Homework Policy

Homework is work that is set to be done outside the timetabled curriculum. It contains an element of independent study in that it is not usually directly supervised by a teacher. It is important in raising student achievement and inculcating a culture of serious study and self motivation.

 Not all homework is done at home; in fact, for some pupils who find it hard to work at home, or for some tasks which may require resources (books, software, equipment) more readily available at school, it is necessary or desirable to carry out the task at school. There is an academic support club and SEN homework club to assist this if needed. 

Homework enhances pupil learning, improves achievement, provides feedback in the evaluation of teaching and engages parental cooperation and support. It also enables the full curriculum to be delivered where lesson time is limited.

Each curriculum area sets the following amount each fortnight (timetable cycle).

Although homework will not necessarily always involve a discrete piece of work or an exercise each time, it must always be set and students are expected to do it. Similarly, teachers are expected to acknowledge homework and may assess and give feedback to students on homework tasks dependent on the nature of work and how it fits into the assessment policy. This should be done in a way which is manageable for teachers within the assessment policy. For example it may involve an in class review rather than teacher marking. Teachers should demonstrate high expectations of what students are able to achieve in their homework time. Year 6 SATS papers are a useful indicator of what a year 7 pupil could achieve in an hour. 

Homework will be set as an assignment on each group’s Google Classroom, using the assignment naming convention set out in the Teaching & Learning Policy. Homework should be posted in good time for students to complete it by the set deadline and next day deadlines should be avoided where possible. It should be clearly labelled as homework so it can be separated from class resources on the google classroom. 

Heads of Department or post-holders are expected to monitor the quantity and quality of homework set by looking at Google Classrooms. This would be a good activity for a department meeting and forms part of the SSR process. 

Pupils failing to complete their work on time will incur sanctions. Equally importantly, however, the school recognises good quality work through the award of merits. 

Initially the amount of work set is relatively small, the main intention being to inculcate a regular habit. Subsequently the amount increases to prepare students to take responsibility for their own success. 

The school has an after school Academic Support Club and SEN homework facility which students may attend voluntarily or compulsorily to do homework.