Homework
We believe there is significant value in learning outside school as pupils prepare for their future learning, revise, practise skills taught in the classroom, develop their organisational and time-management skills.
What platforms do students use?
As well as paper homework, students are regularly set homework on the platforms below.
What work are students set in each subject?
The type of homework your student gets will depend on the Key Stage they are in. The table below lets you know what homework students are set in each subject.
| Department | KS3 (7-9) | KS4 (10-11) |
| English | 2 Bedrock Lessons a week | Homework packs with retrieval questions and writing practice. |
| Maths | Sparx and exam questions
| |
| Science | Weekly quizzes linked to the lessons that week.
| One paper homework a week- quizzes, exam questions and retrieval. |
| MFL
| Weekly homework booklet. | |
| Art | No requirement | GCSE project homework weekly- linked to GCSE AOs. Students are given the timeline for this at the beginning of the term. |
| RS |
| Paper homework booklet with weekly quizes. |
| History
| Seneca once a week, written homework every other week. | |
| Geography | and written exam questions | |
| Performing Arts | No requirement | Coursework which is part of their final GCSE grade. |
| Computer Science | No requirement | Weekly work set online via Teams. |
| PE | No requirement | Theory coursework which is part of their final GCSE grade.
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What if I need help with my homework?
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
| KS4 Maths club- FG.05 | KS3 Maths Club- FG.05 |
| KS3 Homework club- Library |
| KS3 Bedrock homework club- Library | KS4 Art club- T1.04 |
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| KS3 Science club-D1.02 |
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Home-School Partnership
We also believe that this is a partnership between home and school and as such parental support is vital in our efforts to build independent learning habits in our pupils, your children.
As a parent/carer you should take an active role in supporting your child's learning outside school. This should involve:
- The Student Planner - you will sign the planner weekly, ensuring that you are aware of the work that has been set. There is an opportunity to write to class teachers or tutors through the comments page, for clarity or further explanation.
- Environment – by providing an appropriate environment for homework i.e. workplace, block of uninterrupted time.
- Discipline and time management - promoting a healthy balance between homework, extra-curricular activities, and family commitments. Stopping your child from continuing to complete homework late into the night, even if it is not complete. A note can be written in the planner which will be followed up by the subject teacher.
- Encouragement - providing encouragement and appropriate support without doing the homework for your child.
- Communication - Contacting the class teacher if your child has repeated difficulty in completing homework within the suggested time
Our promise to you
When setting homework teachers will:
- Ensure that homework tasks are meaningful and necessary for embedding learning from lessons or contributing to future learning
- Give clear limits of how much work should be done on an assignment e.g. number of words/minutes/homework slots. In KS3 homework will last for no more than 45 minutes per subject. In KS4 homework will last for no more than one hour per subject
- Give clear expectations of how much is to be completed in open-ended tasks and projects and what the assessment criteria are
- Allow enough time for students to record details and ask for clarification if necessary and acknowledge homework when it is handed in
We expect parents to take an active role in supporting their child's independent learning. This will happen through two key areas.
The student planner format allows you to quickly and visibly see which subjects have set independent learning tasks in any given week.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I spend on my homework?
Of course, it depends on the task and where appropriate specific guidance will be given. However, pupils should be spending a minimum of 30 minutes completing a task per subject. This should mean that if pupils are managing their time appropriately, they are spending at least one hour each evening completing their tasks.
How long will I have to complete my homework?
Staff will usually give pupils a week to complete a task. Occasionally a shorter deadline may be given. If pupils struggle to meet that deadline, they should speak to their teacher before the deadline in the first instance.
Are there homework clubs?
There are several homework clubs where students can get support from teachers.
What if I need help?
If we need help completing a task, we can ask our class teachers. Sometimes this may mean making an appointment to meet them and talk through the task.
What if I miss a deadline?
If a task is not submitted, we would allocate a 40-minute detention. A new deadline would be negotiated with the pupil. If there are exceptional circumstances, please bring a note explaining these to your class teacher.
What if my work is not up to the required standard?
We expect independent learning tasks to be well-presented and reflect high levels of effort. If we make mistakes, that is fine - it is part of the learning process. We may receive opportunities to redraft and reflect upon work completed. If our work is not completed to an appropriate standard, we would allocate a homework detention.
