Homework
It is important that homework is set appropriately and consistently throughout the school, and that both pupils and parents/carers are clear about what is set and the school’s expectations for its completion. This policy outlines the principles and strategies for the setting of homework.
OUR AIMS
Through the setting of homework we aim to:-
- support the work carried out in the classroom
- provide reinforcement or development as appropriate to a child’s needs in order to further attainment
- allow parents/carers greater involvement in their child’s education and strengthen home/school links
- nurture in our children a sense of responsibility, self-discipline towards work and to develop in them further good work-related habits such as organisational skills
- to encourage basic skills of reading and for children to practise them with an adult
The school is aware of the pressures placed on the home environment and the organisational difficulties that homework can create but the class teachers value the support that parents/carers can give to ensuring that work is undertaken diligently.
The workload should not be such as to overburden a child who has had a long and stimulating day in school, but the class teachers should ensure that any homework set adheres to the principles that tasks be :-
- clearly understood by the child
- realistically time-bonded
- wherever possible, differentiated to meet the needs and abilities of the child
- planned alongside class work
STRATEGIES
The school sends curriculum information out each term to inform parents/carers of the content of their child’s curriculum.
Homework tasks, based in part on DFE guidance, will normally take about 15 minutes for Year 3, 20 minutes for Year 4, 25 minutes for Year 5 and 30 minutes for Year 6. Children will have at least two days to hand the work in. Lengthier pieces of work, such as research, may be allowed longer periods of up to six weeks. Homework is usually set using Google Classroom.
We expect children to read at home on 5 occasions each week.
We try to give practical strategies to children who find difficulty in organising themselves, as well as encouraging the support and co-operation of parents/carers.
Across the course of a week, children in Year 3 will be set a range of homework which may include:
- 1 x spelling & tables (to run continuously across the week in preparation for testing)
- 1 x Maths/Number related work
- 1 x English/Topic related work
- 5 sessions of reading to an adult
In Years 4, 5 & 6 it has been agreed that the following homework may be set:
- 1 x spelling & tables (to run continuously across week in preparation for testing)
- 1 x Maths/Number related work
- 1 or 2 English/Topic related work
- 5 sessions of reading to an adult
The Year 6 staff prepare the children for the demands of the following year by occasionally extending homework tasks over three or four days and by giving multiple homework tasks over a longer period as appropriate. In addition, revision tasks may be given in the Spring term prior to Year 6 SATs.