St Marys Catholic Primary School
Homework Policy
What are the aims of this policy?
- To ensure a consistent approach to homework throughout the school.
- To ensure that teachers, parents and children have a clear understanding regarding expectations for homework.
- To ensure that teachers, parents and children are fully aware of the role they play with regard to homework.
What is the purpose of homework?
· To consolidate, reinforce and understand skills particularly in Literacy and Numeracy.
· To provide opportunities for parents and children to work together.
What is the role of the school?
· To provide parents with a clear policy regarding homework.
· To provide support for parents with information about homework, class letter and information on the School website.
What is the role of the teacher?
· To ensure all children understand the homework they have been given.
· Homework is to be based on no new learning to be taught at home.
What is the role of the parent?
· To support the child in completing homework.
· To provide the appropriate conditions for the child to complete the homework.
· To provide the appropriate resources for the child to complete the homework.
What is the role of the child?
· To ensure they have everything they need to complete homework each week.
· To make sure they understand the tasks that have been set.
· To put in the same level of effort as would be expected of class work.
Homework in Years 1, 2, 3
What type of work will my child get?
Reading.
Reading on a regular basis is vital when children are in years 1, 2, 3. Children will bring their reading books home every evening and the role of the adult is to listen and support them. It is important to remind them to use different strategies to read new words, sounding out the word, looking at the pictures and looking for words within words are ways in which the child can read an unknown word. Just as important is discussing the book to check that the child has understood what they have read. Children will have a reading record which parents/carers should sign or comment in each time they read with the child.
Other Areas.
Learning could be linked to any other curriculum area, RE, Science, Geography, History and so on. It could take many forms, preparing a talk, completing a piece of research or conducting an interview.
The nature of this work may be more open ended than in other areas.
How much time should be spent on homework?
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Year 1/2/3
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10-15 minutes reading daily
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Homework in Years 4-6
As children get older, homework provides an opportunity for them to develop the skill of independent learning. It is important that parents support their children but good habits of independent study should be encouraged.
What type of work will my child get?
Reading.
Children may read to an adult, with an adult or read to themselves in the presence of an adult. The story and characters should be talked about and new words discussed. Older children need a clear understanding of the story that sometimes will go beyond the literal meaning of the text. Children will read texts that are more detailed and will take longer to read. They should be encouraged to read all types of texts including non-fiction.
Other Areas.
Learning could be linked to any other curriculum area, RE, Science, Geography, History and so on. It could take many forms, preparing a talk, completing a piece of research or conducting an interview.
The nature of this work may be more open ended than in other areas.
How much time should be spent on homework?
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Years 4, 5 and 6
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20 – 30 minutes reading daily 10 min of oral basic facts and times tables |
How can parents find out more information about homework?
Each class will inform the parents about homework in a letter at the beginning of the year.
To look at the school website under helping at home for some tips to use at home.
Why will children sometimes be given extra homework?
Children who take part in specialised lessons may sometimes be set extra homework to reinforce the work being done.
Additionally children who work in a one to one situation with teaching assistants will sometimes be given extra homework.
In both cases, children should complete this work alongside their normal homework unless the child or the parents have been told otherwise.
If the child is finding they have too much work then parents should speak to the child’s teacher or the person running the extra sessions.