Home Learning

 Aim

The purpose of home learning is to:

• Consolidate and support the learning done in school.
• Keep parents/carers informed and aware of targets and achievements of their child/ren.
• To ensure that children make the best progress possible, from whatever starting point.
• To prepare children for expectations at secondary school by getting them in the habit of regular work after school independently.

Reading

Reading is vital to children’s learning and research has shown that learning to write well is based directly on the connection to reading.  Pie Corbett says: “The best writers in any class are always children who read avidly”.  Therefore we encourage parents not only to give their children the opportunity to learn the skill of reading, but for parents to regularly read stories aloud to their children.

Our hope is that children have the opportunity to read everyday to either an adult or an older sibling who is able to guide and support and engage in the reading with them.  Unless particularly specified, parents/carers may decide how much of the specified time the pupil should spend on reading.  Parents should sign their reading record card and if they feel the books are not at the right level they must let the teacher know.  Reading books must be changed everyday in Foundation Stage and KS1.  Once children start to read chapter books, children must take responsibility to change their books when required.   If children in KS2 are not yet reading chapter books, books must be changed at least three times a week.

Spelling

Weekly spelling will be handed out on a Friday as part of the phonics programme running in the school.  It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure the children have sufficient practice during the week to prepare them for the spelling test the next week. The class teacher must make it clear which days tests will be on.

Mathletics and SPaGonline

Children will be given log in details for both Mathletics and SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) sites to support their learning at home. We need to know if accessing the internet at home is an issue.

Home learning:

Home learning will be handed out on a Friday in their home learning book – the home learning might be literacy or numeracy based or it can be an activity linked to another subject.  Keeping in mind that children should also be doing their reading and spelling homework, the activity should take no longer than the following time to complete:

Teachers must ensure instructions are clear in order for parents and children to understand the task.  The task must be at an appropriate level for children to at least attempt it independently, with parents overseeing and supporting their child’s learning in whatever way they can. The teacher will make it clear to parents when they want it handed in (usually a Wednesday), to give enough time for the work to be marked by the teacher before the next task is set.  However, it is essential that every child brings their bookbag in to school every day so that they may keep their homework book clean and tidy, their reading book is protected, and a track may be kept of when homework is done.

If parents feel like the homework is too difficult, or there is too much being given to their child then they should voice their concerns to the teacher or the head teacher to review the situation.  Pupils who consistently do not complete homework will be spoken to by the teacher and headteacher, who will set up a meeting with parents/carers to improve the situation.

Holiday homework

We will avoid giving home learning over half terms and holidays unless by special arrangement or for a specific reason. These times are opportunities for parents to visit galleries, museums, woods, parks and exhibitions, almost all are free in London!

Home school communication card

All children will receive a communication card at the beginning of each term.  It is an opportunity for parents to write messages to the teacher.  All cards must be handed in at the beginning of the day and given back to the children at the end of the day.  If parents write a message, the teacher or teaching assistant must either write a comment back or initial the message to indicate to parents that the message has been seen by a staff member.