Key Information - Homework 

(From 2023 policy document)

Aims

• To provide a progressive and developmental approach to homework across the school.
• To involve parents in the learning process by engaging in regular communication.
• To follow up learning that has happened within the classroom and practise and develop taught skills.
• To encourage thinking and talking about skills and knowledge taught at school.
• To learn and develop life-skills and knowledge of the wider world.
• Over time, develop skills for working independently.
• To prepare children for transitions into the next phases of their education.

Types of homework

We set a variety of homework activities. These activities may include:

• Sharing reading books
• Games/puzzles
• Discussions with parents or other adults at home
• Writing tasks
• Mathematical problems
• Science investigations
• Research projects
• Practical activities

We will provide parents with a topic guide relevant to the forthcoming topic to share with your children at home. This will include information about the topic and suggestions about websites, activities and trips that would support your child’s learning.

Teachers in Foundation Stage 1 (Nursery):

• Will give a library book once a week to share at home.
• Will provide a nursery rhyme pack each half term to be practised at home.
• Will inform parents of the weekly colour and shape focus.
• Will provide chatter-boxes once a fortnight to support talking and reading at home.

In their final term, children will take home an early reading book to share each week.

Teachers in Foundation Stage 2 (Reception):

• Will give Numeracy activities to play at home each week.
• Will give the children sets of keywords to learn how to read when children have mastered their initial sounds. These will be tested at school.

• Will send home a weekly phonics sheet to support further practice at home.
• Will ensure children have reading materials that they can share at home.
• Will follow up the home reading in a weekly guided reading session when your child is ready and ensure another adult hears each child read at least once.

Teachers in Year 1 and 2

• Will set one maths homework which will be followed up in class along with the mental maths 5 squared challenge (5 mins 5 times per week). Sent via Google Classrooms out on a Thursday and expected back in the following Thursday.

• Will set a weekly spelling list which will be tested at school. Sent via Google Classrooms out on a Wednesday and tested the following Wednesday.
• Will ensure children have reading materials that they can share daily at home.
• Will follow up the home reading in a weekly guided reading session.
• Will provide parents with a topic guide relevant to the forthcoming topic to share with their children at home.

Teachers in Years 3 and 4

• Will set one maths homework which will consolidate the learning done in class along with the mental maths 5 squared challenge (5 mins 5 times per week). Handed out on a Thursday and expected back in the following Tuesday.
• Will set a weekly spelling list which will be tested at school. Handed out on a Thursday and tested the following Thursday.
• Will ensure children have reading materials that they can share at home.
• Will follow up the home reading in a weekly guided reading session.
• Will offer a half termly homework passport with 6 optional activities to complete each half term. Parents will have the choice to complete these tasks over the half term. As each one is completed these can be handed in.

Teachers in Years 5 and 6

• Will offer a half termly homework passport with 6 optional activities to complete each half term. Pupils will have the choice to complete these tasks over the half term. As each one is completed these can be handed in.
• Will set one maths homework (out on Thursday and due back the following Tuesday) which will be followed up in class along with the mental maths 5 squared (5 mins 5 times per week) challenge.
• Will set a weekly spelling list which will be tested at school (out on a Thursday and tested at school each Thursday).
• Will ensure children have reading materials that they can share at home.
• Will follow up the home reading in a weekly guided reading session.
• Will provide parents with a topic guide relevant to the forthcoming topic to share with their children at home.

Suggested Homework Timings Year 1 and 2

Maths- 5 squared challenge- 5 minutes a day 5 times a week- 25 minutes

Maths homework- 30 minutes maximum

Reading 10 minutes at least 3 times a week

Spelling- 15 minutes

Suggested Homework Timings Year 3 and 4

Maths- 5 squared challenge- 5 minutes a day 5 times a week- 25 minutes

Maths homework- 30 minutes maximum

Reading 10 minutes at least 3 times a week

Spelling- 20 minutes

Homework Passport- if completed. Maximum 30 mins for each piece

Suggested Homework Timings Year 5 and 6

Maths- 5 squared challenge- 5 minutes a day 5 times a week- 25 minutes

Maths homework- 30 minutes maximum

Reading 15 minutes at least 3 times a week

Spelling- 30 minutes

Homework Passport- if completed. Maximum 30 mins for each piece

KS2 homework

There is a Homework Club for KS2 children who may find it difficult to complete items of homework at home. The majority of work should be completed at home as the club is only for half an hour each week.

If there is a legitimate reason for non-completion of homework we request that parents let us know as soon as possible.

Teachers in Year 5 and 6 will remind children about homework on a Monday and give them the option to go to homework club on Monday lunchtime or complete it on Monday evening at home.

If homework is not completed by Tuesday, children will have to catch up during a time decided by their teacher this may be part of a lunchtime or during enrichment time on a Friday.

If a child is consistently not completing their homework we will look into the reasons why this might be and support them with finding a solution e.g. sitting with a member of staff to log on at school and go through the homework expectations etc.  We will also contact the child's parents to inform them and see what support we/they can offer.

Inclusion

The needs of all children will be taken into account when setting homework tasks.

The Provision Map for targets SEND children will be used when organising homework tasks.

Homework tasks will also be differentiated for the more able where appropriate.

Role of Parents

Reading: Over the week parents are expected to make note of reading at home in the reading diary at least 3 times per week. We also request that children are encouraged to read daily- this could include comics/ magazines, directions, instructions etc. As it is also widely recognised that children who are read to by an adult regularly enjoy reading and make more progress, we suggest you read to your children as well.

It can be very helpful for parents to be involved in their children’s homework, ensuring it is completed, discussing the task, reviewing the finished work, helping them to organise themselves and providing a suitable place for homework to be done.  The level of input from parents is expected to change as children grow into more responsible and independent learners.

At Key Stage 1 parents are asked directly to help their children learn spellings, listen to reading, complete numeracy games and work with their child. 

At Key Stage 2 parents are still asked to listen to their child read, but most other homework is increasingly expected to be carried out by the child independently.  Parents are expected to engage with their child and offer support where needed whilst encouraging independence. Parents should be careful not to do the child’s work for them: their learning is more important than the quality of the output.  If extended help is given, parents are asked to make a note of this in the homework book, as then the teacher can better judge how well the class understood the task and can adjust lesson plans accordingly if children had difficulty with it. 

We now use Google Classroom for homework