Homework

Homework Policy

Homework is an essential part of the learning programme and of a child’s development.

Most pupils carry out homework assignments in their own homes with the support and help of parents however, Penwortham Priory Academy offers facilities and staff support for pupils wishing to do this in school before a.m. lessons, at break, at lunchtime and after school. Staff supervise and support pupils enabling them to complete the work independently.

The purpose of homework is:

to practise and reinforce skills covered in class
to demonstrate understanding of work covered in class
to foster concentration and self-discipline
to research for information for future lessons
to develop children’s ability to plan and organise their time
to use resources available outside school to foster independent learning habits
to provide parents with an insight into their child’s learning
to strengthen home-school links
to provide teachers with a diagnostic tool to help assess and plan for individual needs
to help students develop the personalised learning skills they will need to be successful in their future lives.

Homework activities with assessment criteria must be incorporated into the planning for each subject. Homework in KS4 usually contains a written element, but research using the internet, reading and gathering information are also important. However, pupils should not just download large amounts of information from the internet when researching a topic. They should be required to synthesise the information and present it in a way that is relevant to the work set.

There is a consistency of expectation from all staff as to the standard of presentation, which does not differ from the standards expected in class, and the punctuality of handing in completed work. We refer to this as the Priory Standard.

Homework will be set via online platforms. Parents have access to their child’s record of homework set via online programmes and will be sent details about how to access this when their child joins the school.

All communications received from parents regarding homework should be passed to the relevant teacher(s) and/or Subject Leader and the child’s Head of Year in the first instance.

Rewards and Sanctions

If we are to truly set homework as an extension of the learning experience that occurs in school, then we have to measure the effort and application put in by students in the same way as we would in our classrooms. That means we will praise good effort and award achievement points to students who apply themselves successfully to tasks set. We will also employ sanctions where appropriate for failure to produce what is expected. This will be in the form of an after-school detention. If the situation escalates further, the sanction becomes more serious, and senior leaders become involved, just as it would with any misdemeanour in the school

Finishing Work

A class/group/individual may be asked to continue or complete work at home. However, if a pupil is continually not meeting their homework targets, discussion between parents, teacher and pupil needs to take place in order to devise appropriate intervention strategies that will support the student completing homework in the future. This may range from the school advising the parent how they can support with homework by ensuring a working space is provided in the home, or providing facilities in school for the student to complete homework after the normal school day.

Special Needs

Pupils requiring learning support frequently have additional work as part of their Individual Education Plan (IEP). Care must be taken that this work combined with other homework does not put too much of a burden on the pupil and his or her family. Homework may also need to be differentiated or limited to certain subjects for pupils with special needs. See the SENCo for advice.

Family Life and Recreation

We recognise that it is important to have a balance in life and that time spent visiting places of interest, taking part in sport, talking, exploring ideas, and having fun together all enhance learning and are as important as homework set by school.

Advice For Parents

make it clear to your child that you value homework opportunities and support the school by explaining how it can help their learning;
if your child needs help then provide sufficient explanation to enable them to do the work themselves. It is important not to provide the answers in advance of the work being done or to complete the work on their behalf;
discuss tasks, however briefly, with your child when they are completed;
encourage your child and praise them when they have completed homework;
wherever possible provide a reasonably peaceful, suitable space for your child to do their homework either together with you in the case of younger children, or alone undisturbed for older children. Whatever the situation, it is important that a routine is established for homework;
Offer feedback to school about the homework set

Time Allocation

Individual subjects will determine how much time should be spent on each piece of homework but, from Year 7, pupils need to be able to organise several longer pieces of work so that they can pace themselves to meet deadlines.

Each subject is expected to set at least one homework task per week (or once a fortnight where the subject is working as part of a carousel), the nature of which will be dependent upon what is being studied. On average pupils will be given approximately three homework pieces on any one evening which in years 7, 8, and 9 are estimated to take about 30 – 40 minutes to complete. They are unlikely to all have deadlines to be completed by the next school day so that pupils can spread out their workload. In years 10 and 11, pupils are likely to spend more time on extended pieces of work. Times given are a guideline, as pupils vary considerably in the amount of time they take over a task.

If pupils or parents have any concerns about homework they should contact the relevant subject teacher or form teacher in the first instance.

Marking of Homework

Staff are expected to acknowledge homework has been completed, relevant consolidation of learning has taken place and good effort has been made. There is no prescription that lengthy written feedback be provided rather that any feedback on a child’s homework helps them address misconceptions and make progress. Staff are expected to refer to the document ‘Feedback and Marking Guidance’ when assessing pupils’ homework.