Homework Policy
The Purpose of Homework at St Vincent’s is:
- To consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding being taught in school, particularly in English and Maths.
- To support children’s learning through effective partnerships between school and parents/carers.
- To extend or prepare for school learning and give children an opportunity to demonstrate their talents and skills.
- To encourage pupils as they get older to develop the independence, confidence and self-discipline needed to study on their own, and to prepare them for the requirements of secondary school.
Parents and carers are recognised as the first and most important educators for their child. We therefore encourage parents, as part of our Home School Agreement, to support the teaching and learning in school through involvement with homework. We expect parents to make it clear to the children that they value homework, and support us in explaining how it can help their learning, as well as encouraging the children and praising them when they have completed homework.
Homework is not compulsory until Year 6, and consequences will not be given for non-completion of homework, however children will be praised and encouraged for completing their homework. Engagement with homework will also benefit children in relation to the additional consolidation and practice that will support their learning and progress. In preparation for High School, Year 6 children will be expected to complete homework and teachers will follow up non-engagement.
Homework activities will consolidate and reinforce learning within school and will be differentiated as appropriate to meet the needs of all children. For children with special educational needs, it is important that they will do as much in common with other children as possible, however there may be some homework which links to their Individual Learning Plan provision map and targets rather than to whole class learning.
A regular pattern of homework is important as we recognise that a familiar routine is important and is very helpful for children, parents and teachers.
Ongoing homework tasks:
- Regular reading is vital; both reading practice and listening to others read is essential throughout school and will form part of ongoing homework. Children must read with an adult a minimum of 3 times each week and this must be recorded in their diary. The class teacher will respond to comments where appropriate, but not always. Home reading books should be in school daily so that should the opportunity arise, children can read to an adult in school. Children should read and listen to a range of texts, not necessarily always provided by the school. It is also important that children are encouraged to make use of the library. When and how often the children change their reading book will be managed by individual class teachers and communicated with parents
- Spelling practise:
- Reception and Key Stage 1: key words and phonics tasks
- Key Stage 1 and 2: Key words and spelling patterns (Spelling Shed)
- These are also in the school diary for ease of reference
- Times tables practise:
- Year 2: 2, 5 and 10
- Year 3: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 (including division facts)
- Year 4: all times tables to 12 x 12 (including division facts)
- Year 5 and 6: continued consolidation of all times tables to 12 x 12 (including division facts)
- Weekly homework tasks:
- These tasks will be set on a Friday on Microsoft Teams / EdShed / Deepening Understanding and will include:
- Reading Comprehension or Grammar and Punctuation
- and Maths
Other homework might be set linked to children’s wider learning as is appropriate.