Research evidence shows that homework, on average, can add five to eight months’ additional progress each year for your child.  The research is clear, homework has an integral role to play to improve the academic achievement of your child.  It is because of this that we have introduced a structured homework timetable for all years.  The timetable will stipulate what homework your child will be set and on what day. Your child can use the timetable to keep organised and to help with workload.  The schedule is designed so that your child completes the work on the same day it is set.  We will give reasonable deadlines to hand the work in but, doing it on the day it is set will be a powerful way to ensure that your child is completing a manageable amount of homework each weekday.

Your child will be rewarded for very good pieces of homework completed on time (merit/s will be issued).  If they fail to hand in the work on the deadline a demerit and a Homework detention may be issued.

However, before it gets to that please see below the proactive support that we have put in place to support the Homework schedule.  Prior to handing the work in your child will be able to:

1. Ask the teacher in the lesson for advice/clarification about the task.
2. Speak to the teacher at the end of the lesson/break/lunch for advice or clarification.
3. Message the teacher on Satchel:One in the homework tab to ask for advice or clarity.
4. Choose to use the School’s Library (Learning Resource Centre LRC) after school or at lunch for a quiet place to complete the homework which is open Monday to Thursday until 5.10pm.
5. Ensure homework at home is completed in a quiet place/room and away from distractions.
6. Always try to complete the homework on the night set in line with the homework timetable to stay organised and to keep on top of the work.

We also use homework prior to the whole school assessments to develop your child’s revision skills and over time to support them becoming effective independent learners.

It is very important to ensure that your child when completing homework is thinking and working things out by themselves.  That doesn’t mean they can’t look at their prior learning in books, or search up explanations, or similar tasks as support.  However, a recent trend is for students to use AI when faced with learning challenges.  Unless the work specifically states to use AI, we strongly recommend that they refrain from using AI to access answers.  I describe this to students like attending a gym to put on muscle but asking someone else to lift the weights for you.  The weight may be lifted, but this will not help you put on muscle (or learn in the case of homework) and you certainly won’t be any closer to being able to do this by yourself.