New NCCA Reports

The NCCA launched their new report templates last week providing schools with a nice new web site, http://www.reportcard.ncca.ie/, which allows schools to generate their own personalised report cards based on the new rules and regulations from the government. The web site gives schools the option of having various combinations of narrative-style and tick-the-box style templates and a variety of smiley faces and descriptive words to rate a child’s progress from a very happy face to a less impressed one, (there are no sad faces or words like “cuíosach” or “weak”). Once you’ve filled out the seven simple steps, you have the option of downloading the template to fill in or there is an option to download a program called NitroPDF, which allows the teacher to type into the template. (see below)

I’m aware of two companies so far that have their own flavour of the new NCCA report cards. CJ Fallon have launched their annual report books, which have been changed to follow the NCCA guidelines. I’m sure other companies will follow suit in the next couple of weeks. Aladdin Schools, the online Management Information System, has also integrated the NCCA report templates into their suite of options. They have developed 9 versions of the NCCA report cards, which can be filled out online. These reports are then stored on their servers and can be printed out for sending to families. My school used their report cards last year to great success and we’ll be using these new templates this year too.
While I was initially skeptical about having standardised report cards across the country, I feel the NCCA have done a very good job with this. There is enough flexibility for schools to choose whether they like narrative style or the box-ticking style reports. The reports allow for schools to personalise with different symbols, logos and even wording in places. It’s also heartening to see that companies can take these guidelines and improve on them. The NCCA are doing some great work in line with the government’s new measures and should be congratulated for their efforts.