Homework

Learning at home is an essential part of a good education. Regular homework is important since it gives the pupils the opportunity to practise tasks completed in class and helps towards extending and improving skills, it also encourages children to become confident and independent in their learning, which will help in school and later life. Homework activities are an important part of the home/school partnership. All children are expected to take part in homework tasks to enhance and support their class work. We believe that children progress more effectively when parents and school work together.

Aims of homework are to:

• Develop an effective partnership between school and home.

• Ensure that parents are clear about what their child is expected to do.

• Extend the quality of learning experience for the pupils.

• Consolidate and reinforce skills that children develop in school.

• Encourage children to develop confidence, self-discipline and independence.

• Prepare children for secondary school.

• Utilise resources for learning of all kinds, at home.

• Use homework as a tool, to help continue to raise standards of attainment.

• Encourage pupils and parents to share and enjoy their learning experiences.

• Ensure that the homework is useful and linked directly to the curriculum being taught.

• Promote creativity in home learning.

• Encourage children to complete homework through praise and rewards.

Guidelines

• Children should read regularly at home for 20 minutes daily. Younger children should read aloud to an adult.

• In years Reception – Year 4, adults should sign the child’s reading diary daily as evidence that the child has read. In Year 5/6, children should write a summary in their book every day and parents should sign the diary once a week.  

• The times tables that children are learning that week should be written out daily.

• Spellings that the children are learning that week should be written out daily.

• A choice homework will be set and stuck into the children’s blue book weekly. Children only need to complete one of those activities per week.  

• Year 5/6 children will be set a weekly page of maths homework.  

• Individual programmes can be initiated by the teacher with the agreement of a parent where it would be beneficial for an individual child.

• We recognise that many valuable learning experiences are initiated both at home and within the community. Therefore, or with that in mind, children should be encouraged to participate in after school clubs or attend activities within the community.

Parental Involvement

Whilst homework should be completed by the child, we encourage parents to take an active interest in homework activities. Parents may help to support their children by helping them to generate ideas, providing a quiet place for their child to work, providing them with resources or advice to help them be successful or checking a homework task once it has been completed.  

Monitoring

Homework is marked every week by the class teacher and is displayed as often as possible. House points and rewards are awarded for effort and completion.