Homework
Homework is used to broaden, consolidate, extend or enhance the learning experience
Homework is viewed as a valuable part of a student’s learning. We believe that effective homework can improve learning and help our students to develop lifelong skills. Our aim is for homework to be structured, meaningful and coherent for all concerned. Homework should broaden, consolidate, extend or enhance the learning experience.
The purpose of homework:
- Setting homework is part of the teachers’ standards and is outlined in the following way: ‘Teachers should set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired.’
- Homework should be used to consolidate learning of the curriculum, deepen understanding and prepare pupils for further study in the future.
- Homework requires lifelong learning skills such as organisation, time management, resilience and independence, all of which we promote in order to help our students to achieve their ‘best’ at The Burgess Hill Academy and beyond.
- To provide parents with the chance to support their child’s progress and engage in dialogue about school experience.
Time to be Spent Completing Homework or self-directed study
The tables below outline the average amount of time (in hours) that a student should spend completing homework each day.
|
Year |
English |
Maths/ |
Technology |
MFL |
Citizenship/Drama/ |
Hours/week |
Hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 |
0:45 |
0:45 |
0:30 |
0:45 |
0:15 |
5:00 |
1:00 |
|
8 |
0:45 |
0:45 |
0:30 |
0:45 |
0:15 |
5:00 |
1:00 |
|
9 |
1:00 |
0:45 |
0:30 |
0:30 |
0:15 |
5:00 |
1:00 |
|
Year |
English |
Maths |
Science |
Option Subjects (1 hour each) |
Hours per week |
Hours per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 |
2:00 |
2:00 |
2:00 |
4:00 |
10:00 |
2:00 |
|
11 |
2:00 |
2:00 |
2:00 |
4:00 |
10:00 |
2:00 |
Students will be expected to undertake a variety of homework activities (these can be seen below in the typical homework tasks for each subject area table). These activities will differ depending on the teacher and subject. We would also like to highlight that the guidelines may include self-directed study time which we would encourage our students to undertake on a weekly basis. Effective learning strategies which students could use during their self-directed study time can be seen below:
Effective learning strategies
|
|
Homework activity/tasks could include the following: |
How the activities/tasks will help students to become better learners: |
|---|---|---|
|
Read it |
|
Reading helps to improve vocabulary, communication, grammar and writing skills. |
|
Spell it |
|
Spelling tasks help students to be able to spell key words within their subjects correctly. The more practice that students have at spellings, the better chance they have at remembering them. Being able to spell words correctly is something that will help students all through their life. |
|
Apply it |
|
These tasks might require students to demonstrate how well they have understood and learnt key things from their lessons. They might be extended written responses to a question which require students to apply their knowledge and understanding. |
|
Retrieve it |
|
These are tasks which prompt students to recall/remember key information. The more we encourage students to retrieve information, the more chance we have of it ‘sticking’ and remaining in the long term memory for students to retrieve with ease. |
|
Practise it |
|
Practice makes perfect! Repeatedly practising something eventually helps students to remember and to master something to an excellent standard. |
What our students can expect in terms of feedback
We strive to provide timely and purposeful feedback. A variety of methods will be used to provide feedback, such as whole class feedback, verbal feedback and follow-up tasks. Quizzes, spelling tests and numeracy tests will provide pupils with immediate feedback. We may use more extensive, targeted marking on longer tasks which may require written feedback.
Expectations and Support
Rewards and sanctions
Students should be rewarded for effort and application of their learning at home. That means we will praise continued good effort and reward pupils who apply themselves successfully to the homework set. We will also employ sanctions, if homework has not been completed for three times or the homework is of poor quality and no contact has been received from the parents/ carers outlining any issues with completing homework.