Homework
How homework is set
Homework will be sent to children through the learning platform, ‘Itslearning’.
Children will be expected to read the task and undertake it either in the relevant dedicated homework book (C.G.P.) or in a homework exercise book.
Why does the school use a learning platform to deliver homework?
- In the 21st century children need skills that will prepare them for a world of rapidly evolving technology and need to be skilled in using web technology and computers for activities other than entertainment.
- Children need to be prepared for the demands of secondary school where homework is frequently delivered on-line. Looking further ahead to higher education children will be required to access most of their educational resources on-line.
- Using a learning platform means that instructions for homework cannot be left in trays, bags or lost on the way home.
- Parents will also be able to check the homework set online.
Homework by Year Group
Learning together is the emphasis for children in EYFS. The activities are Literacy based with a strong emphasis on reading together. It is an ideal time to lay the foundations for continuing work at home.
What type of work do children receive?
Reading
Parents will be informed of the phonemes and high frequency words that the children are learning in school each week. Starting in the autumn term and continuing all year, the main emphasis is on reading at home. This should be done in two ways;
Adults reading to children.
Parents are encouraged to read to their children at home. This allows children to get used to print and stories. Parents should encourage children to point to words as they are being read. Discussion about the books is also important.
Children reading to an adult.
Children will bring simple books home to read to an adult. Again, encouraging the child to point to the words as they are being read is important. Discussing the story and the characters and asking questions about the book is a good way to help develop understanding.
Letter formation.
The Foundation teacher will provide parents with a sheet to support children with letter formation. This shows where to start and finish when forming each letter and what each letter should look like. Giving children the opportunity to practise forming letters with a variety of pens, chalks, felt tips and on a variety of surfaces will give them valuable practice. The important thing is to watch them and correct any mistakes sensitively so they don’t fall into poor habits.
High Frequency words.
Your child’s teacher will send home key words to learn each week. These will be the words learned at school and should be practised further at home. Regularly practising reading and spelling them, looking out for the words in reading books and playing games with them will benefit the child. Activities based around the current topic in class may also be set as homework.
Homework in Years 1 to 6
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Year 1 |
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Years 2-5 |
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Year 6 |
(spelling linked to the pattern learned in school & two words to be learned from the statutory spelling list)
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Project or Topic Work
The teacher may set an ongoing extended project through the learning platform. This may involve the child building up a folder of work (either electronically or on paper) over the course of a term or half-term. The project may involve the use of a variety of computer skills as well as more traditional pen and paper ones and cover a range of subject areas.
Reading
Children may read to an adult, with an adult or read to themselves in the presence of an adult. The story and characters should be talked about and new words discussed. Older children need a clear understanding of the story that sometimes, will go beyond the literal meaning of the text. Children will read texts that are more detailed and will take longer to read. They should be encouraged to read all types of texts including non-fiction. A log stating what was read, and the frequency must be recorded in the home-school diary.
Why are children sometimes given extra homework?
Children who take part in specialised intervention programmes and booster classes may sometimes be set extra homework to reinforce the work being done. Additionally, children who work in a one to one situation with an adult will sometimes be given extra homework. In both cases, children should complete this work alongside their normal homework unless the child or the parents have been told otherwise. If the child is finding they have too much work then parents should speak to the child’s teacher.
What about children who don’t complete homework?
The expectation is that children will complete homework. Teachers will keep records of children completing homework and these records will be checked on a regular basis. If there are any problems with children not completing homework then parents will be spoken to in order find out the reason why.
How will the homework be marked?
Teachers will mark children’s homework in a variety of ways but always according to the schools marking policy. Generally the work will be initialled by the teacher to show they have marked it. Sometimes the work will be “quality marked”. This is when a piece of work is marked in detail and comments about future progress are added to the work. On other occasions the work may be marked orally with the child or the class and there will not be evidence from the teacher in the child’s book. Teachers generally will not mark homework that is handed in late until the following week.
