The Loreto schools have introduced a redesigned report card that goes beyond academic performance to reflect a student’s co-curricular interests, socio-emotional growth, cultural awareness and cognitive development.

The new assessment framework seeks to capture a child’s engagement across a range of activities and abilities, moving beyond a sole focus on scholastic achievement.

While academic scores in individual subjects will be recorded, the report card now devotes substantial space to evaluating other aspects of a student’s overall development.

Among the parameters included in the new report card are kindness and helpfulness towards others, respect for the environment, a sense of responsibility and discipline, and the ability to reflect on one’s strengths and areas for improvement.

For aesthetic and cultural development, students will be assessed on their awareness of different art forms and cultural roots, their ability to apply such knowledge in everyday life, and their understanding of cultural heritage.

Language and literacy development will be evaluated through indicators such as vocabulary acquisition, effective communication skills, and originality in expression and thought.

The holistic progress card was introduced in the final term of the last academic session for students in the primary and middle school sections across Loreto institutions.

Teachers said a report card should serve as more than a measure of academic performance and should reflect a student’s overall growth and development.

“Not every child may excel academically, but every child should recognise their own worth. The report card is also intended to help parents appreciate a child’s full potential rather than focus solely on marks,” said Nandini Bhattacharjee, education director of Loreto South Asia.

Bhattacharjee said such a report card sets the tone for a change in parents’ mindset. It addresses a key issue that marks alone do not make a child.

“There are many abilities and strengths that this report card brings to the forefront. Often, parents are unaware that their children may excel in areas such as public speaking or other non-academic skills. Recognising these strengths is important because a wide range of career options are available depending on a child’s talents and abilities,” she said.

Teachers said many parents continue to encourage their children to opt for science streams even when their interests and aptitudes may lie elsewhere.

“Scoring high marks in science does not necessarily mean a student enjoys the subject enough to pursue it at a higher level. Academic performance and genuine interest do not always go hand in hand,” a teacher said.

The holistic report card will also include space for inputs from students and parents. It incorporates not only teachers’ evaluations but also parental assessments, self-assessments and peer feedback.

“Parents, too, need to be honest and responsible in assessing their children. A primary school student who performs well academically may still need support in developing everyday life skills, such as tying her shoelaces or carrying out routine tasks independently,” a teacher said.