How to approach reference letters

  • 6 min read
How to approach reference letters

Strong reference letters are built from evidence, not general praise.

When subject teachers provide clear, specific input, the final reference can represent a student fairly and credibly. This guide explains how to provide evidence-based subject reference content, how to approach predicted grades responsibly, and how to describe skills in a way that can support university applications.

Why reference letters matter

A strong reference letter helps universities understand what a student is like as a learner, not just what grades they have achieved.

The best references are specific. They show how a student thinks, works, improves, contributes, and responds to academic challenges. For subject teachers and school staff, this means giving clear examples that connect the student’s skills to real evidence from classwork, assessments, projects, discussion, research, or practical tasks.

This guide explains how to approach reference input in a way that is fair, useful, and evidence based. It also shows how to make predicted grades credible, how to avoid vague praise, and how to turn subject knowledge into examples a final reference writer can use.

What subject reference input should do

Subject input should help the final reference writer understand:

  • What the student has shown in your subject.
  • What skills or traits they have developed.
  • What evidence supports those skills.
  • Why the evidence matters for future study.
  • What predicted grade is realistic and defensible.

A strong contribution gives enough detail to be useful without needing follow-up.

How to approach predicted grades

Predicted grades should be optimistic but realistic. They should stretch appropriately, but they must remain credible.

They should be based on:

  • Current performance.
  • Assessment evidence.
  • Progress over time.
  • Professional judgment.
  • The student's likely trajectory.

They should not be based on:

  • Parental pressure.
  • Student pressure.
  • What the student needs for a preferred university.
  • A desire to make the application look stronger.
  • A grade that the evidence cannot support.

Predicted grades should be submitted by the end of June 2026, where this deadline applies. They may be reviewed up to the end of September if later evidence changes the picture or if a country-specific application process requires further detail.

If a predicted grade changes, tell the reference lead or counselor clearly. Do not change a grade without communicating it.

Predicted grade decision tree

Is this predicted grade defensible?

Escalate uncertainty, disagreement, or pressure around grades to the reference lead or relevant senior staff member.

What counts as useful evidence

Evidence should be specific, subject-based, and connected to the claim being made.

Strong evidence can include:

  • Assessment outcomes.
  • Coursework or marked tasks.
  • Projects, essays, presentations, or practical work.
  • Independent reading or research.
  • Class contributions.
  • Improvement over time.
  • Performance under challenge.
  • Problem-solving in unfamiliar tasks.
  • Subject-specific written, oral, practical, or technical work.

Weak evidence includes:

  • Generic praise.
  • Unsupported adjectives.
  • Personality descriptions without academic proof.
  • Student or parent aspiration.
  • Vague effort.
  • Predicted need rather than demonstrated performance.
  • Claims that could apply to almost any student.

Use the skills, evidence, and impact model

Every skill claim should include three parts.

Turn a skill claim into reference evidence

For example:

Part Example
Skill Critical thinking.
Evidence The student evaluated competing interpretations in assessed essays.
Impact This shows they can handle complex academic arguments, which is important for university-level study.

Avoid empty skill labels. A sentence such as "The student is analytical" is not enough unless it is supported by proof.

Use the P/E/E/F structure

Each subject example should follow this structure.

Part Question to answer Example prompt
Point What quality, skill, or academic strength are you claiming? The student has developed strong analytical thinking.
Evidence What specific subject proof supports this claim? In assessed essays, they compared competing interpretations and used evidence to support their argument.
Explanation How does the evidence prove the skill? This shows they can move beyond description and make reasoned judgments.
Future relevance Why does this matter for university study or the student's next stage? This will help them engage with complex reading and build independent academic arguments.

P/E/E/F flowchart

Build a stronger subject example

Turn weak statements into evidence-based statements

Skill Weak statement Strong evidence-based statement
Critical thinking Analytical student. Evaluated competing interpretations and consistently achieved high marks in analytical assessments.
Independent learning Works independently. Undertook additional reading beyond the syllabus and incorporated findings into assessed work.
Research Good researcher. Selected reliable sources, synthesized findings, and used them to strengthen an extended written assignment.
Problem solving Solves problems well. Applied unfamiliar methods to complex subject problems and improved accuracy across successive assessments.
Communication Strong communicator. Presented complex ideas clearly in class discussion and structured written responses with precision.
Collaboration Works well with others. Contributed constructively to group tasks by organizing ideas, listening to peers, and helping move the work forward.
Leadership Natural leader. Took responsibility during collaborative work by coordinating roles and ensuring the group met the task requirements.
Resilience Resilient student. Responded to earlier lower assessment outcomes by acting on feedback and improving performance in later tasks.
Intellectual curiosity Curious learner. Asked thoughtful extension questions and explored material beyond the required syllabus.

Make examples subject-specific

Reference examples should sound rooted in the subject. They should not feel interchangeable across Biology, History, Maths, English, Art, or any other subject.

For example:

Subject Stronger evidence might refer to
Biology Practical work, experimental design, data interpretation, scientific reasoning, or accuracy in applying concepts.
History Source evaluation, argument structure, comparison of interpretations, essay evidence, or independent reading.
Maths Method selection, accuracy, unfamiliar problem solving, proof, or improvement across complex tasks.
English Close analysis, written argument, interpretation, language use, or response to feedback.
Art and design Portfolio development, experimentation, visual research, process documentation, or refinement of ideas.

If the evidence could be copied into any subject without changing much, it is probably too general.

Provide two examples per subject

Each subject teacher should provide two strong examples.

Each example should include:

  • A named skill or trait.
  • Concrete subject evidence.
  • An explanation of why the evidence proves the skill.
  • A short link to future study.
  • Any useful context about progress, challenge, independence, or contribution.

Two developed examples are more useful than a long list of vague strengths.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake Why it weakens the reference Better approach
Inflating a predicted grade It can make the application less credible. Use evidence and professional judgment.
Using generic praise It does not show the student's real subject strengths. Give subject-specific examples.
Writing adjective-only claims Words like "excellent" or "hardworking" need proof. Name the task, behavior, or outcome behind the claim.
Focusing only on personality University references need academic evidence. Connect traits to learning, performance, or subject contribution.
Giving one thin example It may not show enough range. Provide two developed examples.
Leaving out future relevance The final reference needs to connect current performance to next steps. Explain why the evidence matters for university study.
Changing grades without communication It can create confusion across applications. Tell the reference lead or counselor about any change.
Writing material that needs follow-up It slows the reference process. Include the skill, evidence, explanation, and future relevance clearly.

Submission checklist

Before submitting reference material, check that you have included:

  • Predicted grade, where relevant.
  • Evidence supporting the predicted grade.
  • Two subject-specific reference examples.
  • A named skill or trait for each example.
  • Concrete evidence for each example.
  • Explanation of why the evidence matters.
  • Future relevance for university study.
  • Any important context about progress, challenge, independence, or contribution.
  • Any concerns, uncertainty, or disagreement that should be escalated.
  • Confirmation that any predicted grade change has been communicated.