Telephone: 01564 772374 Email: ¨office@lady-k-levesons.solihull.sch.uk¨
Homework Guidance
Parent/ Carer’s role:
- to support their child with their Home Learning, ensuring that they look at it together
- to know what the Home Learning expectations for their child’s year group are
- to provide a suitable environment for the completion of Home Learning
- to communicate with the class teacher if there are any uncertainties or difficulties
- to fulfil the above expectations, as mentioned in the Home/School Contract
Parents/Carers and children will be consulted regularly, through the Annual Parent and Pupil Survey, as well as when the policy is due for renewal.
Home Learning Format: See your child’s homework book for further guidance and details. Every year group are given a homework project every half term, which is related to the half-termly theme. This is set at the beginning of the half term and collected at the end.
Nursery: Read with every night, for five minutes
Phonics for five minutes
Number for five minutes
Reception: Read every night, for five minutes
Phonics for five minutes
Numbers for five minutes
Year One: Read every night, for five minutes
Phonics for five minutes
Numbers for five minutes
Year Two: Read every night, for between 5 and 10 minutes.
Phonics for five minutes
Numbers for five minutes
(2x 5x 10x multiplication tables)
Year Three: Read aloud every night, for ten minutes
Spellings for 5 minutes
Numbers for 5 minutes
(4x 8x multiplication tables)
Year Four: Read every night, for ten minutes
Spellings for 5 minutes
Numbers for 5 minutes
(3x 6x 7x tables)
Year Five: Read every night, for ten minutes
Spellings for 5 minutes
Numbers for 5 minutes
(Instant recall of all tables, in any order)
Year Six: Read every night, for ten minutes
Spellings for 5 minutes
Numbers for 5 minutes
(Instant recall of division tables)
Frequently asked questions….
My child doesn’t seem to be getting any homework, is this right?You will have seen from the guidance that your child should get regular homework. A quick check with their class teacher will give you the information that you need. There may be the odd occasion when homework isn’t given, but generally, it should be a regular event.
My child is getting too much / too little homeworkYou will see from the leaflet that there is a suggested amount for each phase. Naturally, we all work at different paces. One suggestion is that a parent signs the piece of work or their diary / reading record to say how long it took. This will be invaluable feedback to the teacher to help them design the work most appropriately to the needs of your child.
I really don’t want my child to do homework at all, what do I do?There are real benefits to doing homework as it reinforces the learning taking place in school. We would wish all children to at least ‘have a go’. If you feel that your child has done enough, please sign their work and state how much time has been spent on it—something is better than nothing. If however, you still do not wish your child to do homework, you must write a letter to the Headteacher.
What will happen if my child does not complete homework?If there is a genuine reason why homework has not been completed, please contact the class teacher and arrange a proposal for when it will be handed in. If a child, despite both the efforts of school and home working together still fails to do homework, low level sanctions such as completing it at lunchtime will be used. Break-time will not be used as a sanction for not producing homework.
Despite all the approaches mentioned, I still have a problem with homework, now what?As with all concerns that you may have, please approach the Headteacher if all avenues have failed to provide a satisfactory solution.
Good study habits are important for success in school and in later life. Knowing how to study effectively develops positive attitudes and confidence, as well as helping children to achieve good results, writes Harriet Cross.
“The best way that parents can help their children to learn is to encourage them to be independent and critical thinkers.”
Alastair Dickson, Head of Preparatory Department, St. Dunstan’s College Junior School
To help children prepare for all the tests and examinations they will face throughout school it is important that teachers and parents work together to help children learn good study skills. Parents of primary school children usually help their children more than parents of adolescents. However, older children also need parental support and encouragement throughout secondary school and beyond.
“The best way that parents can help their children to learn is to encourage them to be independent and critical thinkers,” says Alastair Dickson, Head of Preparatory Department, St. Dunstan’s College Junior School. “Never has there been so much information available at the flick of a switch and the click of a mouse … the challenge for children in the 21st Century is to know what questions to ask, to judge what is relevant and to apply that information with confidence and creativity”.
“The guidance you can provide your child can be invaluable to their educational achievements.”
Nita Shah of educational website Merlin Helps Students
Study skills
If hanging out with their friends or watching TV take precedence over schoolwork, a reward structure for completing homework, reading relevant books and starting coursework on time will reap benefits.
Establish a homework routine
Decide together when homework is done taking into consideration activities, family commitments and favourite TV programmes. Also, consider your child’s ability to concentrate at different times of the day. Many primary school children are too tired after supper and will have trouble concentrating
Use subject preferences in developing a schedule
Some children prefer to get disliked subjects out of the way first, while others prefer to do their easier homework first. Find a way to make an unpopular subject less frustrating, such as setting a goal of doing five maths problems and then taking a break
Nita Shah’s tips for parents
Help with time management to ensure that homework, coursework and revision is completed effectively and not rushed at the last minute.
When it comes to course selection, guide according to abilities and interests and do not base on your own interests, career or current trends.
Provide support and motivation regularly and take an interest both in the subjects being taken and the progress made.
Sort out a place to study with good lighting and a table or desk
Some children prefer to study in their own room. Others do better if they work in the kitchen nearer to parental help.
Provide support and genuine praise for homework completion
Tangible rewards linked to the completion of assigned tasks and improved grades are effective – these needn’t be expensive and could take the form of renting a video or phoning the grandparents to tell them of their success. Above all, maintain a positive and helpful attitude: avoid criticism and anger.
“The guidance you can provide your child can be invaluable to their educational achievements,” says Nita Shah of educational website www.merlinhelpsstudents.com
“This is in contrast to actually helping them. The distinction comes from enabling them to think and achieve for themselves as opposed to doing it for them. Invoking a child’s ability to answer homework questions through guidance, for example, will provide a foundation for later coursework and exams. Directly helping them to answer questions only provides short-term results and creates a circle of dependence, which grows over time.”
