Report Writing: Format, Structure and Examples for Grades 6 to 10
Of all the writing students do at school, report writing is the form they are most likely to use every week as adults. Managers, scientists, engineers, doctors and council officers all write reports, and all of them write for the same kind of reader: someone busy, who needs to make a decision and will not read every word. That single fact explains the whole report writing format. Headings, numbered sections, findings before opinions, recommendations at the end: each one exists so a reader can find what they need in seconds. This guide teaches Grades 6 to 10 students how to write a report step by step, how to turn data into clear sentences, and how to write recommendations people act on, with a format template, an annotated model report, a rubric and 30 report writing topics.
Key Takeaways • A report presents facts, findings and recommendations to a specific reader, usually so they can make a decision. • The standard report writing format is: heading block, introduction, method, findings, conclusions and recommendations, under clear headings. • Reports are impersonal and objective. Findings come from evidence, not from the writer’s feelings. • Numbers need words around them. The skill examiners reward is interpreting data, not copying it. • Strong recommendations are specific, realistic and checkable: who does what, by when. |
The 30-Second Parent and Coach Summary Core goal: A strong report lets a busy reader understand the problem, trust the evidence and know exactly what to do, without reading it twice. What to praise • Headings a reader could scan in five seconds and still know what the report found. • A number followed by what it means (“59%, which is more than half of those surveyed”). • Recommendations that name an action, a person and a time. Red flags to watch (and the gentle fix) • A report that reads like a diary (“First we went to...”). Ask: “What did you find, not what did you do?” • Opinions in the findings (“The canteen is terrible”). Ask: “What evidence would show that?” • Recommendations nobody could check. Ask: “How would we know next month if this worked?” |
Curriculum Alignment US Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2 to W.9-10.2 (informative and explanatory texts, including formatting such as headings, graphics such as charts and tables, and precise, domain-specific language); W.7.7 and W.8.7 (short research projects). NGSS Science and Engineering Practice 8: obtaining, evaluating and communicating information, including written reports of investigations. Cambridge Lower Secondary English (Stages 7 to 9) and UK Key Stage 3: writing for a range of formal purposes, including reports, with appropriate structure and register. Cambridge IGCSE First Language English: directed writing, where a report is one of the forms that can be set. IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: a 150-word report summarising and comparing data from a chart, table or diagram. |
What Is Report Writing?
Report writing is a formal, factual form of writing that presents information on a subject to a specific reader. A report uses clear headings, usually an introduction, method, findings, conclusions and recommendations, and an objective, impersonal tone so that the reader can trust the evidence and act on it.
The purpose of a report
An essay asks the reader to follow the writer’s thinking from beginning to end. A report expects the reader to jump. The head teacher may read only the recommendations; a governor may check only the method; a parent may look for the one finding that affects their child. Good report writing accepts this and makes every section findable and understandable on its own. In a report, structure is not decoration. Structure is the message.
Key features of report writing
• A heading block: title, who it is for, who wrote it and the date.
• A stated purpose: the first lines say why the report exists and who asked for it.
• Headings and numbered sections: so the reader can find information quickly.
• Evidence from a clear method: surveys, observations, interviews, measurements or research.
• An objective, impersonal tone: findings are reported, not felt.
• Data with interpretation: numbers are explained, compared and given meaning.
• Conclusions and recommendations: what the findings mean, and what should happen next.
Types of report students write
Type | What it does | Where students meet it |
Investigative or formal report | Investigates a problem and recommends action | English exams, student council, coursework (this guide) |
Recommendation or proposal report | Compares options and recommends one | IGCSE directed writing, workplace tasks |
Science or lab report | Records an experiment: aim, method, results, analysis | Science lessons from Grade 6 upwards |
News report | Tells readers about a recent event, most important facts first | English lessons; journalism tasks |
Data report | Describes and compares figures from a chart or table | IELTS Academic Task 1, geography, maths |
Non-chronological report | Gives facts about a topic under headings, for younger writers | Grades 3 to 5 (see our guide to Informative Writing) |
This guide focuses on the formal investigative report, because its format is the foundation for every other type. Once a student can write one, the lab report and the proposal are small variations.
Report, essay and expository writing compared
Feature | Report | Essay | Expository writing |
Main goal | Inform a decision | Develop an argument or idea | Explain how or why something happens |
Reader | A named, busy decision maker | A general or academic reader | A reader who wants to understand |
Layout | Headings, numbered sections, sometimes bullet points | Continuous paragraphs | Paragraphs, sometimes with subheadings |
Evidence | Gathered by the writer (survey, observation, data) | Drawn from reading and reasoning | Facts and examples |
Tone | Impersonal, objective | Can be personal or argued | Neutral |
Ending | Recommendations for action | A concluding judgement | A summary of the explanation |
Students who already write clear explanations have a head start; our guide to Expository Writing covers the paragraph skills every report relies on.
Report or Essay? The 10-Second Test
Quick answer: If the task names a reader who needs to decide something, asks you to investigate, or uses words like “findings” or “recommend”, write a report with headings. If it asks you to discuss, argue or reflect, write an essay in paragraphs.
Many marks are lost before a single sentence is written, because a student writes an essay when the task wanted a report, or the other way round. Look for these signals in the question.
Signal in the task | It wants a report | It wants an essay |
Who is the reader? | A named person or group: “the Principal”, “the council” | No named reader, or “your teacher” |
What is the verb? | investigate, report on, assess, recommend | discuss, argue, explain, reflect |
What is the outcome? | A decision or action | A judgement or an understanding |
What evidence is given? | Survey results, notes, figures, a visit | A statement or quotation to respond to |
Words to spot | “findings”, “suggest improvements”, “feedback” | “to what extent”, “do you agree” |
Report Writing Format: Headings, Sections and Template
Quick answer: A report starts with a heading block (title, to, from, date), followed by numbered sections: introduction, method, findings, conclusions and recommendations. Findings are often divided into subheadings, and recommendations are usually numbered.
Check your syllabus: some school boards use a shorter, newspaper-style event report of 120 to 150 words with a heading and byline instead of this format. If that is your exam, see our guide to CBSE Report Writing for Class 12.
School reports of 350 to 600 words use the format below. Longer workplace reports add a summary at the start and appendices at the end, but the core never changes.
Section | Purpose | What it contains | Approximate share |
Heading block | Identify the report at a glance | Title, To, From, Date (and Subject, if required) | Two to four lines |
1. Introduction | State why the report exists | Purpose, who requested it, what it covers | 10% |
2. Method | Show where the evidence came from | Surveys, observations, interviews, dates, numbers involved | 10% |
3. Findings | Present the evidence | Facts and data under subheadings, each interpreted | 45% |
4. Conclusions | Say what the findings mean | The main answer to the purpose; no new information | 15% |
5. Recommendations | Say what should happen | Numbered, specific, realistic actions | 20% |
Report format at a glance
Report writing template
Copy and complete this template before you start drafting.
Planning prompt | Your plan |
Title: Report on ________ |
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To: ________ From: ________ Date: ________ |
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Purpose: The purpose of this report is to ________ and to ________. |
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Requested by / because: ________ |
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Method: Over ________, ________ (how many?) were ________ (surveyed / observed / interviewed). |
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Finding 1 (what is happening): ________ Evidence: ________ |
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Finding 2 (why it is happening): ________ Evidence: ________ |
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Finding 3 (effect on people): ________ Evidence: ________ |
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Conclusion in one sentence: ________ |
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Recommendations (who, what, by when): 1. ________ 2. ________ 3. ________ |
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Heading formats: what to use when
Use | When | Example |
Numbered headings (1, 2, 3.1) | Formal school and workplace reports | 3.2 Causes |
Descriptive headings | Exam reports and shorter reports | Why the queues have grown |
Bullet points | Recommendations and short lists only | Never for findings that need explaining |
A table or chart | When several figures are compared | Queue times at three different times of day |
How to Write a Report in 7 Steps
Quick answer: Identify the reader and purpose, gather evidence with a clear method, sort the evidence into findings under headings, turn numbers into meaningful sentences, draw conclusions, write specific recommendations, then format and check the report so it can be scanned in seconds.
At Wisdom Point, we teach report writing through one question students ask at every stage: “What does my reader need to decide?” Each step below follows the same task: a student council report for the Principal on why lunchtime queues in the canteen have grown longer. The finished report appears in the Annotated Model Report section further down.
Step 1: Identify your reader and purpose
Write down who will read the report and what they need to decide. This is sometimes called the “terms of reference”. It controls everything: what you include, what you leave out, and how formal you sound.
In our report: Reader: the Principal. Decision: what to change so queues are shorter. Anything that does not help that decision, such as which lunches are most popular, stays out.
Step 2: Gather evidence with a clear method
Decide how you will find out: a survey, timed observations, interviews, measurements or research. Record when you did it and how many people or cases were involved. A reader trusts findings when they know where the findings came from.
In our report: Two weeks of queue timings at three times of day; a survey of 120 students; interviews with the canteen manager and two supervisors.
Step 3: Sort your evidence into findings
Group your evidence under two to four subheadings. A reliable pattern for problem reports is what is happening, why it is happening, and who it affects. Each subheading should answer one question.
In our report: 3.1 Queue times (what), 3.2 Causes (why), 3.3 Effects on students (who).
Step 4: Turn numbers into meaning
Never leave a figure on its own. Compare it (with last year, with another group), express it in words (“more than half”) and say why it matters. The next section of this guide gives a full phrase bank.
In our report: “71 (59%) reported skipping lunch at least once” becomes meaningful because the report then links it to the length of the queue.
Step 5: Draw conclusions
Your conclusions answer the purpose stated in the introduction. They interpret the findings but add no new evidence. One short paragraph is usually enough.
In our report: “The longer queues are caused mainly by slower payments and crowded release times, not by an increase in students.”
Step 6: Write recommendations
Each recommendation should follow from a finding. Make it specific (what exactly), realistic (can the school do it?) and checkable (how will we know it worked?). Number them.
In our report: Each cause has a matching fix: staggered release for the crowding, a second card reader for slow payments, and a final recommendation to measure the result.
Step 7: Format, cut and check
Read only your headings: do they tell the story? Remove anything personal or emotional, check every number against your notes, and make sure each recommendation links to a finding. Then write, or rewrite, the introduction last, because only now do you know exactly what the report covers.
From Our Online Classroom: The Report That Read Like a Diary A Grade 7 student in Singapore handed her teacher, Raveena, a report on her school’s recycling bins that began: “On Monday we went round the school with a clipboard. First we went to the science block...” Every fact was accurate. The reader simply had to wade through the student’s week to find them. Raveena asked her one question: “If the head teacher reads only your headings, what will she learn?” The answer was “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday”. The student rewrote the headings as findings (“Most bins are in the wrong place”, “Students do not know what can be recycled”) and moved her clipboard week into a two-line method. The facts stayed the same. The report finally worked. |
How to Write About Data in a Report
Quick answer: Start with the overall pattern, then give the most important figures, compare them, and explain what they mean. Use words such as “just over half” or “nearly a third” alongside numbers, round sensibly, and never include a figure you cannot explain.
This is the skill that separates a strong report from an average one, and it is the same skill tested in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Students tend to copy every number from a table. Readers want the shape first and the numbers second.
The Shape, Number, Meaning method
Move | What you do | Example |
Shape | Describe the overall pattern in one sentence | Queues were longest in the middle of the lunch break. |
Number | Give the key figures that prove it | Waits averaged 18 minutes at 12:45, compared with six at 12:55. |
Meaning | Explain why it matters to the reader | This is when three year groups arrive together, which points to release times as a cause. |
Phrases for proportions
Figure | In words |
75% or more | three quarters, the vast majority |
55% to 70% | more than half, a clear majority, nearly two thirds |
45% to 55% | about half, roughly half |
30% to 40% | about a third, just over a third |
20% to 25% | around a quarter, one in four or five |
under 10% | very few, a small minority |
Phrases for change and comparison
Job | Words and phrases |
Increase | rose, grew, increased, climbed, doubled, rose sharply, rose steadily |
Decrease | fell, dropped, declined, halved, fell slightly, fell steadily |
No change | remained stable, stayed at, levelled off |
Peak and low | peaked at, reached a high of, was lowest at |
Comparison | compared with, twice as many as, higher than, whereas, in contrast |
Caution | appears to, suggests, may indicate, according to the survey |
A word on honesty with data: a survey of 120 students tells you what those 120 said, not what the whole school thinks. Phrases such as “the survey suggests” keep a report accurate. Rounding is fine; changing numbers to sound more dramatic is not.
Writing Recommendations That Get Acted On
Quick answer: Strong recommendations are numbered, linked to a finding, and specific about who should do what and by when. Begin each with a clear action verb and include one recommendation that checks whether the changes worked.
Recommendations are the part of a report most readers turn to first, and the part students write most quickly. A useful check is the SMART test: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Weak recommendation | Strong recommendation | What changed |
The canteen should be faster. | Install a second card reader and test the connection before the end of November. | Specific action with a deadline. |
Something should be done about crowding. | Stagger lunch release by five minutes between Years 7, 8 and 9 from the next half term. | Names the action and when it starts. |
Students should be nicer in the queue. | Place one supervisor at the serving counter between 12:40 and 12:50. | Turns a wish into a practical step. |
Hopefully this will help. | Repeat the queue timings in January to measure the effect. | Builds in a check. |
Report Language, Sentence Starters and Examples
Report language is formal, impersonal and precise. It reports what was found rather than how the writer feels.
Job | Words and phrases |
Stating the purpose | The purpose of this report is to; this report aims to; this report examines |
Describing the method | data was collected by; a survey was carried out; observations were made over |
Presenting findings | it was found that; the results show; the survey indicates; according to |
Adding information | in addition, furthermore, a further finding was |
Showing cause | as a result of, due to, this is caused by, this appears to be linked to |
Concluding | overall, the findings suggest, it can be concluded that |
Recommending | it is recommended that, the school should, a further step would be to |
Report writing sentence starters
• The purpose of this report is to ...
• This report was requested by ... following ...
• Over ... , data was collected by ...
• It was found that ...
• The most significant finding was ...
• This suggests that ...
• A further concern is ...
• Overall, the findings indicate that ...
• It is recommended that ...
• The effect of these changes should be reviewed in ...
12 report writing examples (sentence level)
Each example shows one move, using topics different from the model report.
1. Purpose: “The purpose of this report is to assess how the new homework platform is being used and to suggest improvements.”
2. Requested by: “This report was requested by the Head of Sport after a fall in club attendance.”
3. Method: “Over three weeks, attendance registers for all eleven after-school clubs were analysed.”
4. Finding with interpretation: “Attendance at the robotics club doubled after it moved to Tuesdays, which suggests timing matters more than the activity itself.”
5. Proportion: “Just under half of the residents surveyed use the park at least once a week.”
6. Comparison: “Visitors spent twice as long in the interactive gallery as in the portrait rooms.”
7. Cause: “The fall in recycling appears to be linked to the removal of bins from the dining hall.”
8. Caution: “The sample was small, so these results should be treated as an early indication.”
9. Conclusion: “Overall, the findings indicate that the library is underused because its opening hours do not match students’ free time.”
10. Recommendation: “It is recommended that the library opens at 8:00 a.m. on weekdays from January.”
11. Review: “Visitor numbers should be recorded again after one term to measure the effect.”
12. Impersonal rewrite: “We thought the signs were confusing” becomes “Seven of the ten visitors interviewed described the signs as confusing.”
Instead of ... try
Instead of | Try | Why it works |
I think the queues are awful. | The average wait was 14 minutes. | Evidence replaces feeling. |
We went to the canteen on Monday. | Queue times were recorded daily for two weeks. | Method, not diary. |
Loads of students skip lunch. | 71 of 120 students (59%) reported skipping lunch at least once. | Precise and checkable. |
The table shows 18, 12 and 6 minutes. | Waits peaked at 12:45 and fell by two thirds by 12:55. | Interprets instead of copying. |
The school must fix this now! | It is recommended that the school staggers lunch release. | Formal, measured register. |
In conclusion, the canteen is bad. | The longer queues are caused mainly by slower payments and crowded release times. | Answers the purpose. |
From Our Online Classroom: Shape Before Numbers An IELTS candidate preparing in Dubai brought Premlata a Task 1 answer that listed every figure in a bar chart, country by country, year by year. It was accurate and it scored poorly. The examiner’s descriptor wanted an overview, and there was none. Premlata covered the numbers with a sheet of paper and asked, “What would you tell a friend about this chart in one sentence?” “Everything went up, but one country went up much faster.” That sentence became her overview, placed second in the answer. With the shape stated first, the numbers that followed finally had a job to do. The same habit lifts school reports from Grade 6 to Grade 10: tell the reader the pattern, then prove it. |
Before and After: Turning a Chatty Paragraph into a Report Finding
Here is a typical Grade 7 findings paragraph at the Developing level, followed by the same information revised to Exemplary.
Before (Developing) “We asked loads of people about the library and most of them said they never go. I think it’s because it’s boring and the books are old. My friend said she only goes when it’s raining. So basically nobody uses it and that’s really bad.” What is wrong: vague numbers, personal opinion presented as a finding, an anecdote standing in for evidence, informal language, and no link to a cause the school could act on. |
After (Exemplary) “3.1 Library use. Of the 90 students surveyed, 61 (68%) said they had not visited the library this term. The most common reason, given by 38 students, was that it is closed during lunch, the only free period most students have. Fewer than one in five mentioned the age of the books. This suggests that opening hours, rather than the collection itself, are the main barrier to use.” What changed: a numbered heading, a stated sample, figures with proportions, causes ranked by evidence, formal register, and a final sentence that interprets the data and points towards a recommendation. |
Common Report Writing Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
❌ Don’t | ✅ Do Instead |
Write an essay with a title on top. | Use a heading block and clear section headings. |
Tell the story of your investigation. | Put the process in a short method; report findings, not events. |
Mix opinions into the findings. | Keep findings factual; save interpretation for the conclusion. |
Copy numbers without explaining them. | Use Shape, Number, Meaning for every set of data. |
Invent or exaggerate figures. | Report your real data and state the sample size. |
Use “I”, “we” and chatty language throughout. | Use impersonal, formal phrases such as “it was found that”. |
Add new information in the conclusion. | Conclude only from findings already presented. |
Write vague recommendations. | Make each one specific, realistic and time-bound. |
Use bullet points for everything. | Use bullets for recommendations; explain findings in sentences. |
Report Writing Checklist
Read your draft once for each group. Tick each statement only when it is true.
Group | I have ... | ✓ |
Format | included a title, To, From and Date. |
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Format | used clear, numbered or descriptive headings for every section. |
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Purpose | stated the purpose and who requested the report in the introduction. |
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Method | explained how, when and from how many people the evidence was gathered. |
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Findings | grouped findings under subheadings, one question each. |
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Findings | explained every number with a comparison or meaning. |
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Conclusions | answered the purpose without adding new information. |
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Recommendations | linked each recommendation to a finding and made it specific and time-bound. |
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Tone | kept the language formal, impersonal and objective. |
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Conventions | checked figures, spelling, punctuation and consistent tense. |
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Report Writing Rubric (4-Point Scale)
Teachers, tutors and parents can use this rubric for any formal report. Students can use it to evaluate their own draft.
Criteria | 4: Exemplary | 3: Strong | 2: Developing | 1: Emerging |
Purpose and Audience | Purpose and reader stated precisely; every section serves the reader’s decision. | Clear purpose and reader; content mostly relevant. | Purpose vague; some irrelevant content. | No clear purpose or reader. |
Format and Organisation | Heading block and logical, numbered sections; findings grouped by question. | Clear headings and sections in a sensible order. | Some headings; sections mixed or missing. | Written as an essay or story. |
Evidence and Data | Method clear; data accurate, well chosen and interpreted with Shape, Number, Meaning. | Method stated; data relevant and mostly explained. | Data present but copied rather than interpreted. | Little evidence; figures invented or unclear. |
Conclusions and Recommendations | Conclusions answer the purpose; recommendations specific, realistic, time-bound and linked to findings. | Clear conclusions; recommendations relevant and mostly specific. | Conclusions repeat findings; recommendations vague. | Missing or unrelated. |
Tone and Language | Consistently formal, impersonal and precise; data vocabulary used accurately. | Mostly formal and objective. | Slips into personal or chatty language. | Informal or emotional throughout. |
Conventions | Accurate grammar, punctuation, figures and consistent tense. | Minor errors that do not affect meaning. | Frequent errors; some figures inconsistent. | Errors throughout. |
Scoring guide (out of 24): 21 to 24 Exemplary | 16 to 20 Strong | 11 to 15 Developing | 6 to 10 Emerging
Exam Corner: Report Writing in IGCSE, IELTS and Science
Quick answer: IGCSE First Language English can set a report as a directed writing task based on reading texts; IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 asks for a 150-word report on visual data; and science courses assess lab reports. Each rewards the same core skills: clear structure, objective tone and interpreted evidence.
Assessment | Task | What earns top marks |
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English | Directed writing: a report may be set as the form, using ideas from reading texts | Selecting and evaluating ideas from the texts, not copying them; a format and register that suit the named reader. |
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 | Summarise a chart, table, diagram or process in at least 150 words (about 20 minutes) | A clear overview of the main trends, accurate comparisons and a range of data vocabulary. |
School science (Grades 6 to 10) | Lab report: aim, hypothesis, method, results, analysis, evaluation | Results presented in tables or graphs and interpreted, with limitations identified. |
Coursework and student projects | Investigative report on a school or community issue | A clear method, honest data and recommendations that follow from the findings. |
A report and a formal letter are close relatives: both have a named reader and a formal register. If your exam may ask for either, compare this guide with our Formal Letter Format guide and our guide to writing a formal email.
Report Writing Example: Annotated Model Report (Grades 6 to 10)
The prompt (Tier 3, Topic 21) Students and staff have complained that lunchtime queues in the canteen are much longer this term. As a member of the student council, write a report for the Principal explaining the causes and effects of the problem and recommending improvements. Write 400 to 550 words in 40 minutes. |
Report on Lunchtime Queues in the School Canteen
To: Mrs J. Hartley, Principal
From: Year 9 Student Council Research Group
Date: 3 November
1. Introduction
The purpose of this report is to investigate why lunchtime queues in the canteen have grown longer this term and to recommend practical ways to shorten them. The report was requested by the Principal after repeated concerns from students and lunchtime supervisors. [1]
2. Method
Over two school weeks, from 13 to 24 October, the group timed the queue each day at 12:35, 12:45 and 12:55. A short survey was completed by 120 students from Years 7 to 11, and interviews were held with the canteen manager and two lunchtime supervisors. [2]
3. Findings
3.1 Queue times
The average wait from joining the queue to paying was 14 minutes. Supervisors recall waits of around six minutes at the same point last year. Queues were longest at 12:45, when Years 7, 8 and 9 arrive together, and shortest at 12:55. [3]
3.2 Causes
Two causes stood out. First, the card payment system introduced in September is slower than expected: the canteen manager estimates that each payment takes 20 to 30 seconds because the card reader often loses its connection. Second, three year groups are released for lunch at exactly the same time. Student numbers have not risen this year, so a larger school is not the explanation. [4]
3.3 Effects on students
The survey suggests the queues are affecting how students eat. Of the 120 students surveyed, 71 (59%) reported skipping lunch at least once this term because of the queue, and just over a third said they regularly have less than ten minutes to eat. Supervisors also reported more pushing near the serving counter at peak times. [5]
4. Conclusions
The longer queues are caused mainly by slower payments and crowded release times, not by an increase in students. The problem is serious enough to affect whether students eat lunch at all, but both causes are within the school’s control. [6]
5. Recommendations
It is recommended that the school:
5.1 Stagger lunch release by five minutes between Years 7, 8 and 9, starting after the half-term break.
5.2 Ask the IT department to install a second card reader and test the connection before the end of November.
5.3 Open a “grab and go” counter for sandwiches ordered at morning registration. [7]
5.4 Repeat the queue timings in January to measure whether these changes have worked. [8]
(403 words)
Why This Model Works
Marker | Technique | Where it is taught |
[1] “The purpose of this report is to investigate ... and to recommend ...” | A two-part purpose plus who requested the report. The reader knows in one sentence why this exists. | Step 1; Format: Introduction |
[2] “Over two school weeks ... 120 students ...” | A method with dates, times and numbers. It makes every later finding believable. | Step 2; Format: Method |
[3] “The average wait ... was 14 minutes ... around six minutes ... last year” | Shape, Number, Meaning: a figure, a comparison and the pattern across the lunch break. | Step 4; How to Write About Data |
[4] “Student numbers have not risen ... so a larger school is not the explanation.” | Ruling out a likely cause. Saying what is not true strengthens what is. | Step 3; Findings |
[5] “71 (59%) ... just over a third ...” | Precise figures paired with proportion words, and “the survey suggests” to stay honest about the sample. | Phrases for proportions; A word on honesty with data |
[6] “both causes are within the school’s control” | A conclusion that answers the purpose and sets up the recommendations, with no new evidence. | Step 5; Format: Conclusions |
[7] “Open a “grab and go” counter ...” | Numbered recommendations, each starting with an action verb and matched to a finding. | Step 6; Recommendations |
[8] “Repeat the queue timings in January ...” | A review step that makes the recommendations checkable, the mark of a mature report. | Recommendations: SMART |
Rubric note: This report scores 4 for Conclusions and Recommendations because every recommendation answers a specific finding and the last one shows how the school will know whether the changes worked.
Note: The school, people and figures in the model report are fictional and created for teaching purposes.
30 Report Writing Topics for Grades 6 to 10
The topics are arranged in three tiers. Tier 1 uses evidence students can gather themselves, Tier 2 needs research or published data, and Tier 3 practises the exact formats used in examinations. For every topic, name your reader and the decision they need to make before you plan.
Tier 1: Starter Topics
1. Write a report for your form tutor on how students in your class travel to school, with one recommendation.
2. Investigate how the school field is used at break times and report to the Head of PE.
3. Write a report on the noise levels in different areas of the school during lunch.
4. Survey your year group about after-school clubs and report to the activities coordinator.
5. Report to the Principal on how well the school’s lost property system works.
6. Write a report on how much paper your class uses in a week and how it could be reduced.
7. Investigate which school notices students read and report to the student council.
8. Report to the librarian on which kinds of books students borrow most and least.
9. Write a report on water bottle refill stations around the school and whether there are enough.
10. Report on a recent school trip for next year’s organiser, with recommendations.
Tier 2: Research Topics
11. Write a report for your local council on how residents use a nearby park and what would improve it.
12. Research how much food a typical household wastes in a week and report on ways to reduce it.
13. Report to a museum on how it could attract more teenage visitors.
14. Investigate cycling safety on the routes students use to school and report to the road safety officer.
15. Write a report for a sports centre comparing two timetables for its swimming lessons.
16. Research screen time among students your age and report findings to a parents’ association.
17. Report on the energy use of your school building and recommend three savings.
18. Write a report for a town tourism office on how visitors find their way around.
19. Investigate how accessible your local high street is for wheelchair users and report to the council.
20. Report to a community garden project on what would bring in more volunteers.
Tier 3: Exam-Style Topics
Each topic states the reader, length and suggested time. Plan your headings in the first five minutes and keep five minutes at the end to check your figures and recommendations.
21. Lunchtime queues in the canteen are much longer this term. As a member of the student council, write a report for the Principal explaining the causes and effects and recommending improvements. Length: 400 to 550 words. Time: 40 minutes. (Answered by the model report above.)
22. Your class recently visited a science centre. Write a report for your head teacher evaluating the visit and recommending whether future classes should go. Length: 400 to 550 words. Time: 40 minutes.
23. Your school is deciding between a new climbing wall and a quiet garden. Write a report for the governors comparing both options and recommending one. Length: 450 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
24. Your town held a weekend music festival for the first time. Write a report for the council on its success and what should change next year. Length: 450 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
25. IELTS style: The chart shows the percentage of households in four countries with access to high-speed internet in 2010, 2015 and 2020. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Length: at least 150 words. Time: 20 minutes. (Use any real or practice chart.)
26. A youth club in your area is losing members. Write a report for its committee explaining why and recommending changes. Length: 400 to 550 words. Time: 40 minutes.
27. Write a report for your Head of Science on a fair test you carried out, including aim, method, results and evaluation. Length: 400 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
28. Your school introduced a new reading period this year. Write a report for the Principal assessing whether it has worked. Length: 450 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
29. A local supermarket wants to reduce plastic packaging. Write a report for its manager on what customers think and what could change. Length: 450 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
30. Write a report for an international student exchange organiser on your experience hosting or visiting, with recommendations for future students. Length: 450 to 600 words. Time: 45 minutes.
Report Writing: Frequently Asked Questions
What is report writing?
Report writing is a formal, factual form of writing that presents information about a specific subject to a specific reader, usually to help them make a decision. A report uses headings, an objective tone and evidence, and usually ends with recommendations.
What is the format of a report?
A standard report format has a heading block (title, to, from, date), followed by an introduction, a method, findings under subheadings, conclusions and numbered recommendations. Longer reports may add a summary at the start and appendices at the end.
What are the main parts of a report?
The main parts of a report are the introduction (purpose), method (how evidence was gathered), findings (what was discovered), conclusions (what the findings mean) and recommendations (what should happen next).
How do you start a report?
Start a report with a heading block, then an introduction that states the purpose in one sentence, such as “The purpose of this report is to...”, and explains who requested it and what it covers.
What is the difference between a report and an essay?
A report is written for a named reader who needs to make a decision; it uses headings, gathered evidence and recommendations. An essay develops an argument or idea in continuous paragraphs for a general or academic reader.
Can you use “I” in a report?
Most formal reports avoid “I” and “we” and use impersonal phrases such as “it was found that” or “the survey shows”. This keeps attention on the evidence. Some school tasks allow “we” in the method section.
What tense should a report be written in?
Use the past tense for the method and for what was found (“the survey showed”), the present tense for facts that are still true (“the library closes at lunch”), and modal verbs such as “should” for recommendations.
How do you write recommendations in a report?
Number each recommendation, link it to a finding, and make it specific about who should do what and by when. Begin with an action verb or “It is recommended that”, and include a step to check whether the changes worked.
Your Next Step
Choose one Tier 1 topic you can investigate this week. Use the template to plan your headings, gather real evidence, and write your findings with Shape, Number, Meaning. When your draft is finished, read only the headings, then check it against the checklist and score it with the rubric. To strengthen the paragraphs inside each section, see our guide to Paragraph Writing; to practise the argued form of formal writing, try our guide to Persuasive Writing. Every guide in the series is in the Wisdom Point blog library.
Want an expert to review your child’s report? Wisdom Point’s one-to-one writing programme helps students in Grades 3 to 12 plan, draft and revise every school and exam format, from reports and formal letters to IGCSE directed writing and IELTS Academic Task 1, with a specialist tutor and line-by-line feedback. Classes run across time zones for families in the US, UK, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. Book a free writing assessment: call or WhatsApp +91 82405 56421 or visit www.wisdom-point.org. |
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