Sutton Community Academy

Homework Policy

2016-2017

Sutton Community Academy

HOMEWORK POLICY 2016-2017

THE PURPOSE OF HOMEWORK

To enable improved levels of progress through differentiated; targeted and independent homework, followed with targeted feedback.

To lead to student ownership and to encourage students to develop the skills needed for independent learning.

To develop self-discipline in work habits including working to deadlines.

To consolidate, reinforce and extend the skills, knowledge and understanding

developed in the classroom.

To enable class work to concentrate on those activities requiring teachers’ direct

instruction, support or guidance.

To open up areas of study or sources of information.

To enable students to meet the demands of GCSE and Alevel coursework

assignments.

To prepare students for school and public examinations.

To encourage parents/carers to be involved in students’ learning.

GUIDELINES ON THE SETTING AND MARKING OF HOMEWORK

All students should know when homework will be set.

Homework will be assessed – see crib sheet for potential methods of assessment.

The homework tasks set should be appropriate to the needs, age and ability of the students concerned.

Give students time to improve; reflect and act on feedback given – following a piece of homework handed in.

Homework may involve choice through Takeaway homework whereby the student chooses from a range of activities/tasks in a menu system

Where there is only one lesson a week homework will be set alternate weeks

Some departments may choose to set an extended piece of work which may be set

across several weeks. In this case, the teacher must build in a regular checking

mechanism to monitor progress to date with each student. Teachers must ensure that

any extended project should be entered into the planner.

Where coursework is set, milestones must be explicitly identified by the teacher.

Homework must be linked to the scheme of work.

Homework must be written or displayed e.g. on the board, so students can copy the

task accurately. Alternatively, homework may be given on stickers and placed in

planners or on a Takeaway menu system. Colleagues need to ensure that sufficient

time is allowed for this to be carried out.

Homework must be written down accurately in planners, with clear deadlines for

completion, by all students.

All revision homework must be written in planners.

Teachers could set homework on websites such as ‘My Maths’ and ‘I Am Learning’.

Homework must be completed to meet the deadlines set.

Tutors must check planners to ensure homework is recorded.

HOMEWORK TASKS We must ensure that a variety of differentiated tasks are set for homework. Departments should discuss suitable homework tasks e.g. using a Takeaway menu choice system (see exemplars), and teams of teachers are encouraged to plan homework collaboratively. Tasks should be carefully differentiated to meet the learning needs of students but some homework may still be common across specific sets/classes in a year group. Possible tasks might be:- Teachers should, as far as possible, avoid setting homework which is finishing off tasks of work which should have been completed in the lesson.

Some homework may be extended over several weeks.

Students should always indicate which tasks in their exercise books are homework

tasks by writing the word Homework in the margin and dating the work. THE TIME TO BE SPENT ON HOMEWORK TASKS

Y7 and Y8 45-60 minutes a day on homework

Y9 1-2 hours a day on homework.

Y10 and Y11 1.5 to 2.5 hours a day on homework.

Y12 and Y13

4 hours homework per single award subject each week. In addition, all non-timetabled periods at school should be devoted to private study/extension work.

PROCEDURES WHEN STUDENTS FAIL TO COMPLETE HOMEWORK

Homework must be completed on time. Failure to meet a homework deadline will result in a Homework Consequence.

Should a student not complete homework or if it is not completed to the required standard then a second chance will be provided.

Should students persistently fail to submit homework a payback will be issued by the subject teacher. The subject teacher should provide details to the office who will notify parents/carers.

Valid reasons for late homework must be supported by a letter from home; and may or may not be approved.

Subject teachers will involve Subject Leaders where students have failed to complete homework two times or the quality of homework causes concern and the Subject Leader will issue a Departmental payback.

If a pupil persistently fails to complete homework to a suitable standard the Subject

Leader will arrange to inform the parents/carers.

LOLAs should be involved if there is a pattern of lack of homework across the board.

Research Designing Essay writing

Reading Simple experiments Report writing

Vocabulary Preparation work Extended writing

Drawing Drafting Model making

Interviews Revision Projects

Investigations Library work ICT applications

Listening Planning

KEY STAGE 3 (Year 7 and 8) TARIFF

Mathematics, English and Science 45 minutes per week

Humanities and Languages 30 minutes per week

Music, Drama, ICT, PSHCE, RE 1 x 30 minute homework per fortnight

Art/Design Technology 3 homework’s per project

KEY STAGE 4 (GCSE / Level 2 subjects) TARIFF Each piece of homework is expected to be approximately 40 minutes

Mathematics, English and Science Up to 2 pieces of homework per week; or 1 longer piece, to reflect the needs of the unit of work.

Option subjects 1 or 2 pieces of homework per week

All other subjects 1 piece of homework per week

The demands of the examination specification require that major assignments for coursework assessment and examination preparation are set. This means that homework may be set on a more flexible basis at key points in Key Stage 4, with some shorter pieces of work and some extended tasks that are spread over several weeks.

POST 16 TARRIF

Post 16 students have varied timetables and homework should reflect the individual learning programme of each student. There are high expectations in terms of lesson preparation and research and homework, independent work and coursework deadlines will be set by the individual teacher.

Each Level 3 course (AS/A2/Applied/OCR Technicals/BTEC)

Minimum of 4 hours per week per course.

GCSE resit courses and Level 2 courses 2 hours of homework and independent study each week

MONITORING HOMEWORK

We encourage parents/carers to be involved in students’ learning and request they

monitor homework and sign next to the actual piece of homework in the margin or other suitable place.

Tutors will monitor that students have recorded homework in their planners. This will be checked on a weekly basis.

Subject Leaders are also responsible for monitoring the quality, quantity, frequency

and variety of homework set in their subject area.

Departmental work scrutiny will support monitoring. These should take place in line

with the QA calendar.

The overall effectiveness of the Homework Policy across the school will involve

monitoring selected students, monitoring a year group, sampling exercise books and

assignments and checking diaries. This monitoring will take place as part of each

work scrutiny as scheduled in the whole school or Department QA calendar.

We will review the Homework Policy annuall

HOMEWORK

CRIB SHEET

Set homework regularly and make your expectations clear

We want to encourage students to work hard. Reward

homework and praise good effort and high standards

Show/model examples of good homework

Use homework in lessons so that the link to learning is clear

Differentiate homework so that students are challenged at

the right level for them

Offer support e.g. direct students to resources and help

Homework is to be

assessed in some way

Years 7 and 8

Years 9 & 10 & 11

Years 12 and 13

Students also to use independent study

Each Level 3 course (AS/A2/Applied/OCR Technicals/BTEC)

4 hours per week per course

GCSE resit courses and Level 2 courses

2 hours of hwk and independent study each week

Maths, English and Science

45 mins per week

Humanities & Languages

30 mins per week

Music, Drama, ICT, PSHCE, RE

1 x 30 min hwk per fortnight

Art/DT 3 hwks per project

Hwk should approx be 40 mins per piece

Maths, English and Science

Up to 2 pieces of hwk per week; or 1 longer piece, to reflect the needs of the module

Option subjects 1 or 2 pieces of hwk per week

Other subjects 1 piece of hwk per week

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Turn over for an example of

TAKEAWAY homework

DiscussionSelf

AssessmentVerbal

Feedback

Green

Pen

Written

FeedbackPresentation

Ensure students write their homework in their planner.

Check this in your lesson. Tutors should check planners

weekly and challenge if necessary

Have the same high standards in terms of presentation

Be consistent within department teams. Are we all setting

homework and checking the quality of it?

No homework handed in then 2nd chance then payback at

teacher level then payback at departmental level etc. See

homework policy on T&L wheel