Comments, Simplified
Generate in 30 seconds • Plain language • MoE-ready
NZ School Reports drafts clear, parent-friendly report comments that follow NZC expectations.
Choose a token packJoin Aotearoa New Zealand teachers saving 10+ hours per reporting cycle.