Homework Policy

Ethos Statement

At Oakway we are fully committed to supporting parents to be fully involved with their child’s learning.  By providing regular homework we reinforce the partnership between parents and school whilst encouraging pupils to develop skills, confidence and motivation to become lifelong learners.

 

Aims

We aim that homework will:

·         Improve pupil confidence

·         Consolidate skills and knowledge learnt in class

·         Encourage and support parents to be involved in their child’s learning

·         Give plenty of opportunities for children to succeed

·         Develop children’s abilities to organise their time to complete homework

 

Procedures

The school will provide each child with:

·         A homework bag containing a folder

·         A folder containing homework sheets, advice for parents and a feedback sheet

·         Spare paper and a pencil, if required

 

Homework will be sent home on a Wednesday and returned to school by the following Monday. 

 

A drop in session for parents and their child will be provided every week on a Thursday at 3:15pm – 4pm.  This session will be run by a teacher.  This session provides the opportunity for parents to seek advice, discuss progress, to collect extra homework and space for the parent and child to complete the homework.

 

The library is open to children and parents after school every day until 4pm.  This quiet space is available for children and parents to complete homework, read together or to borrow books to share at home.

 

Any parent unable to come into school for support can visit our website www.oakwayinfantschool.co.uk for advice and contact details for the lead teacher.

 

Parents who speak English as a second language can request translation and support for homework and the school will do the best they can to accommodate their request.

 

All children will be given the opportunity to take homework. 

 

The children in each year group will be sent home different types of homework in their homework bag each week as outlined in the table:

 

Reception	Year 1	Year 2
·         Communication, Language and Literacy ·         Problem Solving, Reasoning and Number ·         Phonics (letter sounds) and letter formation	·         Literacy ·         Numeracy ·         Spelling	·         Literacy ·         Numeracy ·         Spelling

 

All children will have reading books, words and reading diaries sent home daily in book bags.  Children are encouraged to read to an adult at least three times a week.

 

Teachers may send home different homework to that listed in the table dependent on the child’s current targets or topics being covered in school.

 

If children and parents would like more homework then it is available at the Thursday afternoon drop-in session.

 

Rewards

Children will be rewarded with praise, team points, stamps and stickers for completing their homework each week.  Children who complete their homework regularly will be rewarded each term with a certificate presented in a whole school assembly.

 

Responsibilities

 

Staff will:

·         Provide appropriate homework every week

·         Mark homework every week and provide feedback to parents and children, keeping them informed of progress and targets

·         Ensure the children have a clear understanding of the tasks included in their homework folder

·         Work in partnership with parents to offer support and guidance

 

Parents will:

·         Work in partnership with the school to support and encourage their child

·         Provide somewhere suitable for their child to work without distractions

·         Help their child to return their homework on time

 

Pupils will:

·         Try all the homework that is sent home

·         Take care of their homework bag and folder and return it to school on time

·         Ask for help from their parent or teacher if they find anything difficult

 

Guidance Strategies and Procedures

This policy links directly with the teaching and learning, literacy and numeracy policies.

 

Monitoring

The implementation of this policy and procedures will be monitored by the Head Teacher and the Teaching and Learning Committee of the Governing Body.

 

Review

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

 

Policy Formation

All staff were involved and had input into the development of our procedures. This policy was sent out to parents’ and carers’ and their views have been incorporated in this document. The School Council also reviewed this document.