Reporting for learning

It’s report time (hooray!).  At our school, we are always trying to make reports better for learning. At times this can make things a little more difficult for teachers, but we’re always hoping for the best for learning.

So, I am wondering about how are reports really helping students succeed.  The PD I’m getting and the books I’m reading suggest descriptive feedback is one of the best ways we can help students grow.  If this is true, does the mark really matter? And who does the mark matter for?  I understand that we need to have something standardised so students can go to other schools, university, etc.  so I guess when does the mark matter, and how do we best communicate it? 

Just some random thoughts before reports.