Progress Reports Explained: A Parent’s Guide

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Progress Reports Explained: A Parent’s Guide

As November arrives, Ontario schools send home Progress Reports, an important early look at how your child is doing this school year. Unlike the term report cards that come later, the Progress Report doesn’t include final grades. Instead, it focuses on learning skills, work habits, and overall progress toward expectations in each subject.

For parents, this is a valuable check-in and a chance to strengthen the partnership between home, school, and tutoring support.

Understanding Progress Reports

The Ontario Progress Report is designed to answer three big questions:

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How is my child developing as a learner?

You’ll find feedback on six key learning skills and work habits: responsibility, organization, independent work, collaboration, initiative, and self-regulation.

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Is my child progressing well in each subject?

Teachers will indicate whether your child is progressing “very well,” “well,” or “with difficulty” in each subject area, based on the Ontario curriculum expectations.

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What early steps can help my child succeed?

Written comments about subject achievement and learning skills highlight your child’s strengths and next steps, providing guidance for how you and your child’s tutor can best focus support.

Preparing for the Parent-Teacher Progress Report Interview

The progress report interview is a valuable opportunity to explore your child’s learning in greater depth and build on the information shared in the progress report. Think of it as a collaborative conversation, not only about what’s going well, but also about how everyone (teacher, parent, tutor, and student) can work together to support continued growth.

Here are some progress report interview questions you can ask teachers to make the most of your meeting:

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Understanding Strengths and Needs

  • What are my child’s strongest areas so far this term?
  • Where do you see the biggest challenges and what skills would help them improve?

Are there any patterns in their learning (e.g., attention, motivation, organization)?

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Clarifying Classroom Expectations

  • What learning goals are coming up next in class?
  • Are there specific skills or concepts my child should review or reinforce at home or in tutoring?
  • How can we help them build confidence in areas they find difficult?
  • How is my child’s progress being monitored and how can we receive ongoing feedback?
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Connecting School and Tutoring

  • Are there classroom resources or assignments that the tutor could use for extra practice?
  • How can the tutor best align sessions with what’s happening in class right now? Do you have a Virtual Learning Environment where homework/review is posted?

Would you be open to communicate with my child’s tutor to coordinate support?

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Supporting Learning Skills and Work Habits

  • How is my child doing with organization, focus, or time management?
  • Are there strategies we can try at home or in tutoring to build better study habits?

Turning Insights into Action

After the interview:

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Share notes with your child’s tutor.

Let them know specific subjects or skills to reinforce and

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Set small, clear goals 

Example: Improve paragraph structure in writing or mastering multiplication facts.

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Check in regularly

Determine the best way to build communication with your child’s teachers. Brief updates between you, the teacher, and tutor keep everyone aligned.

Progress Reports aren’t just about where your child stands — they’re about where they’re headed. With open communication and consistent support, parents and tutors can help students not only meet expectations but truly thrive.