Home Learning

At Wood End Primary School we see home learning as work set to be done outside the timetabled curriculum of our school. It contains an element of independent study in that it is not usually directly supervised or controlled by a teacher and should always be seen as a useful and positive way to help children prepare, consolidate and revise work and ideas from school.

The Value of homework

We see homework as being a valuable part of school life as:

It develops pupils’ perseverance, self-discipline and responsibility in their own work.
It promotes the co-operation and involvement of parents and other adults.
It encourages independence, research, creativity and initiative.
It allows practice, where it is needed, of skills and concepts learnt in the classroom.
It opens up areas of study and makes possible the use of materials and sources of information that are not accessible in the classroom.
It can encourage children to use their spare time positively and may lead to it becoming a personal pursuit, e.g. modelling, story writing, poetry, project etc.

Preconditions for our children to fulfil homework requirements

One or more of the following:

It should be done in partnership with parents and to actively involve all partners (i.e. child, parent, Wood End Primary School) in the child's education.
It should be a time set aside which is recognised and respected by all members of the family.
There should be an interest in and support for the child's homework within the family.
There should be a firmness about it being done while avoiding the pitfalls of "nagging", being seen as a "test", or undue pressure.
Access to suitable working surface/conditions.
A recognition that a relaxed atmosphere in the home provides many more informal educational opportunities than are offered through set homework, e.g. conversations, magazines/books, radio/television, clubs/hobbies/visitors.

Factors for teachers to consider when setting homework

Teachers need to be aware of the other demands on the child's time out of school, e.g. clubs, classes, meal times, playing, relaxing, so that the child does not feel overloaded. Also, young children can be extremely tired after school.
Most children enjoy finding things out and collecting things related to work at school. However, teachers need to be sensitive to the accessibility of information, i.e. not all children will be able to visit a library, park, woods during the week.

All homework will be set electronically using Google Classroom. If a child doesn't have access to a device at home, they will have a printed copy given to them.
Conversations should be had with children not completing homework but they should not be punished, if need be, involve parents early in discussions.
Teachers keep a record of homework completed and use praise to encourage children to complete it.
Stamps, stickers or signatures to be used in the reading records to indicate it has been seen.
Praise postcards to be used as a reward for those regularly completing homework tasks.
It is important that the work set is something that the child understands and has the necessary tools to carry out. If the task involves a trip to the library, then the period of time should include a weekend.
Homework should be differentiated as appropriate.

Homework depending on your year group…

Nursery

Homework sheets are given out at the end of every half term. These contain suggested activities for the children to do with their parents while they are away from school. These sheets also give the opportunity to draw a picture or make a collage.

Reception

Spelling

Words given out weekly, to be completed in books.

Reading

Read aloud to an adult 5x a week. Record book and pages read and signed by adults in the planners. Adults are to check reading records on a weekly basis and indicate it has been seen. Teachers will follow up with parents of any children who are not regularly using the reading record books.

Topic

A grid will be sent out at the beginning of the term with a range of activities. Children can choose from a range of tasks and complete in whatever order they wish. This is not marked by the teacher.

Year 1 and 2

Spelling

Words given out weekly (online) on a Friday and tested once a week on the following Friday .

Reading

Read aloud to an adult 5x a week. Record book and pages read and signed by adults in the planners. School adults will check reading records on a weekly basis and indicate it has been seen. Teachers will follow up with parents of any children who are not regularly using the reading record books.

Maths

Teachers will provide a practice task, one a week related to the current area of study or a review. Can be self marked or marked online depending on the task (Mymaths). This will be given out on a Friday and will need to be returned on the following Wednesday. Times Tables will be set for children in Year 2 from the Spring term (TimesTableRockstar). 2,5 and 10 Times Tables are the National Curriculum Focus for multiplication and division facts (also recognising odds and evens, doubling and halving).

Additional

There may be occasions when additional tasks are shared with children to complete at home. Eg. A grammar task to support the learning in class

Year 3 and 4

Spelling

Words given out weekly (online) on a Thursday and tested once a week on the following Thursday. Children are also expected to write sentences using the spellings and the grammar focus taught the previous week as well as that week

Times Tables

Times Tables will be set for children in Year 3 and Year 4. In Yr 3 the national curriculum focus is on 3,4,8 times tables (ensuring 2,5,10 are known from previous years). In Yr 4 children must become fluent in all the times tables to 12x12. There is a focus on learning 6,7,9,11,12 times tables in particular. As the children are nationally tested in June, they have to complete one set of TTRock Stars each day (minimum of 5 log ins per week).

Reading

Maths

Teachers will provide a practice task, one a week related to the current area of study or a review (using Mathletics). This can be self marked or marked online depending on the task. This will be given out on a Thursday and will need to be returned on the following Tuesday.

Additional

There may be occasions when additional tasks are shared with children to complete at home. Eg. A grammar task to support the learning in class

Year 5 and 6

Spelling

Words given out weekly (online) on a Thursday and tested once a week on the following Thursday.

Times tables

Those in years 5 and 6 who have not yet mastered their times tables will continue to have homework set and be tested.

Reading

Maths

Teachers will provide a practice task, once a week related to the current area of study or a review. Can be self marked or marked online depending on the task (using Mathletics). This will be given out on a Thursday and will need to be returned on the following Tuesday.

Additional

There may be occasions when additional tasks are shared with children to complete at home. Eg. A grammar task to support the learning in class

Help which parents can give at home

Parents are able to encourage and support their children to complete homework on time.
Try to monitor what your child watches on television: both the quantity of viewing and the quality.
Talk to the child about daily events, not just questioning what the child has done at school but also perhaps about what you have done during the day. Use the language that is usually spoken at home.
Try to include your child in domestic and social activities and talk to the child about what is happening and what you are doing.
Take your child shopping and to places of interest. Point out road signs, bus numbers, labels on food etc....
Try to encourage the child to talk and ask questions.
Hear your child read.
Read to them and talk about what you have read!
Help your child learn number bonds to 10, 20, 100.
Teach your child how to tell the time.
Help your child to read a calendar.
Help your child to learn their times tables up to 12x12 by the end of Year 4.

We have a responsibility to provide work for children who are long-term ill. It is school policy that work will not be provided for children who go away on extended family holidays. However, staff will refer parents to materials readily available in good book stores.

The above is not intended as a comprehensive list but it is hoped that it will be a guide to some ways of developing your children in their education.