Homework
We aim that all learning, including home learning, is social, active, engaging and creative where possible.
At Belmont Infants we are committed to parental involvement and see homework as one way of developing this partnership.
Research shows (EEF, Dec 2018) that overall, the general benefits of giving homework to young children are likely to be modest and that the quality of the task set appears to be more important than the quantity of work required from the pupil.
The report states that:
Parents can have a positive effect on homework completion and it helps children to develop effective learning habits. As a school we need to support parents in encouraging good habits for homework.
Short focused tasks or activities which relate directly to what is being taught, and which are built upon in school, are likely to be more effective than regular daily homework.
Teachers send home short practical activities to develop talk, a love of books and reading, core mathematical fluency, phonics and spelling. Spellings and maths tasks are matched to learning in class and to a child’s level of development. We do not specify amounts of time that must be spent on a task, preferring individual children and families to set their own routines. Homework should not be onerous; it’s an opportunity for parents to support children in that week’s learning.
Broadly speaking these are current expectations:
Each class will be given some or all of the following each week:
Nursery – sharing books and a love of reading – read a story to your child and talk about it every day if possible! Talk through and contribute to your child’s Tapestry profile;
Reception – reading a levelled reader, sharing books through being read to, learning key words or letter sounds, a fun practical activity linked to the learning (including maths activities), talk through and contribute to your child’s Tapestry profile;
Year 1 - reading a leveled reader daily, sharing books through being read to, a phonics / spelling activity, mathematical fluency practice;
Year 2 – reading a leveled reader, sharing books through being read to, learning spellings and a maths game.