Homework
At Shire Oak Academy we consider homework an integral part of education and aim to set our students a range of tasks to consolidate and widen their learning.
Through homework we aim to:
- equip students with the independent learning skills required for further education and later life.
- give students the opportunities to work independently of the teacher, support staff and peers, to work at their own pace and to help inform on progress.
- engage parental co-operation and create channels for home-school dialogue.
- consolidate and extend the work covered at school.
- give opportunities to reach beyond the confines of the school curriculum by challenging all students.
- engender self-discipline regarding meeting deadlines and balancing school-life pressures.
- provide opportunities for students to apply their schoolwork in a wider context.
How is homework set and marked?
We do not specify set amounts of homework time per subject per week as our curriculum and the supporting schemes of learning vary week by week. Instead, homework should only be set if it is meaningful and either consolidates prior learning or prepares students for future learning. In practice this means that sometimes a subject may need to set more homework over a shorter period or there may be a time where there is less specific homework set, focusing instead on revision or independent study. However, we would expect most subjects to be setting homework at regular intervals to support student learning and engagement (for certain practical subjects it may not be feasible to set homework regularly for each year group). Further details can be found on the subject expectations pages of our Homework Guidance document.
We encourage staff to mark examples of student work which will have the most impact on the student progressing in their learning. This may be a task completed in school or at home. Therefore, you should expect teachers to acknowledge your child’s homework, but it may not always be marked.
When will homework be set?
We ask all our teachers to ensure that homework, when set, is given a suitable deadline to allow students at least several days to complete it. This helps to develop organisational and time management skills in our students, plus it gives them the opportunity to speak to their teacher before the deadline if they require support with a task.
All homework tasks will be posted by teachers onto ClassCharts with a description of the task, supporting resources if applicable and the deadline; there may be further details in the students Microsoft Teams.
How can parents/guardians be involved?
Parents and guardians can encourage students to access ClassCharts regularly, so they are aware of all the homework tasks due. This online platform can also be used for student messages from teachers so should be checked every day. Ideally notifications should be allowed so students can stay up to date on new announcements.
Parents/guardians can also:
- provide an appropriate workspace for students to complete homework, free from disturbance and distractions.
- encourage students to work independently but to ask for help from parents or teachers if unsure.
- encourage good time management, such as breaking down long tasks into manageable chunks, and not leaving everything to the last minute.
- provide access to a computer, printer, and the internet when appropriate and encourage student to seek alternative arrangements if this is not possible such as attending homework club.
ClassCharts
All homework that is set for students will be available on the ClassCharts online calendar. This clearly shows the due date of the homework and includes details of the task with other resources or links attached if appropriate. All parents have been given login details for this application. If you haven’t got access to this application, please email Becky Wood ([email protected]) to get details.
Homework Guidance Document
For further details about homework, including detailed subject guidance on homework please read our homework guidance document.