Chantry Middle School

Homework

Rationale

Research has shown that homework can make a valuable contribution to students’ learning and progress at school when it is appropriately set. Evidence suggests a correlation between the completion of regular and focused home learning activities and high levels of achievement; particularly as students move into secondary education and where the learning activities engaged with at home contribute towards the learning which takes place in school.

At Chantry Middle School, we believe that the purposes of homework are:

• to develop and sustain an effective partnership with parents and carers in pursuing the aims of the school
• the involvement of parents and carers in the management of students’ learning and keep them informed about the work students are doing.
• to extend school learning through focused tasks that consolidate and reinforce skills learnt in school and support the development of research and enquiry skills
• to encourage students to develop the confidence, self-discipline, organisation and time management skills needed to study on their own and prepare them for high school.

We ask that parents and carers support the completion of homework through:

• providing a peaceful and suitable place in which homework can be completed
• supporting the school by showing that homework is valued, and explain its value in helping their children to make progress.
• encouraging and giving praise for completed homework
• checking that deadlines are met

Amount of homework

Homework is structured so that there is a gradual development in its amount and complexity as the children move through the school.

Each child has a school planner for recording homework on a daily basis and this will be taken home for parents to check that homework is being set and recorded in line with the homework timetable, which is organised and monitored by your child’s Director of Learning & Teaching  

	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8
Numeracy	30 minutes every week	30 minutes every week	30 minutes every week	40 minutes every week
Literacy	30 minutes  every week	30 minutes  every week	30 minutes  every week	40 minutes  every week
Spellings	Children will be set weekly spellings to learn
Reading	Children are encouraged to read their Accelerated Reader quizzed book for at least 30 minutes per day
Science	One task set every half term	One task set every half term	40 minutes every week	40 minutes every week
History/Geog	One task set every half term
Languages			Homework will be set at least 3 times per half term.
Art	Research work will be set at the start of a project
Computer Science			Homework will be given when appropriate – at least one task per half term
Technology	Organising and bringing in ingredients to Food Tech lessons		One piece of compulsory homework and some optional homework in a 12 week carousel, plus organising and bringing in ingredients to Food Tech lessons
Music			One task set every half term
RE			Homework will be given when appropriate – at least two tasks per half term

Types of homework tasks

The nature of homework tasks will vary from subject to subject, but in principle we aim to ensure that homework tasks are :

• appropriately differentiated
• meaningful and related to in school learning
• varied so as to be appealing to different learning styles
• achievable in the time frames indicated above

Sample homework tasks

Below is an illustration of some of the types of homework tasks and activities that may be set.

Learning tasks e.g spellings, timetables Reading Research Worksheet completion Practice SATs questions Use of online programmes e.g MyMaths Planning and preparation for next lesson

Written tasks Design and creative activities Collecting resources for a lesson Finding definitions of key subject vocabulary Practising skills learnt in a lesson Book reviews Making notes

Additional home learning activities

We know that many of our students are actively engaged in a range of activities beyond school which support their academic, social and personal development. Any activity undertaken out of school that may support a child’s interest and engagement in learning and broaden their general knowledge and awareness of the world around them is highly beneficial. Examples of such activities are shown below.

Watching an informative TV programme Listening to the news Reading an article in a magazine or newspaper Cooking or baking at home Helping with a DIY project Visiting the library Environmental work

Visiting a museum or place of local interest Having a discussion on a topical issue Developing skills in and out of school club Completing a practical task e.g making something Undertaking a community based activity

Monitoring

Both parents and teachers play a crucial role in monitoring homework. Parents are asked to sign the homework planner weekly to show that they have checked that homework has been completed.

Subject teachers will make sure that homework is given at the correct time and recorded accurately. Students should be given clear instructions that can be translated by their parents. Homework sheets with examples on them can be very helpful to both students and parents.  Clear frameworks will be provided for project work that is intended to span two or three weeks.

Subject teachers are responsible for monitoring their own homework. If three pieces of homework are not done in one term then parents will be contacted through your child’s homework diary, by phone or letter.  If the situation continues then parents will be invited into school to discuss the problem.

Form teachers will monitor homework for their own class and initial/sign/ stamp the homework planner.

Directors of Learning & Teaching will monitor homework in their year group once per term by regular sampling of planners.

Feedback

Feedback will be given promptly and be in line with the school policy on Marking and Response. This may be in the form of;

• discussion around the completed task in lessons
• verbal feedback in lessons
• written comments
• peer/self-assessment

Homework support

There is the opportunity to do homework any lunchtime in ICT Room 2 or the library, which is supervised by a member of staff.

Homework Timetables 2016/17

Procedure reviewed – September 2016
Procedure will be next reviewed – September 2017