Homework

Definition

Home Learning is any extended learning that is set by the school which is undertaken out of lessons for which the student has primary responsibility.

Philosophy

• Encourages life long learning: through the development of skills, independent research, enquiry based learning, confidence and motivation.
• Promotes academic learning: provides practice and consolidation, preparation for future learning, extends school learning and offers reflection.
• Develops generic skills: independence, initiative and information skills, planning of time, self discipline and organisational skills, offers ownership and responsibility for learning.
• Has school purpose: extends the curriculum time and makes examination demands, such as GCSE, GCE & IB coursework, manageable; provides assessment of students' learning, promotes independent research; meets expectations of parents.
• Promotes the Home School relationship: home learning becomes a three-way partnership involving students, families, and teachers; keeps parents informed and involved; keeps learning on the agenda at home to promote home school dialogue.

Time Allocation

The value of home learning activities is more important than the precise amount of time devoted to tasks. Broad expectations about how much time it is reasonable for students to spend are useful for both parents and students. Students are encouraged to complete homework on the day it is given and to plan for deadlines.

It is suggested that the amount of time spent on home learning at South Island School should fall within the following ranges:

• Year 7 and 8: no more than 90 minutes per day
• Year 9 & 10: no more than 2 hours per day
• Year 11 - 13: between 1 ? and 3 hours per day

Planning

Home learning should be planned so that it is consistent and manageable for students.

• Set tasks must have clear, explicit and contextualised learning objectives and planned as for a classroom activity.
• The tasks should not be set at the end of the lesson - if pupils know early in the lesson what the extended task will be they will focus their learning more effectively during the lesson.
• Tasks shouldn't feel like an add-on afterthought.
• Pupils should have been taught, explicitly, the skills that are needed.
• Learning Support students need differentiated tasks supporting their individual learning styles
• Student should write tasks in their school Diary during the lesson, the entry might be a reference to a source where the task can be accessed e.g. CLC, website or email. Some students might need to be checked.

Supporting students in their homework

• Through PSE and subject lessons students are taught how to organise and plan their home learning to achieve success and to meet deadlines.
• The school diary is used effectively to record home learning.
• Tutors and parents monitor and sign the diary each week.
• Tutors help to develop student organisational skills and provide appropriate guidance and support.

Appropriate tasks for Home Learning

A varied range of home learning tasks are provided. These are just some examples:

Departments should be setting home learning that is varied and not just finishing off work carried out in class as this can place too much of a demand on some students and very little demand on others. Care needs to be taken with 'open ended' homework projects and a time limit should be set. Quality is better than quantity. Home based learning should be planned as part of departments' schemes of work.

The Role of the Head of Faculty/Department

• All Handbooks should include a well-developed Home Learning Policy within the framework of the school policy that includes a system for ensuring the quality of homework set and completed.
• Schemes of Work include suggestions for tasks that plan for progression and differentiation across the Years.
• The Heads of Faculty and Department ensure that teachers have high expectations of students in the completion of home learning.
• It is very important that home learning arrangements, including sanctions for non completion, should be consistently applied across the school.
• Subject teachers should monitor the completion of home learning.

If a student fails to complete the task set then a note should be entered in the school diary or an email contact made with parents. Repeated failure, two tasks incomplete, should result in a departmental detention.

The Role of Parents

• Parents are expected to support the home learning policy;
• Provide a reasonably peaceful place in which students can work;
• Give students time in which to complete tasks encouraging them to do some each evening;
• Sign the school diary weekly and acknowledge any notes written by teachers;
• Foster independence;
• Ensure a work/life balance for all students;
• Encourage students to value home learning and how it is an integral part of whole school learning;
• Support the student in meeting deadlines.

The Heads of Year ensure that parents are well informed by producing coursework planners. Tutors support their tutees by regularly checking the school diary.

The Role of the Student

• Being aware of the importance of independent home learning;
• Being aware of the school's home learning policy;
• Completing home learning within the given time frame;
• Alerting parents to home learning expectations;
• Seeking assistance from teachers and parents when difficulties arise;
• Sharing tasks with their parents;
• Ensuring home learning is of a high standard;
• Using the diary to record any tasks set, highlighting deadlines and getting a signature from parents;
• Using the Coursework planner as a reference.

Feedback for Students

If home learning is to benefit students' school learning then they must be given prompt and appropriate feedback. Effective marking and feedback places demands on teachers, but both are fundamental to helping students make progress. It is possible to design many home learning assignments which do not make heavy demand on teachers, and departments should make sensible use of these. Peer marking and self marking at the start of the lesson, is acceptable and does provide the instant feedback and connectivity between home and school learning.

Arrangements for Monitoring and Evaluating the Home Learning Policy

The efficiency and effectiveness of the home learning policy needs to be monitored and evaluated. Heads of Departments and Heads of Year have overall responsibility for monitoring student home learning and supporting students.