Cut-and-paste school reports

by DANIELLE GUSMAROLI and GLEN OWEN, Mail on Sunday

Last updated at 11:11 17 July 2005


After accusations that Britain's exams are dumbed down, it is perhaps unsurprising that school reports appear to be following suit.

Written reports are being banished by a Government-backed computer program that lets teachers 'cut and paste' bland, pre-written assessments. Critics have condemned the move as another step toward the loss of traditional values in schools, saying computer-generated remarks are no substitute for the individual attention parents expect.

'Report Assist' is used by 50,000 primary and secondary teachers, letting them select from phrases such as 'Could do better' or 'Making progress'.

The CD-Rom is advertised on the website of Becta, a Government agency overseeing new technology in schools. But Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "A report should be a direct communication from teacher to parent and any weakening of that is going to spoil the effect of comments that can make pupils and parents take notice.

"This cut-and-paste idea is a very backward step. Parents and children should get the teachers to change their ways. If they use computerised phrases, it will stop them from making their typical pithy comments."

Daryl King, of Simple Logic, the company behind Report Assist, said: "If you have 30 reports to do, it is hard to write original stuff if 20 of them are on the same level. We offer 12,000-plus possibilities."

He added that Report Assist "also removes worries about spelling and grammar".

A National Union of Teachers spokeswoman said: "Think about how many reports teachers have to write. This is about efficiency. It also helps parents who struggle with teachers' handwriting."

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