Homework Policy
“The school’s caring and inclusive atmosphere fosters good relationships with pupils and their parents.” OFSTED July 2017
At St. Augustine’s, we believe that homework enables our children to share and deepen their learning with parents and carers.
We teach children to develop as responsible and independent learners. Our expectation that homework will be completed to a deadline and to a high standard is one way that we can help children to acquire the skill of independent learning and prepare them well for the more formal homework tasks which follow at secondary school.
We try to make homework tasks varied and to give our children the opportunity to present their homework in different ways.
We always link our homework to the learning which has taken place in school. Homework activities will focus on practising, applying and consolidating skills that have been taught in school.
We will always make homework tasks accessible to everyone by differentiating or adapting homework activities.
We will ensure that homework is set every week and will notify you if any changes are made to this policy.
Click here for our Homework Policy
Lower School Homework
(Years 3 and 4)
Learning Logs
A task will be given each week in your child’s A3 learning log. They will need to complete this task and hand in the learning log book and any additional items of homework on a Thursday morning. The tasks given in the learning logs will vary each week and could have a maths or writing theme or a task relating to their topic or other areas of learning. Your child should spend around 30 minutes on this task each week.
SPELLING – GIVEN ON A FRIDAY, RETURNED THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY
- Weekly spelling rules will be taught in class. All children will receive a sheet linked to the spelling rule in their learning log on a FRIDAY. We expect children to practise the weekly spelling rule using the sheet in their learning log. Learning Logs need to be brought to school the following THURSDAY. Knowledge of the spelling rule will be tested on Fridays.
READING
- Rewards are given for reading regularly. We expect children in lower school to read to an adult at home AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK. Please make a note in your child’s reading record book when you read with them at home and add any comments you wish to make to your child’s class teacher about your child’s progress in reading.
TIMESTABLES ROCKSTARS
- Children are encouraged to practice their times tables on Times Table Rockstars at least once a week. They can mark on their Learning Log if they have completed this.
HOMEWORK CLUB
- If your child requires any additional help with their homework, they can choose to attend homework club with Mr Rocchio and Mrs Potter. The club takes place on a Monday lunch times in Murray Class.
- Children who do not hand in their homework on a Thursday get a second chance to complete this by Friday. If homework has not been handed in by Friday, children will spend their lunch time completing their homework and will lose the house points given for completing their homework on time.
Upper School Homework
(Years 5 and 6) READING
- Rewards are given for reading regularly. We expect children in upper school to read independently at home AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK. In addition to this, we expect children at this stage to be able to read aloud confidently with appropriate expression. We request that you listen to your child read aloud AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. Please make a note in your child’s reading record book when you have listened to them at home and add any comments you wish to make to your child’s class teacher about your child’s progress in “performance reading aloud.”
- Children may also complete a book review at home if they wish by taking a “Recommended Reads” sheet home or completing an online version available on “Google Classroom”
SPELLING – GIVEN ON A THURSDAY, RETURNED THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY
- Weekly spelling rules will be taught in class. All children will receive a sheet linked to the spelling rule along with their “Practise Book” on a THURSDAY. We expect children to use this book to practise the weekly spelling rule however they wish eg. They can write the words in sentences/ write definitions of the words/ find other words which contain the same spelling pattern etc. Practise books need to be brought to school the following THURSDAY when a knowledge of the spelling rule will be tested.
MATHS – GIVEN ON A THURSDAY, RETURNED THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY
- Maths homework in upper school will focus on practising and applying maths concepts which have been taught in class. This homework should be completed in their maths homework book. Children are expected to spend no less than 30 minutes on their maths homework.
EXTRA “SATs” PREPARATION MATERIAL MAY BE GIVEN AS HOMEWORK TO YEAR 6 DURING THE AUTUMN AND SPRING TERMS.
TERMLY TOPIC BASED HOMEWORK
- One topic related, open ended creative project will be set at the beginning of each term. The children have a half term to complete and return this homework to give enough time for it to be shared and celebrated in school.
PARENTS AND CARERS
- We expect that parents support their child to complete homework on time, using an appropriate pen or pencil (not felt tip/crayon etc.).
- If you have any queries about any aspect of your child’s homework, or your child is experiencing difficulty in completing homework, we ask that you contact his/her class teacher in the first instance.
- If for any reason a child is unable to complete their homework, a parent or carer should contact their child’s class teacher. Children will be expected to complete outstanding homework during Friday break time.
End of Key Stage 2 Expectations
In order to be awarded the expected standard, a child needs to show they consistently meet all the standards recorded below.
READING
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WRITING
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MATHS
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