Rationale
Research over a number of years has shown that homework or home activities can make an important contribution to a child’s progress in school. It extends the challenge open to all pupils and ensures that teaching time is used to maximum effect. We believe that homework helps to develop critical skills including time management, organisation and thinking skills.
AIMS / PURPOSES
- To develop the pupil’s ability to work independently, to be self-motivating, well organised and be able to manage their own time e.g. links to longer projects.
- To develop skills of researching, organising and presenting work.
- To extend work being done in class, particularly the reinforcement of new concepts and skills. In a widening curriculum, it is sometimes difficult to fit everything into lesson contact time.
- To help bring about a more effective partnership between home and school by giving parents increased awareness of content, method and pupils’ ability levels.
- To try and ensure that any lack of commitment/effort is balanced by extra effort at home.
- To develop the habit of regular work at home so that good routines are established in readiness for transfer to High School.
GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS / STAFF
Homework is an integral part of the curriculum and not completing homework may hinder children’s progress in lessons. Information gathered for homework may be important at the start of the next lesson. It may reinforce skills and concepts that have already been learnt. Therefore it is imperative that pupils complete homework.
How parents can help with homework:
- By encouraging positive attitudes towards learning and self-discipline.
- By providing a quiet area in which to work. This is easier said than done in some cases, but very necessary.
- By actively helping and supporting where appropriate; you may not be able to help your child with the content on a piece of work but you can offer support and encouragement.
- By consulting the pupil’s planner to check when homework is set and due
Staff can help those parents who wish to support a homework policy:
- By providing parents with information (in pupil planner) indicating when homework is to be set and collected by the teacher. We try to ‘space out’ homework allocation as evenly as possible to avoid a build-up of homework.
- By providing each pupil with a Pupil Planner in which details of all homework set are clearly written down.
When and how much homework is set?
The amount of homework given will need to reflect pupil age and ability. Not all homework will necessarily call for a written response; it may be appropriate to set reading, researching and viewing tasks occasionally as the opportunity arises. At certain times during the year homework will not be set; for example, parental consultation weeks, assessment weeks and pantomime week. At these times there are other resources available (My Maths, Hegarty Maths, Accelerated Reader, Spelling Shed and TT Rockstars) should you wish to give your child some opportunity to reinforce their learning. Pupils may also receive electronic homework using their Ipads.
Year 5 and Year 6 Homework will be set each week:
- English will typically be
Daily Reading to be recorded in planner and signed by parent at the end of each week.
1 x week spelling
1 x week Skills or extended literacy assignment.
- Maths will typically be:
1 x week electronic and/or paper based task relevant to maths topics. Children can attend Homework club and have access to IT to complete computer based homework.
- Take Away Homework which will include Science
This is a variety of tasks that year 5 and 6 children can select independently to complete.
Year 7 and Year 8 Homework will be set each week:
- English will typically be:
Daily Reading to be recorded in planner and signed by parent at the end of each week.
1 x week Skills or extended literacy assignment.
- Maths will typically be:
1 x week electronic and/or paper based task relevant to maths topics. Children can attend Homework club and have access to IT to complete computer based homework.
- Languages
1 x week written or vocabulary
- Science
1 x weekly
- Foundation Subjects
At least two pieces of homework each half term. This will include Humanities, RE or Be Spirited, Technology, Art, Computing, Music and PE.
Monitoring of homework
All pupils must record homework set in planners. If core subjects (maths and English) are not setting homework this should also be recorded in planners. Class teachers, as well as Key Stage Managers, will check planners periodically as part of the internal monitoring systems in school.
Pupils who fail to complete homework will be asked to complete tasks in school during break times and may be kept in by their subject teacher. Where there is a persistent problem, contact will be made with parents and a meeting arranged if necessary to provide any support that may be needed.