Home Learning
At our school we believe that learning at home should:
- Engage the pupil, by the provision of meaningful, exciting and challenging experiences beyond the classroom;
- Develop the pupil's ability to work independently;
- Build on the home-school partnership.
Working at home or outside school hours provides opportunities for pupils to take ownership of their learning beyond the classroom. It helps them to discover how to study independently, in preparation for lifelong learning.
Home Learning will be used to consolidate, support or extend the learning in school. It can take various forms. It can be quite structured. At other times it can be more open, encouraging independent research and thought. Sometimes children will be set home learning that will encourage them to make choices, to be creative. Sometimes the home learning will be self-generated or based on the children’s own interests.
The government have recently removed the guidance on the amount of time that children should spend on home learning across the school. As a school we have agreed as a guide what would be an appropriate amount and type of home learning to be set.
Home Learning Procedures
Normal procedures are specified below (related to the children’s age group). However, there may be occasions when procedures in all classes will be set aside for a special home learning project. Children who are working on special, individualised programmes may also receive some extra consolidation home learning to support this work at home.
As a school we encourage children to read regularly at home across the school. We also encourage parents to work with their children on their Maths targets and Spellings. These can be found at the top of the Home Learning Pick and Mix sheets for each class.
School will liaise with parents if there are concerns about the care or quality of the home learning.
Our home learning is given in the style of a pick and mix chart for each class. The suggested amount is to choose one activity to complete each week. There is no formal requirement for home learning to be completed and children will not be required to complete this in school, instead home learning that is completed is rewarded with points based on the complexity and effort and the children are rewarded with certificates or prizes based on the number of points accumulated across the term.
Reception Home Learning
Home learning pick and mix – creative mix of activities across the curriculum in Term 6 only.
Reading at least x3 a week - 10 minutes - shared reading of Oxford Reading Tree banded books
Term 2 onwards – Sounds/Spellings/keywords 5-10 Mins 3 x’s weekly
Term 6 – learning number bonds appropriate to the child’s stage
Year 1/2 Home Learning
Home learning pick and mix – creative mix of activities across the curriculum, one to be completed for each week of the term. The recommended time is for children to spend no longer than 1/2 hour on each project.
Reading at least x3 a week - 10 minutes - shared reading of Oxford Reading Tree banded books
Maths bonds or multiples x3 – 10 minutes
Spellings 5-10 Mins x3 weekly
Y3/4 Homework
Pupils are expected to read every day, this should be recorded in their reading diary and signed by an adult. Discussion of the book with an adult is very beneficial although the actual reading could be to an adult or independently.
Home learning pick and mix – creative mix of activities across the curriculum, one to be completed for each week of the term. The recommendation is for children to spend between 1/2 hour to an hour on each activity completed.
Maths targets x3 a week – 10 minutes
Spellings 5-10 Mins x3 weekly
Y5/6 Home Learning
Pupils are expected to read every day, this should be recorded in their reading diary and signed by an adult. Discussion of the book with an adult is very beneficial although the actual reading could be to an adult or independently.
Home learning pick and mix – creative mix of activities across the curriculum, one to be completed for each week of the term. The recommendation is for children to spend between approximately an hour on each activity completed.
Maths targets x3 a week – 10 minutes
Spellings 5-10 Mins x3 weekly
For Year 6 pupils approaching SATs further revision homework will be set.
How will the school monitor what has been set?
There is a sheet of pick and mix for each class which is distributed with new topic information at the start of every term for the appropriate classes. In each classroom there is a dedicated area for home learning to be submitted.
How will it be marked?
Teachers and children share and discuss the home learning on a weekly basis. Points are awarded and collated by the class teacher for a total at the end of the term.
What can parents do to help?
Above all, please hear your child read. This should be at least x3 times a week. Older children are more likely to read independently but all children will benefit from the chance to talk about the text they are reading.
Don’t forget to talk to your child about the book and the text he / she has been reading.
Please practise your child’s Maths targets with them. These will either be number bonds or specific multiplication tables.
Please look at the homework with your child and help him / her as necessary – but do not do the work for them!
Please support your child by helping him / her to manage the best time and place for this work to be completed.
Please encourage your child to produce high quality, well-presented work.
Praise good work.