Homework PolicyWritten by Jenny Wildgoose in conjunction with staff, following consultation with parents

(May 2018)To be reviewed May 2019

At Cheetham CE Community Academy we believe that homework reinforces skills and understanding, consolidates learning, enables children to review and practice what they have learnt and helps to raise the level of achievement of individual pupils. It provides opportunities for children and parents to work together.We recognise that in our community many children have commitments outside of school and therefore may struggle to complete homework on time. All teachers are sensitive to this and reasonable adjustments will be made to the policy in special circumstances.Teachers recognise that home learning has greater success when teachers, pupils and parents value it. Therefore we will strive to respect all work done at home and value it by following the school’s marking and feedback policy with regards to homework. In Key Stage One and Two all children will have a homework clip file or book, and homework will be placed in the file before sending home. In some cases children will be set homework online. This allows for children to receive instant feedback on their work and allows the teachers to see, who has completed their work. It is believed that children are often more motivated to complete some work that is linked to technology. Children with Special Educational Needs (including those with Dyslexia) will receive homework which reflects their learning needs; this may be related to their IEP targets or may be linked to any additional programmes of support that they are currently receiving.A breakdown of how homework is structured is provided below. This has been designed to encourage a gradual progression of skills and expectation, so that by the time children reach year 6 they have established a clear routine in preparation for high school.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In the EYFS there is no expectation to complete homework, but parents are encouraged to be involved in their child’s learning as much as possible. In Nursery children take a book home every week. This is a book to be shared with an adult, for pleasure. The book will be changed once a week. In Reception children will take home a book to support their reading skills (Oxford Reading Tree scheme) as well as a book to share for pleasure. Their books will be changed weekly and expectations are that teachers, parents and children write in the child’s reading diary. Children may be given activities to do during the holidays, or at the start of a new topic. All activities returned will be celebrated by the teacher.Teachers may send home talking/discussion tasks or practical activities that involve parents and children working together on a set task.

Years 1 and 2 All KS1 Children will take home tricky words (spellings) to learn every week and will then do a ‘tricky word challenge’ on those words the following week (these will be closely linked to the phonics phase that each child is working on). These will be peer marked during the session. Year 1 children will take home a piece of either English, maths or a talking homework every Friday (there will be more emphasis on phonics homework in the run up to the Year 1 screening test).Year 2 children will take home a piece of maths and English homework every

Friday (occasionally this may be a talking / discussion homework). Homework should be brought back to school on Monday and will be marked by the following Friday. Practical application of maths and English will be on going, eg. telling the time, weighing for baking, reading and writing for a purpose.In addition to this children may be given extra homework for the holidays, or activities to do at the start of a new topic. All homework returned will be celebrated by the teacher.All children in KS1 will take home up to 3 reading books, which will be changed once a week (this will include 2 banded books at their reading level, and a book to enjoy with an adult) . It is important that there is evidence of the child reading their book with someone at home (via the reading record). Expectations are that teachers, parents and children write in the child’s reading diary.

Year 3 Children are encouraged to read daily including reading to or sharing a story with someone else at home. The children are able to choose their own banded take home reading book from the Y3 library. This book can be changed on any day as long as their reading diary has been signed by an adult to show that it has been read.

Every Friday, children will be given all their homework for the week. This may include handwriting practice, a reading comprehension, and a piece of maths homework based on work done in class or learning maths facts. A spelling list will usually be sent home based on the spelling rule or pattern we are learning in class.

All homework is expected to be returned every Wednesday, where a member of the team will acknowledge the work each week and returned on Friday.

Year 4 Children are encouraged to read daily (to someone else where appropriate). In Y4 children can choose a book from the class libraries, and they can change them with the class librarians when they have finished reading. Reading comprehensions will be sent home weekly and will be either self, peer or teacher marked. In Year 4 Spellings will be sent home on Fridays and tested on Mondays. Each week, children will take home a piece of maths homework based on work done in class or based on maths passport targets. Learning of maths facts (i.e. multiplication) will be on going and should be practised regularly.In addition to this, children may be given extra homework for the holidays, or activities to do at the start of a new topic. All homework returned will be celebrated by the teacher.

Year 5 Every Friday, children will be set a piece of Mathematics homework on Manga High based on work done in class each week or Year 5 Maths Facts. A weekly spelling list will be sent home and children will also have an activity to apply these new words. The spelling list will be used for handwriting, which will be done on lined paper rather than handwriting paper, as a way of encouraging children to use joined handwriting in all books. Children are encouraged to read independently or to someone else where appropriate. Children will change their books when required. Children will be

given a reading question in their homework books which will have questions linked to the Year 5 reading Targets. Children will answer these questions in their diary and discuss them with a talk partner in morning activities. They will also be encouraged to find examples of a recently taught grammar objective in their book. Homework is expected every Wednesday, where a member of the team will acknowledge the work each week.

Year 6 Reading comprehensions are sent home weekly and marked by the following week. Spellings are sent home to learn weekly and are tested every Monday in a spelling and grammar test.Literacy and numeracy homework is sent home every week and marked by the following week.SATS practice papers will be sent home regularlyChildren are encouraged to read daily and should have their reading diary signed each night. This will be acknowledged by the teacher each day. Children will change their books when required.

Role of the Principal

The Principal will:§ Oversee the development and review of this policy, including practical

involvement in class blogs;§ Be responsible for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of

this policy.§ Promote this policy by raising its status and importance, celebrating children

who regularly complete homework;§ Ensure (through delegation) that a homework club is provided for KS2 children.

Role of the Phase Leaders

The Phase Leaders will:§ Ensure that homework reinforces and builds on learning done in class and is

linked to children’s targets / levels;§ Provide supportive guidance for parents;§ Keep up to date with new developments with regard to homework;§ Contribute to the homework done on class blogs;

Role of the Teachers

Teacher will:§ Set interesting, appropriate and differentiated tasks for homework;§ Communicate the importance of homework and value all work that is returned;§ Ensure that homework set is linked to children’s short term (or unit) targets;§ Provide clear guidance about when, what and how the work is to be done;§ Provide feedback that is consistent with the academy’s marking and feedback

policy.

Role of Parents / Carers

Parents/carers are asked to:§ Sign the home-school agreement indicating their support for homework;§ Praise and value their child’s work;§ Provide a suitable space in their home where children can concentrate on their

homework;§ Establish a homework routine, such as no television and encourage the

completion of homework on time;§ Provide basic materials (pens, pencils, etc);

§ Go through the homework before the child starts and then discuss the completed work;

§ Make the experience pleasurable;§ Find time to work with their child, or be at hand if problems arise;§ Communicate with your child’s teacher if you feel the homework is not

appropriate for your child.

Role of the children

Children are asked to:§ Complete their homework and hand it in on time;§ Listen carefully in class to make sure they understand what is asked of them;§ Make sure they get feedback on their homework;§ Highlight to the school council any ideas they may have about homework;§ Tell their teacher if homework is too easy or too hard;§ Take care of their homework file.

Marking and feedback

All children receive prompt feedback from teachers on their homework in a variety of forms such as;§ Verbal§ Written§ Class discussion§ Praise and recognitionParents are asked to:§ Encourage their child to talk about the feedback they have received§ Give teachers any verbal feedback about their child’s work that they feel might

be useful.

Monitoring and evaluation:The effectiveness of this policy will be reviewed annually or when the need arises, and the necessary recommendations for improvement will be made to the governors.