This homework policy sets out current educational practice at Alderman Jacobs School .  In writing it we have been mindful of staff, parents, pupils and Department for Education and Employment viewpoints.

We appreciate that home/school links are important and we need to work together to ensure a good education for our children.  It is for this reason that children begin to bring “work” home from when they enter school.

This enables children to see parents and teachers working together and provides parents with an opportunity to help their child to learn.

Our approach to homework varies throughout the school according to the age of the child.  One thing that does remain constant is that homework will only benefit the child if we have parents’ support.

Foundation Stage

We estimate that homework in Reception should be between 10-20 minutes per day.

Our policy is to send home phonics (sounds) work from two weeks after your child has started school.  On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays a new sound will be introduced in school and sent home in the “Sounds Book” for your child to practise making the sound with you, do the action and write the letter.  We ask parents to spend time with their child thinking about words that use that letter.  Sounds Books also go home on Friday for revision and consolidation.  Every so often Reception have a revision week when Sounds Books stay at home for more practice and we revise in school.  Teachers give parents suggestions for games and send worksheets home too.  In Spring Term we begin work on initial consonant blends.  A chart showing sounds for each week will be sent home and we request parents reinforce work in the pink book as before.

Initial reading homework generally begins with a matching game coming home word-to-picture and word-to-word.  This is followed by picture books and then to New Way books and matching games.  As your child progresses a variety of books from several schemes will come home every night.  Key words from National Literacy Strategy are also introduced in October/November and sent home in the form of flash cards.

Accompanying sounds work, games and reading materials, we will send our red “Reading Record” book.  We write in this keeping a record of books read also key words being learnt and it is also a means for you to comment on your child’s reading.  Please help us by making sure that you sign this book when you hear your child read and feel free to add comments. 

Sometimes these comments may be those of your child.  We ask that you enjoy reading with your child and that you are positive with your comments as this will help your child.  If you have concerns please see the teacher.

Reception staff will sometimes ask you to help your child in other ways – maybe some counting or reinforcement of number activities and in the Summer Term a questionnaire about “My House”.

Short activities of different kinds provide a very important opportunity for young children to talk about what they are learning to an interested adult, and to practise key skills in a supportive environment.

Key Stage One

Year One

During Year 1 we aim to set homework for approximately 1 hour per week following the most recent government guidelines.  This will consist of a variety of tasks although the main emphasis will be on developing literacy skills.  This can be done by sharing books together and discussing their content and how the child feels about the book.  We aim to send the children’s school reading book home three times a week and a library book from the classroom once a week.  In addition to this spellings will be given for your child to practise at home and learn with your help.

We shall also seek support from home in developing your child’s numeracy skills and understanding.  This may take the form of asking the children to play certain games at home such as Snakes and Ladders or Ludo, which are both very effective ways of learning to count on.  We also ask for your help when the children are learning “Number bonds of 10” or “Doubles” and of course, “Times Tables”.  Children will bring home a maths activity to do at home once a week.  This may include playing a simple game with your child or measuring some items of furniture!  The activity is usually linked to teaching that has taken place in school the previous week.

During the year there will be some requests for help from home which may involve collecting materials together linked to project work or making observations on their way to school.  If you have any queries about your child’s homework during Year 1 please talk to the class teacher as we are always pleased to help.

Year Two

In Year 2 we aim to set homework for one hour per week.  This will be very similar to the work set in previous years focusing on literacy and numeracy.

In Year 2 daily reading practice is continued at home and parents are asked to complete comments in the record book.  Parents are made aware of the reading objectives for each item.

Pupils take home spellings to practice each week and these will consist of high frequency words plus words containing the spelling patterns for that week.

In the Spring and Summer terms there will be reading comprehension work to be completed at home, in preparation for SATS.

The pupils will be encouraged to practice the 2X, 5X and 10X tables.  Also, mathematics activities will be set to share with the parents at home and will be connected to the work carried out in class.

Any additional homework will involve finding facts and information in connection with topics being studied in class or to prepare for individual talks.

Lower Key Stage Two (Years 3 & 4)

During Years 3 & 4 children will continue to bring home their reading three times weekly, and weekly spellings are set.  For numeracy “Times Tables” continues to be a priority.  The pupils are tested weekly.  Regular practice of mental calculations is also essential.  Sometimes your child will bring homework to complete or work to reinforce that covered in class in numeracy.  Investigative tasks, perhaps science related, may be set too and you will be asked to help your child find out about the world around him/her.  Handwriting is set when extra work is required.

Homework in Lower Key Stage Two should be approximately 1½ hours per week.

Upper Key Stage Two (Years 5 & 6)

In Years 5 & 6 the children will be given a homework diary, in which they can record the homework that they have been given.  The onus is on them to keep a record and it is important that they take this responsibility seriously and complete the work and return it to school on time.  Often completion of the homework is necessary before progress can be made in the lesson.

Homework tasks will still include: reading (three times a week) with an adult, progressing to some independent reading by Year 6, learning or practising tables and other mental calculations until a sound knowledge is gained, learning spellings (regularly throughout the week for a weekly test), completing tasks that have not been finished during lessons, investigations in a variety of subjects, or specific homework exercises.

By this time the children will need to spend approximately 20-30 minutes a day on homework.

As the SATs approach Year 6 are encouraged to do extra revision for homework.  This is set by the Year 6 teachers and parents and teachers together undertake to revise KS2 work with the children in English, Mathematics and Science.

Booster Classes are organised for children who are considered to be borderline Level 4.  These take place until Easter and aim to give these children extra opportunities to revise their work with a teacher.  They should be taken seriously and the children invited to participate should make a positive commitment to attend regularly.

General

There are other times when we ask for your support at home.  Children sometimes bring words home to learn for their class assembly or for their Christmas production.  We ask also that for our special events, such as Tudor Days and Victorian Days, that you provide a costume.  Guidance regarding these will come from school, usually using household textiles, old clothes and adapted uniform.  Help with simple costumes for assemblies and productions may also be requested but only annually.

Children learning keyboards, flutes, clarinets, violins, recorders and guitars will be asked to practice at home and we do need your support in this.

We do try to involve parents, too, before their pre-school child comes into school.  These boys and girls have special homework involving everyday life.  Tasks such as reading signs in the local environment with parents, enjoying a book shared with an adult, etc.  Information about this is always given to new parents at their child’s induction sessions and during the new parents’ evening.

Marking Homework

Where formal marking is required teachers will attempt to do this as soon as possible after the homework has been collected in.  Pupils will receive feedback in line with our marking policy and usually orally too.  Some homework will not have a marking requirement but children will be involved in discussions or tests where it will be evident who has carried out their homework tasks well.  At times parents will be asked to check homework.

Classroom assistants and reading helpers may also be deployed to spend time with pupils checking their reading diaries, hearing them read and responding to your comments.

Marking Homework continued

If children are absent from school because they are sick then we would not send work home.  We would make the assumption that they are not well enough to work.

It may happen that a child is absent for a length of time, though she/he is well enough to do some work at home, e.g. a broken leg.  In these circumstances it is up to the teacher and the parent to agree what should be done, how it will be marked and what sort of help needs to be given.  In such circumstances the teacher should consult with the Key Stage Manager first.

Sometimes parents take holidays in school time and may ask for their children to be given homework for that period.  We are not able to meet such a request, but suggest that parents may wish to use one of the wide range of commercial schemes available from most bookshops, newsagents and some supermarkets.

If you have any queries about homework, please see your child’s teacher.

Conclusion

We hope that you know a little more about Alderman Jacobs School ’s approach to homework.  If in any doubt do please speak to a member of staff and we will try to help.

Mrs M Sargent