Home Learning

Home Learning Policy

We believe that home learning not only reinforces classroom learning but it helps children and young people to develop skills and attitudes that they need for successful lifelong learning. It should support the development of independent learning skills, including the habits of inquiry and investigation, and it should help to foster the role of parents and carers as co-educators of their children. We will make every effort to combat disadvantage, and ensure equality of opportunity wherever possible.

Aims of the Policy:

To encourage pupils to develop the confidence and self-discipline required for individual study.
To ensure progression towards independence and individual responsibility.
To consolidate and reinforce knowledge, skills and understanding, particularly in English and Maths.
Provide opportunities for parents and pupils to enjoy learning experiences together.
To encourage even the youngest children to enjoy exploring and sharing activities from school with their parents and wider family.
To develop an effective partnership between the school and parents.
To ensure that parents have a clear understanding about expectations from themselves and the pupils.
To provide opportunities for parents to share and praise achievements and progress.
To ensure consistency of approach throughout the school.
To ensure the needs of the individual are taken into account.
To prepare children for each new phase of their education.

Roles and responsibilities

The Senior leadership team will ensure that homework is:

An integral part of the curriculum and is planned and prepared alongside all other programmes of learning.
Appropriate to the age, ability and circumstances of the pupils, taking into account special educational needs.
Coordinated in order to be manageable and meaningful for children.
Informed by governmental guidance and best practice.

Teachers will ensure that:

Pupils and parents are given clear explanations of Home Learning tasks. This will include the day the work will be set and the deadlines for completion.
Tasks are set and marked in line with whole school guidance and agreed expectations.
Pupils understand the learning purpose of the tasks.
It is clear to pupils how their tasks consolidate and extend the learning they are doing in school.
They inform parents/carers if a pattern of avoidance develops or there appears to be any other issues relating to home learning.
Success is celebrated, tasks are marked and feedback given on a regular basis.

Pupils will be required to:

Demonstrate a commitment to spending an appropriate amount of time completing the tasks set.
Write in pencil or handwriting/ink pen, not felt tip pens unless appropriate for the task.
Present their learning in line with presentation guidelines.
Return their learning in by the due date

Parents/carers can support by:

Make it clear to their children that they value home learning and are willing to support the school with their approach. This includes encouragement and praise at all levels.
Encourage the children to take pride in their work.
Monitor home learning and inform their child’s teacher if an issue arises.
Support children to plan their time and meet deadlines.
Give teachers any useful feedback
Provide a suitable place in which homework can be completed, whether working alone or with an adult.

Following e-safety guidelines, we ask parents/carers to ensure that computers with access to the Internet are located in a family room where they can monitor their child’s use of Internet sites.

Special Educational Needs and vulnerable children

Reasonable adjustments will be made to support children with recognised special educational needs . In this way, we hope to promote success and learning for all.

Content and Expectations

The main focus of home learning will be to develop, practise and consolidate key knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of skills across the curriculum. Home Learning in English and Maths will be set weekly and will consolidate learning from the previous week in school.

Home learning will be a combination of formal exercises to support progress but may also include activities to be completed in collaboration with or supported by family members. This might include reading, researching or teaching another member of the family something they have learnt or using Knowledge Organisers to quiz and learn key facts, dates, people, places etc. which will in turn support their learning in school.

Home learning in Maths and English will be set on a Wednesday and will need to be completed by Mondays. This gives pupils the weekend to complete Home Learning. Teachers will follow up with pupils and parents/ carers if Home Learning is not completed on a regular basis.

Google Classroom

Each pupil has a Google school email and will have access to an online ‘Year Group Classroom’. All learning will be sent out on Google Classrooms with clear explanations, instructions and expectations.

English and Maths tasks will be set and sent out on Google Classroom each week on a Wednesday.

Knowledge Organisers will be uploaded at the beginning of the half term so pupils can begin to become acquainted with the information and facts they will learn across the half term.

Pupils who do not have the facility to work remotely will be provided with a Home Learning book in which to record their learning. Paper copies of all resources will also be provided.

Teachers will check the digital learning platforms used to review pupil engagement and progress. Writing tasks will be marked and house points will be awarded for effort.

Expectations:

Although there are currently no DfE set requirements for the amount of homework set each week. The following provides a guide to what might be a typical expectation as children move through the school.

Year Group	Suggested time allocation (average per week)
Reception (Foundation Stage)	1/2 hour across the week	These suggested time allocations include reading and the other on-going activities listed above
Key Stage 1 – Years 1 & 2	1 hour across the week
Key Stage 2 – Years 3 & 4	1 hour across the week
Key Stage 2 – Year 5	2 hours per week
Key Stage 2 – Year 6	2 hours per week

Each year group has the option of one ‘Family Week’ per half term, giving parents some flexibility across each half term. Parents can select when they use this and pupils should let the class teacher know. Family week should only be used once in a half term.

Arrangements for monitoring and evaluation:

The leadership team monitors home learning provision by checking planning, pupils’ learning and Reading Records, in addition to sampling the quality of resources sent home. The leadership team and governors review the effectiveness of this policy every two years.

Staff, pupils and parents will be consulted on any changes to better understand the efficacy and implementation of the policy intent.