Homework

Our Homework Policy shows our expectations of what should be completed at home, while our Marking Policy explains some of the vocabulary and codes that you will find in your child's book at school.

What is Homework?

Homework can and will be hugely varied- it may be set in different forms and have different expectations and outcomes. Similarly the frequency and amount of homework will vary and increase as they get older. 

At St. Barnabas we strongly believe homework should be a further opportunity to enhance pupils learning and engage and excite them. The children work hard at school and will be given homework that interests them and is at an appropriate level for their age and maturity. Thus, homework should not stress the child and should provide them with further enjoyment and motivation in their learning. There are now no government recommendations as to appropriate time allocations for homework.

Homework Tasks

Homework may be given out to a class, group or even individuals in some cases. Some homework is on-going tasks, such as daily reading, and others are set periodically.

Listed below are a number of example tasks. The list is by no means exhaustive and is open to constant change.  Homework activities will change to meet the needs of the pupils involved and activities that might be occurring in class. Homework activities will always have a clear purpose and focus on supporting children’s academic progress. 

Early Years Foundation Stage homework may include:

• Reading books and key words
• Nursery rhymes and poems
• Read Write Inc sounds and letter formation
• Counting games
• Independent self-help skills

Year 1 and 2 homework may include:

• Reading and key words
• Practising spellings
• Handwriting practice
• Times tables practice
• Group homework- challenge and intervention groups

Reading Homework

The expectation is that parents will support their children’s reading development by sharing books at least five times a week and recording this in the child’s reading record. We believe this is fundamental to support children’s overall academic development as well as specific progress in reading. This expectation is the same for EYFS- Year2 .

At St. Barnabas we believe it is essential for parents to support and help their children with homework.  Through this support and the partnership with school we believe pupils will make most progress and homework can have a significant impact on this. As time goes on we would hope children will be encouraged to be more independent in completing their homework whilst still being supported.

General

• If children are absent due to illness we will not send homework home. We would assume the child was too ill to work. However work missed in school should be caught up on return to school as far as possible.
• If a child is absent for a length of time the teacher and the parent will agree what should be done, how it should be marked and what sort of help needs to be given.
• Parents/Carers who have queries about homework should not hesitate to make an appointment to see their child’s class teacher.