Homework

Whilst homework is a valuable way of extending children’s learning and encouraging families to become involved in their child’s progress, we aim to ensure that the time demands are such that children can still get fully involved in their own private pastimes and interest clubs beyond school. It is our belief that these are just as valuable in a child’s development and we would actively encourage them.

We see homework as an extension of the classroom, and the work which is set is designed to reinforce key skills. The most common activities which children are asked to engage in at home are: reading books, learning spellings, learning number facts and finding out information for a lesson. They are also encouraged to complete a project of their choice related to the topic being studied, thus enabling them to follow their own interests and become actively engaged with learning at home.

We think that learning should be fun and so all children have access to online programs such as: Mathletics and ReadingEggs.

These enable children to learn at their own level through fun activities.

The time demands for homework will vary depending on the age of the pupil, but its success as a means of developing good learning habits will rely heavily on parental support at home and the encouragement and praise a child receives for settling down to work independently. For children to become proficient readers, they require practice! We ask that parents and carers listen to their child read their reading book each day and discuss the books that they have read with them. It is also beneficial to share other books with your child on a regular basis. Completing a child’s reading journal to show the amount of books they have read will enable them to collect their reading certificates - a certificate is awarded for every 20 books read!

If you feel that you need guidance or clarification of homework that has been set for your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher. Many methods of teaching, especially in maths, are very different from how you may have been taught when you were at school. Please don’t be embarrassed – just ask and our Senior Leader of Learning, Mrs Murton, will be happy to help!