Home Learning

We ensure our students get the most from their education. In order to achieve this, home learning plays a vital role.

We know that high quality home learning opportunities provide a number of positive outcomes for our students, including:

• Providing an opportunity for students to practise and consolidate what they have learned in lessons
• Preparing students for future lessons, assessments, examinations and the world beyond school
• Enabling students to spend more time on tasks than would be possible in lessons and therefore to produce work in greater detail
• Encouraging students to develop independent learning and study skills

The school utilises Google Classroom to set all home learning tasks. Students access Google Classroom throughout their time in school and are familiar with the platform.

Parents and carers are able to receive Guardian Summaries via email on either a daily or weekly basis. The email summaries include:

• Missing work— work that’s late at the time the email was sent
• Upcoming work — work that’s due today and tomorrow (for daily emails) or work that’s due in the upcoming week (for weekly emails)
• Class activity — announcements, assignments, and questions recently posted by teachers

It is important to recognise that parents and carers will not be able to access or login to Google Classroom. The Guardian Summaries simply come as an automated email, but contain all of the information needed to support your child at home.

Our approach to setting home learning ensures a focus on purposeful tasks set regularly.  Our Directors of Learning have spent time summarising the typical nature of home learning tasks at each key stage which is accessible by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.

The quantity of home learning will increase as students progress through the school. In Year 7, home learning tasks should be no more than 30 minutes each and toegther, all home learning set across the week is likely to be take approximately one hour per night on average. Home learning tasks will take longer as students progress through the school, ultimately reaching approximately 5 hours a week per subject once students are in the Sixth Form.

We have a policy not to set home learning across holiday periods for Key Stage 3 students and only the minimum needed for coursework or exam preparation for Years 10-13. We recognise that family time is precious and we want our students to rest and enjoy creative, cultural and sporting activities during the holidays.

With all this in mind we have a shared responsibility when it comes to home learning:

Teachers will…

• Set well chosen, purposeful tasks that contribute to learning
• Ensure that home learning activities are accessible to all students.
• Aim to set home learning tasks with a duration of one week to complete
• Set as an ‘assignment’ on Google Classroom with a deadline specifying 1) Task, 2) Submission and 3) Duration
• Not set in the holidays unless there is a forthcoming examination period in Key Stage 4 and 5
• Praise and reward students for excellent efforts when it comes to the completion of home learning activities and provide appropriate and incremental sanctions in line with the Rewards and Consequences system to students who fail to complete home learning adequately or who fail to hand it in on time.

Parents are encouraged to…

• Provide their child, where possible, with a suitable learning environment in which to complete their home learning, without distractions
• Discuss home learning tasks and teacher feedback with their child to encourage conversations about learning
• Assist their child with planning and organising their home learning

Students should…

• Use Google Classroom to check the home learning which has been set each day and to ensure they understand what they are required to do
• Allow adequate time to complete their home learning to a standard that reflects their understanding and best efforts
• Stick to the timing guidance from their teacher and if they exceed this, to write down the amount of time it took and share this with their teacher
• Where possible, find a quiet environment to complete their home learning
• Take initiative for their own learning exploring and developing their understanding beyond the tasks set

Getting Started with Google Classroom Guardian Summaries

Key Stage 3 Home Learning Expectations