Every term, the same search happens on phones across Ghana. A parent wants to understand the report card in their hand. A class teacher at 10pm has forty children left to write remarks for and has run out of ways to say "good". A head teacher wants the cards to look consistent from Basic 1 through JHS 3.
This is a guide to what a Ghanaian terminal report card at basic school level actually contains, how grading scales and remarks work, and how to write remarks that a parent will read twice. It includes a bank of sample remarks, organised by performance band, that you can adapt freely.
What a terminal report card is for
A terminal report is the one document that reaches every household every term. It is how a parent learns where their child stands, how a head teacher shows the school is paying attention, and, for JHS, how a family begins to judge readiness for the next stage.
Done badly, it is a column of numbers and a one-word remark. Done well, it answers three questions a parent always has: how did my child do, how does that compare with last term, and what do we do next.
What a good terminal report contains
For most Creche to JHS schools the content is similar, with a few differences by level.
Identification. School name, logo and contact details. The child's name, class, term and academic year. A photograph helps at parent-teacher meetings and prevents mix-ups in a large class.
Subject results. A table with, for each subject, the continuous assessment score, the exam score, the total, the grade and a short remark. The remark beside each subject is usually the grading scale's wording for that score band, such as "Very good" or "Credit".
Position and aggregate. Overall position in class, and position per subject, are optional in practice. Many schools drop them for lower primary. Aggregate matters more at JHS, where families think in terms of it. Make these a per-class decision, not a school-wide rule.
Attendance. Days present out of days the school was open. A figure drawn from the term's registers is more defensible than one somebody counted by hand.
Conduct, attitude and interest. Three short lines about the child as a person, covered in detail below.
Skills assessment. For Creche and lower primary, a rated list of developmental and behavioural skills often replaces or sits beside academic scores.
Class teacher and head teacher remarks. The personal part of the card.
Signatures and dates. A card that arrives already signed looks finished. Include the reopening date so parents are not left to ask.
For JHS terminal reports specifically, add the aggregate, make sure the subject list matches what the class is actually studying, and keep the mock exam reports separate. We cover why in how to generate free report cards for your school.
How grading scales work on a basic school report
A grading scale is a table that maps a score to a grade and a remark. In a basic school it is nearly always built on a 0 to 100 percentage.
A typical layout looks like this:
| Score | Grade | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| 80 to 100 | A | Excellent |
| 70 to 79 | B | Very good |
| 60 to 69 | C | Good |
| 50 to 59 | D | Credit |
| 40 to 49 | E | Pass |
| 0 to 39 | F | Needs support |
That table is an illustration, not a standard. Schools set their own boundaries and wording, and some use numbered grades instead of letters. Three rules are worth keeping whichever scale you choose.
No overlaps. If 79 sits in two bands, the same score produces different grades depending on who entered it. You will lose that argument with a parent.
No gaps. The scale should cover 0 to 100 completely. Eventually a child will score the exact number you forgot.
Do not change it mid-year. Every card in the year should be graded on the same table, and the table should be printed on the card so a parent can check it.
If you are searching for "the" grading system for basic schools in Ghana in 2026, the honest answer is that most schools define their own, and the sensible thing is to publish yours clearly. If your school follows a particular scheme, confirm what it requires with your district education office and put those bands in your own scale.
Conduct, attitude and interest: what each one means
These three lines are where report cards go generic. Separate them clearly and each one becomes useful.
Conduct is behaviour toward people and rules. Respect for teachers and classmates, discipline, honesty, following instructions.
Attitude is the way the child approaches learning. Effort, concentration, how they respond when something is hard.
Interest is what the child is drawn to. A subject, a skill, a club, a talent. It is the one line where even a struggling student almost always has something true and positive to say.
A useful habit: keep each line to a short phrase or one sentence, and never repeat the same phrase across the three lines for one child.
A bank of sample remarks, by performance band
These are written to be edited. Change the child's name, add one specific detail and they become personal. Bands here follow average score for the term: outstanding at 80 and above, very good at 60 to 79, satisfactory at 45 to 59, and developing below 45. Adjust them to match your own scale.
Outstanding (80 and above)
Conduct
- Courteous to staff and classmates, and a calm example in the line and in the classroom.
- Handles responsibility well and can be trusted to act sensibly without supervision.
- Honest and respectful, and often helps other children settle down.
Attitude
- Starts work promptly and sees it through to the end without being reminded.
- Asks thoughtful questions and welcomes corrections as a chance to improve.
- Sets high standards and checks work carefully before handing it in.
Interest
- Reads widely and enjoys discussing what was read.
- Shows real flair in mathematics and likes to try harder problems.
- Takes an active part in the debating club and speaks with growing confidence.
Class teacher
- Kofi has had an excellent term, with strong results across every subject. Next term, the challenge is to stretch further with harder extension work.
- A consistently high standard of work. Ama should now be encouraged to explain her methods to others, which will deepen her own understanding.
Head teacher
- A fine result that reflects steady, disciplined work. The school is proud of you.
- Excellent performance. Keep your humility and keep helping those around you.
Very good (60 to 79)
Conduct
- Respectful and cooperative, and follows school rules without needing reminders.
- Well mannered and friendly, and gets on well with other children.
- Generally orderly, with only the occasional lapse during unsupervised time.
Attitude
- Works steadily and takes pride in neat, complete work.
- Contributes in class when asked and is growing in confidence to volunteer.
- Responds well to feedback and corrects mistakes without fuss.
Interest
- Enjoys science practicals and handles equipment carefully.
- Shows a growing love of reading and borrows books regularly.
- Likes group projects and often takes on the role of organiser.
Class teacher
- A good term with clear progress, especially in English. With a little more revision in mathematics, a place in the top group is within reach.
- Yaw works hard and it shows. His next step is to read questions more slowly in exams, as most lost marks came from rushed answers.
Head teacher
- A commendable result. Consistent effort will take you higher next term.
- Good, steady progress. Keep building on it.
Satisfactory (45 to 59)
Conduct
- Behaves well most of the time, and responds quickly when reminded of expectations.
- Cooperative with teachers but sometimes distracted by friends during lessons.
- Is learning to settle quickly after break and to stay seated during lessons.
Attitude
- Capable of good work when focused. Needs encouragement to maintain effort through the whole lesson.
- Tries hard in subjects he enjoys and needs to give the others the same energy.
- Completes classwork but does not always finish homework. A regular routine at home would help.
Interest
- Enjoys practical and creative lessons, especially art and music.
- Shows interest in sports and works well in a team.
- Comes alive in oral work and discussion, and needs support with written tasks.
Class teacher
- Efua has made fair progress this term. Her marks are held back mainly by incomplete homework, so a daily revision habit will make a visible difference.
- A satisfactory result with clear potential. Focused practice on basic number work will lift the whole report.
Head teacher
- A fair result, and you can do better. Set yourself one target for each subject next term.
- You have the ability. Combine it with steady daily study and the results will follow.
Developing (below 45)
Remarks in this band matter most, because a parent reading them is often worried. Be honest about the gap, specific about the next step, and warm about what is working.
Conduct
- Is learning to follow classroom routines and is improving week by week.
- Needs gentle reminders to listen while others speak, and responds well to praise.
- Kind to other children. Working on staying seated and focused during lessons.
Attitude
- Shows determination when given a task in small steps.
- Effort is improving, and finishing work on time is the next goal.
- Becomes discouraged when work is hard but responds well to individual encouragement.
Interest
- Enjoys drawing and storytelling and is happiest in hands-on activities.
- Shows curiosity about the natural world and asks good questions during science.
- Loves sport and music, and these are good ways to build confidence.
Class teacher
- Kwame found this term difficult, but there are real signs of progress in reading. We recommend short reading sessions at home each evening. Please come and see me so we can plan support together.
- Marks are low in mathematics, mainly because of gaps in earlier topics. With extra practice on multiplication and place value, we expect improvement next term.
Head teacher
- We believe in you. Work closely with your teacher and keep trying.
- Progress takes time, and you have made a start. The school and your family will support you.
Using the bank well
A remark that appears word for word on two consecutive terms is noticed by parents, and by the parents of struggling children first. Use the bank for the first draft, then add one detail only you know: the poem recited at assembly, the improvement in handwriting, the way the child helped a new classmate.
How a school can set this up in SwiftSapp
SwiftSapp does not impose a grading scale on you. Here is what exists in the product today, so you can judge the fit for your own school.
Grading scale. The school defines its own bands: a minimum score, a maximum score, a grade and a remark. Scores run from 0 to 100, and the system refuses a band that overlaps an existing one. Each subject's grade and remark on the card come from this table. If a school has not defined a scale, the system falls back to a nine-point default, so set your own before the first term's cards.
Remarks library. Conduct, attitude, interest, class teacher and head teacher remarks come from a library in four tiers, matched to the child's average score for the term at 80 and above, 60 to 79, 45 to 59, and below 45. A single action prefills a whole class, choosing one remark per field per child from the matching tier. By default it only fills fields that are blank, so it will not overwrite remarks a teacher has already written unless you ask it to.
Per-class switches. Overall position, subject position, subject grade, aggregate and skill assessments can each be turned on or off for each class.
Skill assessments. For classes that use them, the default rating scale is U for Usually, G for Good Progress, W for Working on Skill and NA for Not Applicable. Schools can edit the scale.
On the card. The printed report carries the remarks table with conduct, attitude, interest, class teacher's remark and head teacher's remark, the grading table, and signature blocks for the class teacher and head teacher. Teachers can edit any remark for any child before cards are generated, and every change is recorded against the person who made it.
Cards generate as PDFs and are released to parents as a separate, deliberate step, so nobody sees a card before you are ready. Parents then see the card in the parent app. See what the platform includes for the rest of the academics module, and stop chasing teachers for marks for how marks get in on time.
SwiftSapp is partner-subsidised and free to schools through the 2026/2027 academic year, with report cards included. After that we will offer competitive pricing, and you can read the current position on the pricing page.
A one-term checklist for head teachers
- Confirm the grading scale covers 0 to 100 with no overlaps, and that it is printed on the card.
- Decide which classes print position, aggregate and skills.
- Give teachers the remark bank and a deadline for edits.
- Read the top and bottom of each class before release.
- Check that every subject has a score for every child.
- Release on the day you promised parents.
If you would like to see your own scale and remarks set up on a real class, book a demo.
