Homework protocol

Key principles

• Homework should support learning which takes place in school.
• Homework should be consolidation and practice of previously taught objectives.
• Homework should largely be an independent task which requires minimal support from adults at home. 
• Homework provides an opportunity for pupils to develop organisational and independent skills (Remembering when it’s due, time management, taking responsibility for learning.) whilst in a supportive and helpful environment.
• Homework should not cause any extra pressure on family life.
• School needs to get the balance right between setting high expectations and minimising anxiety or feelings towards school and school work.
• Research suggests that homework is most effective when it’s relevant and digital.

The homework survey shows that parents have very different opinions about homework from each other. Therefore we need to find a happy medium, which helps children develop skills, reduces pressure on home life, not arduous or time consuming to set and check.

Therefore, we will focus on a few key areas.

Reading – Levelled book or spine text to be checked off by monitors.

Spelling – Printed lists taken from the LTP

Times tables – Rapid recalls following the LTP and TTRS class battles

Arithmetic – Worksheet to consolidate strategy taught in class. Arithmetic worksheets can be gained from testbase, mathsbot, arithmetic ninja, twinkl. All year groups have access to the powermaths games for each unit. These could be set, when relevant to prevent homework from becoming ‘boring’ for the children.

Answers should be posted in the google classroom announcement so children can self-check. This supports learning as they can rework the question and self-correct.

✔ Google classroom will be used weekly to give details of the homework and share arithmetic answers for self-correction.

✔ Homework is set each Friday and is due the next Thursday.

✔ Each child will have a plastic wallet with -

●       a cover sheet,

●       statutory spellings

●       fun ways to learn spellings

●       time stable square

✔ Monitors will check off who has handed in their work each week. Children will fill in class display ‘Homework Race’ recognition board. Adults in school will have quiet conversations with children who do not hand in homework. If homework is missed twice in a half term. The child will be supported during the start of lunch to start the missed tasks. Class records will be monitored half termly by LW. Homework Race winners will be celebrated in the last awards assembly of each half term.

✔ Staff may tick and initial or give stickers for completed homework.

✔ Children on SEND plans will have work set but adapted.

✔ Children who are working at greater depth will have access to extension homework via google classroom.

On google classroom, there will be a section with

1. The homework letter to parents.
2. Message from year group staff setting expectations in a child friendly way.
3. Fun ways to learn spellings.
4. Spelling LTP for your year group.
5. Statutory spellings for Y3/4 and Y5/6.
6. Links to useful websites eg – TTRS, maths frame, maths bot, hit the button etc.
7. Times table grid
8. Worked examples of arithmetic strategies or photo of working wall.
9. Extension homework for greater depth learners.