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What is a non-chronological report?

A non-chronological report is a non-fiction report which is not written in time order.

All of the following information texts are written in time order:  

• Explanation - this is a text about a process which happens or happened in a certain order, such as the water cycle or the events of a battle.
• Recount - this is a time ordered re-telling of something that has happened in real life, such as a school trip or the life of Gandhi.
• Instructions - this is a text including numbered points on how to do something, such as cook a meal or put up some shelves.

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A non-chronological report is focused on a single topic and includes various facts about this topic. Children may be asked to read and / or write non-chronological reports about a country, animal, religion, planet or sport.

Working with non-chronological reports in primary school

Teachers would start by showing children a range of reports and asking them to look at the features. 

The features of a non-chronological report  include some of the following:  

• An eye-catching heading in a large font
• An introductory paragraph
• Text split up into paragraphs and each paragraph on a different aspect of the subject
• Sub-headings for each paragraph
• Usually written in present tense
• Pictures of the subject
• Captions under each picture to explain what is in the picture
• Diagrams with labels
• Lists of facts in bullet points
• Graphs or charts showing information about the subject
• Boxes containing interesting individual facts to grab the attention of the reader
• Technical vocabulary in bold, possibly with a glossary at the end

Children will spend some time text-marking the features on different reports and comparing how they are set out. The next step will be for children to choose or be given a topic to research.

Teachers will then encourage them to edit and improve their writing. The teacher may mark the work and write suggestions, or children may be put into pairs to edit each other's work. 

Children then need to think about the layout of their report. They need to think about all the above features and what they would like to include. A teacher may encourage children to draw up a plan of how they would like their report to look.

Children then produce their reports in 'neat', writing up their improved paragraphs and including eye-catching headings and pictures.

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Non-chronological reports

What is a non-chronological report.

A non-chronological report is a non-fiction text that is not written in time order. They are written to give information on a particular subject or event, without actually referring to the order in which things happen. Non-chronological reports are often referred to as information texts as they give factual information about the topic or event.

Instructions are not an example of a non-chronological report since it would be impossible to follow them correctly were they not in the correct order. Similarly, explanation texts are also presented in time order so are not non-chronological reports.

Below is an example of a non-chronological report taking from our Lost in the Rainforest Non-Chronological Reports scheme for Year 3.

What are the features of a non-chronological report?

Here are the key features of non-chronologicl reports. Not all non-chronological reports will contain every single feature listed below but they will include some of them.

1. A heading - The heading should be nice and big so it catches the readers eye. It should make it very clear to the reader what the non-chronological report is about. Sometimes, the heading can take the form of a question which then the non-chronological report answers.

2. An introductory paragraph - This paragraph gives an overview of the topic the non-chronological report is about. It is found just below the heading and before the main body of the report.

3. Subheadings - Non-chronological reports are laid out in pargraphs. Each paragraph focusses on a different aspect of the topic of the report. So that the reader knows what each paragraph is about, subheadings are used as signposts. They enable the reader to quickly find the part of the non-chronological report they are interested in finding out about. These subheadings can, like the heading, also take the form of questions.

4. Paragraphs - Non-chronological reports are organised into paragraphs. Each paragraph focusses on a different aspect of the subject being discussed.

5. Technical vocabulary - Non-chronological reports often contain topic specific vocabulary. These may not be known to the reader and are thus either explained within the report itself or are sometimes listed in the glossary found at the back of the information book. Children need to be taught this topic-specific vocabulary explicitly so that they can use it with confidence in their non-chronological report writing.

6. Images with captions - These could be photographs, illustrations or diagrams with labels. The images have captions. The captions help the reader to understand what the image is showing.

7. Written in the third person - Non-chronological reports are written in the third person and have a formal tone.

8. Formal language - The purpose of this type of writing is to give facts rather than opinions. Therefore, non-chronological reports use formal language.

9. Present tense - Non-chronological reports are normally written in the present tense unless they are writing about an event that has happened in the past.

Here at PlanBee, we have created this FREE Features of Non-Chronological Reports Poster for you to download and use in your classroom:

How are children taught about non-chronological reports?

Here are the stages children will typically go through when learning to write a non-chronological report:

Stage 1 - Reading and Analysing

The beginning of a unit on non-chronological reports will usually involve reading a range of high quality examples of the text type. Children will identify features that are common to non-chronological reports (see above) and will draw up a list of success criteria for good non-chronological reports. At this stage of the teaching sequence, children will often be required to compare non-chronological reports. Using a bad example (often written by the teacher); children can then see why the key features of non-chronological reports are needed.

Teachers will often share a WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) with the children at this stage in order to identify the key features of the text type. We have a teaching Wiki on WAGOLL to help:

Stage 2 - Research

The next stage children will often be involved with is researching using information texts. For children to be able to write a quality non-chronological report on a topic, they will obviously need to know lots about that topic. Therefore, children will need to use a range of texts on the topic to become experts in it. Note taking, bullet pointing and answering comprhension questions using non-chronological reports could all happen at this stage. The topic precific vocabulary needed will also need to be understood by the children.

Stage 3 - Sentence level work

By this point, the children will have a good understanding of the key features of non-chronological reports and will have researched the topic so that they can write with confidence about it. In this next stage, children will normally focus on a sentence level objective that the class is working on. For example, in Year 4 children might practice using fronted adverbials in their factual sentences while in year 2, work on using conjunctions might take place. They will then apply this sentence level work to their writing at length later in the unit.

Stage 4 - Planning and drafting  

Children will then typically use a planner of some description to plan out the paragraphs they will be writing in their non-chronological report. They will think about what the heading, subeadings and content of each paragraph will be. Once this has taken place, children will use their plan to draft their non-chronological report. They will have access to word banks, sentence starters and their research undertaken previosuly to help them.

Stage 5 - Editing

Once children have drafted their non-chronological report, they will then typically be involved with editing and impoving their writing. A really useful way of doing this is through the use of editing stations. There is a very useful teaching Wiki and a FREE pack full of word banks, posters and other resources that you can download. The links to these are here:

Stage 6 - Presentation and evaluation

The final stage of the writing process will be children writing up their non-chronological report. They may do this on special paper and have more creative freedom over the layout and presentation. Children will then evaluate their own and each others' writing in relation to the success criteria drawn up in the first stage of the unit (see stage 1 - research). This writing will often be mounted and displayed as a celebration of children's achievements.

Resources to support the teaching of non-chronological reports

Here at PlanBee, we have a huge range of materials that you can use to support your teaching of non-chronological reports:

Non-chronological reports Year 2

Children in Year 2 will write simple information texts related to a topic they are learning about with headings and factual sentences. They may be provided with a frame to support them writing in paragraphs with subheadings.

Non-chronological reports KS2

As children progress through KS2, their non chronological reports will become more sophisticated and show a greater use of the key features of this text type. In Year 3, the use of the key features may still need to be heavily scaffolded by the teacher but as children progress, their use of these will become more independent.

LESSON PACK Castles - Non-chronological reports (Year 2)

LESSON PACK Lost in the Rainforest - Non-chronological reports (Year 3)

FREE Features of a Non-Chronological Report Poster

FREE Editing Station Poster Pack

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Writing for a Purpose: Non-Chronological Report Overview

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Visual aid/Display

Last updated

23 April 2023

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“Writing for a Purpose: Non-Chronological Report” is a learning resource designed to support Key Stage 2 students in understanding the features and structure of non-chronological report writing. Non-chronological reports are a type of informative writing that present factual information on a specific topic, but not in chronological order.

This resource breaks down the main features of a non-chronological report, such as the use of headings, subheadings, facts, and technical vocabulary, and explains how they should be used. The resource includes a real-life example of a non-chronological report to help students identify the features and structure of the genre.

The resource can be used as a tool during English lessons to introduce students to non-chronological report writing and teach them how to write their own reports. Teachers can use the resource to model how to structure a non-chronological report and highlight the importance of factual information, clear organisation, and technical language. Students can then practice writing their own reports on a range of topics, applying what they have learned from the resource.

In addition to English lessons, “Writing for a Purpose: Non-Chronological Report” can also support scaffold writing across the curriculum. Students can use non-chronological reports to present information in science, history, geography, and other subjects. This resource can help students understand how to structure and organize their writing in a clear and informative way.

Overall, “Writing for a Purpose: Non-Chronological Report” is an excellent learning resource for Key Stage 2 students to develop their informative writing skills and understand the features of non-chronological reports. It provides clear explanations, examples, and practice opportunities to support students in their writing across the curriculum.

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Writing for a Purpose: Exploring Non-Fiction Genres

"Writing for a Purpose: Exploring Non-Fiction Genres" is a comprehensive learning resource designed to assist Key Stage 2 students in understanding and mastering 11 forms of writing. This resource covers a range of genres, including Imagery Poems, Diary Recounts, News Report Recounts, Film Reviews, Balanced Arguments, Non-chronological Reports, Tourism Information Posters, Comics, Adverts, Instructions, and Local Traditional Songs. The resource provides an in-depth exploration of each genre, highlighting their key features and attributes. For example, Imagery Poems are described as a form of expression that uses sensory language to create vivid images in the reader's mind. The other genres are similarly explained, with examples and exemplars provided to help students understand how to construct effective pieces of writing. Teachers can use this resource to introduce each genre, provide guidance on how to create effective pieces of writing, and offer examples for students to follow. The resource is ideal for use in English lessons, but can also be applied to other subjects to encourage and scaffold writing. Overall, "Writing for a Purpose: Exploring Non-Fiction Genres" is an invaluable resource for students looking to improve their writing skills and understand different forms of writing.

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Non-chronological reports – Teaching ideas for KS1/2 writing

Support children as they get their facts straight, with this guide to presenting information clearly and accurately.

By Sue Drury

Last updated 14 October 2020

Facts matter. In a world when it seems that unsubstantiated ideas can be tossed around like confetti, it feels particularly important to be able to coach children in the discipline of collating and presenting accurate information.

The bedrock of factual writing at Key Stage 1 and 2 is the non-chronological report. While there are limits to the amount of original or primary-source information we could expect them to research, it’s never too early to learn the basics of presenting knowledge clearly and logically.

If you want some tips and resources for helping you to teach non chronological writing effectively, here are some ideas we think you might like to know about.

What is a non-chronological report?

Writing a non-chronological report is all about describing things the way they are. Although they might deal with historical information, the key is in presenting the current state of knowledge without necessarily worrying about the order in which things happened or were discovered, hence the non-chronological aspect. So, for example, you could write about either African animals or Roman Gods as non-chronological reports, even though the latter would be part of a history topic, because they would both reflect our current understanding.

There is a place for other types of report, such as instructions, recounts and explanations, which tend to be chronological, but those can be taught as genres in their own right in another lesson.

How to structure a non-chronological report?

The absence of a chronological order/arrangement of ideas does not mean an absence of order. One of the key structural features of a non-chronological report is logic. It has to be presented to the reader in a way that makes sense and is easy to follow and, to achieve that, you need a plan. But, in order to know how to successfully plan a non-chronological report before writing one, it will really help for pupils to see what they’re aiming for.

Non-chronological report examples

When you’re teaching how to tackle any genre of writing, but especially one with as many characteristic features as a non-chronological report, it’s important to allow your class to see some good examples.

Of course, you should be able to find these in non-fiction books, but how often have you set off to look for a suitable extract that you think should be easy to find, only to realise that you’re already an hour into your quest and nothing seems quite right?

This is where our model text units can help. We have 100 new model text units for years 3-6, covering a wide range of topics and genres, including examples of non-chronological reports, so the chances are that you’ll be able find a great resource pack among them that covers everything you need.

Active reading of report writing

Reading them should not be a passive experience. If you want your pupils to be able to use some key features of the report successfully, they need to be able to understand and identify them first. Once again, our model text units can help you here as you can be confident that they will include the sort of features you would like to see in your pupils’ work. That gives them the chance to ‘pick apart’ the model texts themselves to find the features and see how they contribute to the overall piece.

Features of a non-chronological report

Obviously, the expectations will be different, depending on the age group, but some aspects are pretty constant, such as the arrangement of the available material. Headings and subheadings will be useful for this from Key Stage 1 onwards and these can be worded as correctly punctuated question sentences.

As they grow in confidence and competence, pupils should begin to group information logically into different paragraphs. These reports are also a great opportunity to encourage them to use the correct verb tense or tenses to express their points. Other grammatical features can be introduced at the appropriate age level.

Another idea would be to promote the use of layout devices such as illustrations, tables, bullet points and maybe even the odd fact file.

How to plan a non-chronological report

The effective organisation of the material will absolutely depend on the quality of the plan. There are plenty of ways of doing this but a key feature of non-chronological reports in whichever style is used will be the corralling of information into different sections. This is also a great genre for practising the art of writing brief notes and giving them permission not to compose full sentences in this context. Our model text units are great for this because they include ready-made paragraph planners and research sheets. For example, see our Animals worksheet unit for Key Stage 1 pupils and our Mythical Creatures version for Key Stage 2.

Non-chronological report writing

Obviously, you will want your class to use some key features of the report successfully. However, as you model how to write a non-chronological report for them, make sure you also place an emphasis on writing in an engaging way that really demonstrates an understanding of their audience. After all, non-fiction should not be a synonym for dry and functional. Indeed, there is a rising trend in the popularity of non-fiction books, which suggests they are being read for pleasure as well as enlightenment.

Non-chronological report success criteria

Above all, you want to make sure that your KS1 and KS2 students understand the importance of facts and respect the need to convey information clearly and accurately. With any luck, not only will they blossom into effective writers, but they will also be better at judging what they are reading with a critical eye. Hopefully, we will then create a generation of people who are better at knowing when it can trust the information they are being presented with.

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Non-chronological report – 7 of the best KS1/KS2 examples, worksheets and resources

Get children’s report writing in order, even if it’s not in chronological order, with these lesson ideas, activities and other resources for primary English…

What is a non-chronological report?

A non-chronological report is a piece of text that isn’t written in time order. They tend to be non-fiction, and they give information on subjects or events.

1  |  Animals non-chronological report pack for KS1

Teach Year 1 and 2 children how to write engaging non-chronological reports with this KS1 text types resource pack.

In it you’ll find sheets to help them plan against success criteria, descriptions of what a non-chronological report should include, two detailed model texts and collections of facts about lions that children can use to create their own non-chronological reports.

Find all this here.

2  |  Mythical creatures non-chronological report pack for KS2

And for Year 3-6 this pack covers all the same bases, and includes a range of images of mythical creatures to inspire their own non-chronological report writing.

Get this pack here.

3  |  Non-chronological report medium-term plan for Year 2

This 3-week sequence for KS1 is a sample resource from No Nonsense Literacy, where the key learning outcome is to write a non-chronological report about an animal of interest, and uses  Penguins  by Emily Bone.

In it, you will use an object that pupils are interested in, such as a toy car, to talk about its features. What it is made of, who might use it and why? They should then write a report about the car, to include a diagram.

It covers reading, writing, grammar and spoken language.

Download it here.

4  |  How to write a non-chronological report KS1/KS2

In this BBC Teach article Sonali Shah demonstrates the process of planning, writing and editing a sports story that she is working on about ‘What happens in a footballer’s medical?’

She takes you through the process from start to finish; identifying the key features of non-chronological writing and emphasising the importance of researching, drafting and proof-reading in her job as a sports journalist.

She also explains how important it is to engage the reader by using appropriate vocabulary.

Keywords and examples are presented on the screen to support pupils writing in this genre.

Check it out here.

5  |  Non-chronological report examples

As ever, if you want a big selection of ‘what a good one looks like’ examples, just head to Literacy Wagoll.

Its collection of non-chronological report examples include everything from polar bears and ancient Greeks to space school, The Day of the Dead and the fictional poison mantis frog.

Check out the whole collection here.

6  |  Features of a non-chronological report PowerPoint

Run through what goes into non-chronological reports with you class with this handy PowerPoint presentation.

It looks at the criteria for report writing, a good opening sentence, organising your notes, using sub-headings and more.

Click here to download (142kb).

7  |  Sports non-chronological report template

This writing frame will support children with creating their own factfile on a sport of their choice.

It includes prompts and suggested sections.

Download and print here.

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Non-Chronological Reports

Comic Life and Non Chronological Reports

This lesson is designed to inspire your children to write non-chronological reports and organise it using a comic theme.

To view the full lesson plan click here .

Video Report

This video report is a great introduction to your non chronological reports. It explores three different aspects of Madrid and gives different facts about each just like a written report would.

Features in Detail

Explore many of the features of non chronological reports in more detail with many examples to help your children grasp the key points more effectively.

This resources explores some of the main features of a non chronological report. If you give an example of a non chronological report to your children, they can look for some of these features.

This animation video shows a struggling inventor called Sherman who is in need of inspiration for developing his flying machine.

Overlooking earth are a group of aliens who are monitoring Sherman’s progression. As the story develops, we learn that aliens were responsible for all major inventions throughout history. The aliens implant Sherman with the knowledge to create his flying machine with a twist.

Lesson Idea:

Create a Non-chronological report based on inventions throughout the years.

In the United Kingdom we are lucky enough to have 18 species of bat. Bats are a great topic to base a non-chronological report on as it gives the children the freedom to research a few different species of bat and find out facts.

You could also allow the children to choose one of the species and write a report on it for a more in-depth study. To have a look at an example of a vampire bat non-chronological report  Click Here . To download fact sheets for the 18 species of bat  Click Here .

Whales journey throughout all of the world’s oceans, communicating with complex and mysterious sounds. Their sheer size amazes us: the blue whale can reach lengths of more than 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tonnes—as much as 33 elephants.

Despite living in the water, whales breathe air. And like humans, they are warm-blooded mammals who nurse their young. A thick layer of fat called blubber insulates them from cold ocean waters.

Some whales are known as baleen whales. These include the blue, right, bowhead, sei and gray whales. This refers to the fact that they have special bristle-like structures in their mouths (called baleen) that strains food from the water. Other whales, such as beluga or sperm whales, have teeth.

This is a great opportunity for your KS1 children to learn about non-chronological reports and whales.

There are two types of whales (baleen and toothed), but many different species of whales for the children to learn about and research.

The children love learning about whales and it captivates both boys and girls. To download the Powerpoint  Click Here . To download the Whale fact sheets  Click Here . To listen to whale calls  Click Here . To learn more about whales from the WWF  Click Here .

Famous People

Check out our resources linked to a variety of famous people from the past to the present. You can use the information from a range of sources to help write a non-chronological report linked to the topic famous people.

It is estimated that there were once more than 350 species of elephants in the world. Today we only have two of them left – the Asian and the Africa species.

These video, image and text resources explore the difference between Asian and African elephants and are suitable for non-chronological reports for your Ks1 class.

If you are creating non chronological reports on animals, check out our resources by following the link.

It may be popular in your class or it may not. If it is, what better way to introduce your report writing with this example of a Pokemon Report.

Your class can choose a Pokemon or create their own and write a non-chronological report about it.

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