Home Learning

Homework should be ACE and do one or more of the following:

1. Apply / Improve
2. Consolidate
3. Extend

Apply – With this type of homework, students use learning from the classroom to practice certain skills.  For example, students may answer a practice exam question based on content covered in a lesson.  This type of homework is essential at KS4.  This should be the main type of homework given to exam classes. It provides students with the opportunity for exam practice.  However, done well this requires specific feedback from the teacher, as it’s vital students know when and why they have lost marks.

Improve – With this homework, students refine and develop skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom based on feedback from the teacher, e.g. DIRT / TPGG activities.   You may choose for students to redraft an answer, based on teacher or peer making.   You may choose for students to improve their existing work based on a key skill covered in lesson.

Consolidate - This type of homework consolidates learning that has taken place in the classroom.  These types of homework reinforce learning.  They aim of these homework is for key information to stick.  In mathematics, this might be completing 25 sums for a particular skill. 

Extend - This type of homework aims to move the understanding beyond what has been achieved in the classroom, e.g. adding breadth to their existing knowledge.  This requires care to do it well!  There is a real danger that the student will just to Wikipedia and copy/paste large chunks of information – without really giving it much thought.  So students need direction with it.  Students who complete this homework well will lead to them developing their subject knowledge.

Setting of homework

Homework is typed and displayed on the door or office of each teacher.  Students are clear on what is expected of them, and when their homework is due in.  Students must record their homework in their planners, rather than simply taking a photograph of the task on their phones.

Students are set weekly homework tasks, with each piece of homework expected to take a student approximately thirty minutes to complete.

Marking of Homework

All homework must be marked.  We cannot expect students to produce high quality effort if the teacher is not going to recognise the effort. All homework should be marked in terms of effort. 

1 = Homework completed beyond expectations to an exceptional standard.

2 = Homework completed to a good standard.

3 = Homework completed to an acceptable standard, meeting basic expectations.

4 = Homework lacking effort and quality.

5 = Homework way below standard.

6 = Homework not complete.  Detention and behaviour point issued.

Teachers have the option of using DPA homework marking stickers to mark the homework given to them by students.

KS3 students in English are currently using Reading solutions for their home learning this is the link to this website ReadingPlus Student Login