Help us improve Litsee

With your permission, Google Analytics measures visits and Microsoft Clarity records clicks, scrolling and page interactions. Form inputs and page text are masked in recordings. We do not enable advertising cookies.

You can change your choice using Cookie settings. Privacy policy · Google privacy · Microsoft privacy

LitseeLog in

FREE NON-CHRONOLOGICAL REPORT TEMPLATE · KS1 AND KS2

Non-chronological report template for KS1 and KS2

Plan a non-chronological report in sections, with a sub-heading and facts for each. Fill in the template online with prompts for your child’s year group and print it, then check the features of a non-chronological report for KS1 and KS2.

Plan it online, then print it

Your plan is not saved. Nothing you type here is stored or sent anywhere. It stays on this page only until you close or refresh it, so print your plan when you have finished.

Written for non-chronological report writing. The prompts change with the year group.

  1. 1. Title and introduction

    A title, then an introduction that says what the subject is and why it is interesting.

  2. 2. Sub-heading 1

    First sub-heading and its facts. What it looks like, or where it is found, is a good place to start.

  3. 3. Sub-heading 2

    Second sub-heading and its facts, with any technical words you will need to explain.

  4. 4. Sub-heading 3

    Third sub-heading: something surprising, such as how it survives the winter.

  5. 5. Conclusion and extras

    A short conclusion or a “Did you know?” box, and a picture with labels.

Prints one A4 page with the report plan and the prompts for Years 3–4. To keep a copy, choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print window.

Features of a non-chronological report

Purpose: To give the reader facts about a topic, organised by subject rather than by time.

What children are usually taught to include at each stage. These lists are Litsee’s guidance, based on common UK primary practice; the curriculum quotations below are the statutory part.

KS1 (Years 1–2)

Ages 5–7

  • A title that says what the report is about
  • Facts, not a story
  • Pictures with labels
  • Sentences that start with the subject (Hedgehogs eat…)
  • Written in the present tense
  • Questions and answers to organise the facts

Years 3–4

Ages 7–9

  • A title and an introduction that explains the subject
  • Sub-headings that group facts by topic, not by time
  • The present tense and the third person
  • Technical vocabulary for the subject
  • Facts and examples rather than opinions
  • Pictures, diagrams and captions
  • A short conclusion or a “Did you know?” box

Years 5–6

Ages 9–11

  • An introduction that classifies the subject
  • Paragraphs that each begin with a topic sentence
  • Formal, impersonal language
  • Technical vocabulary with a glossary
  • Relative clauses and expanded noun phrases to give detail concisely
  • Layout devices such as headings, bullet points, tables and fact boxes
  • Facts checked in more than one source
  • A conclusion that links the information together

In the National Curriculum

  • “being introduced to non-fiction books that are structured in different ways”

    Year 2, Reading – comprehension (statutory)

  • “in non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices [for example, headings and sub-headings]”

    Years 3 and 4, Writing – composition (statutory)

  • “using further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader [for example, headings, bullet points, underlining]”

    Years 5 and 6, Writing – composition (statutory)

  • “using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely”

    Years 5 and 6, Writing – vocabulary, grammar and punctuation (statutory)

Worked example: Hedgehogs

A worked example written for this page, at the level of Years 3–4: first the plan, then the piece written from it.

  1. 1. Title and introduction

    Hedgehogs: small, prickly mammals in gardens, parks and hedgerows across the UK. Interesting because they hibernate.

  2. 2. Sub-heading 1

    Appearance: thousands of spines, which are stiff, hollow hairs. Rolls into a tight ball when frightened.

  3. 3. Sub-heading 2

    Habitat and food: nocturnal. Eats invertebrates such as beetles, caterpillars and earthworms. Explain “nocturnal” and “invertebrate”.

  4. 4. Sub-heading 3

    Winter: hibernates from about November to March in a nest of dry leaves. Heartbeat slows and body cools to save energy.

  5. 5. Conclusion and extras

    Did you know? Gardeners cut small holes in fences, called hedgehog highways, so hedgehogs can travel between gardens. Labelled drawing.

The finished piece: Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs are small, prickly mammals that live in gardens, parks and hedgerows all over the UK. They are one of the few British mammals that hibernate.

Appearance. A hedgehog is covered in thousands of sharp spines, which are actually stiff, hollow hairs. When it is frightened, it rolls into a tight ball so that only the spines are showing.

Habitat and food. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means they sleep in the day and come out at night. They snuffle through leaves and grass looking for invertebrates (animals without backbones), such as beetles, caterpillars and earthworms.

Winter. From about November to March, hedgehogs hibernate in nests of dry leaves. Their heartbeat slows down and their bodies cool, so they use very little energy.

Did you know? Hedgehogs can travel a long way in one night. Some gardeners cut small holes in their fences, called hedgehog highways, so that hedgehogs can move from garden to garden.

How to use this plan at home or in class

A non-chronological report gives facts about a subject, organised by topic rather than by time. A report about hedgehogs has a section on what they look like, one on what they eat and one on winter, and the sections could come in almost any order. That is what “non-chronological” means, and it is the key difference from a recount, a diary or a newspaper report, which all follow the order of events.

The most useful planning skill is sorting. Ask your child to collect facts first, one per sticky note or one per line, then sort them into groups. Each group becomes a section with a sub-heading. Facts that do not fit any group can go in a “Did you know?” box at the end. The plan above has three sections, which is a good number for most children; add more boxes on paper if a topic needs them.

In KS1, children are introduced to non-fiction books that are structured in different ways, and the curriculum asks Year 2 to look at how they work. A KS1 report can be a page of labelled drawings with a sentence for each, or a set of questions and answers (“What do hedgehogs eat? They eat beetles and worms.”). Use the present tense and start sentences with the subject.

In Years 3 and 4, add a title, an introduction and sub-headings, which the curriculum names as simple organisational devices for non-narrative writing. Introduce technical vocabulary and explain it for the reader. Facts should be in the present tense and the third person, without opinions such as “hedgehogs are the best animal”.

In Years 5 and 6, the writing becomes more formal and more compact. Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence that says what it is about. Expanded noun phrases and relative clauses carry several facts in one sentence (“hedgehogs, which are nocturnal mammals, …”), and layout devices such as bullet points, tables, diagrams and a glossary guide the reader. Teach children to check each fact in a second source and to write notes in their own words rather than copying sentences.

Reports fit almost every topic in the curriculum, from the Romans and volcanoes to rainforests and the solar system. At home, let your child choose a subject they already know a lot about, such as a favourite animal or sport, so the planning is about organising rather than research. In class, plan a shared report together first, then let pupils plan their own on a related subject.

Sources

The quotations in “In the National Curriculum” are copied word for word from these documents, with the year and section each applies to. The features lists, prompts, advice and worked example are Litsee’s guidance.

How this page was made

The plans, features lists and worked examples were drafted with AI help and checked against the National Curriculum by Litsee. Spotted something to improve? Email info@litsee.com.

The planner runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved, stored or sent anywhere, and it disappears when you close or refresh the page.

Last reviewed: .

Questions parents and teachers ask

What is a non-chronological report?

A piece of non-fiction writing that gives facts about a subject, organised into sections by topic rather than in time order. Examples include a report about an animal, a country or a period of history.

What are the features of a non-chronological report for KS2?

A title, an introduction, sub-headings that group the facts, the present tense and third person, technical vocabulary, pictures or diagrams with captions, and a conclusion. Years 5 and 6 add topic sentences, a glossary and layout devices such as bullet points and tables.

What is the difference between a non-chronological report and a newspaper report?

A newspaper report tells what happened at an event, mostly in time order and in the past tense. A non-chronological report gives general facts about a subject, grouped by topic and in the present tense.

What are good topics for a non-chronological report in Year 3 or Year 4?

Animals, planets, countries, a historical period from the class topic, or the child’s own hobby. A subject with clear groups of facts, such as appearance, habitat and diet, is easiest to plan.

From plan to story: let your child steer an interactive story.

In Litsee, your child creates the hero, picks the world and chooses what happens next in an illustrated story that is read aloud. Try Litsee free for 7 days (card needed).

Try Litsee free for 7 days

See plans and pricing · How Litsee works