Home 'work' or Home 'learning'?

Learning at Fielding is fun!  Work is a chore.  Our home learning is intended to develop our pupils' excitement and passion for their learning and to help parents support their children at home.

Key principles

Top education researchers tell us that homework has little impact for primary age pupils, unless it requires children to rehearse and practise.  Other commentators are increasingly highlighting pressure on children and the need for them to enjoy their childhood, having a break from school work at home.  Leading educationalists are also arguing the case for more creativity in the curriculum to better prepare children for the world of work, especially where it is predicted that many of the jobs that our 5 year olds will start are not yet known!

Research tells us that learning and understanding are deepened through repetition and practice.  Key skills such as learning times tables for maths and practice of spelling patterns can be practised at home.  We believe that reading should be part of a child's daily routine.  Learning beyond the school, with or without the support of parents, enable pupils to enjoy spending time on an extended task and lets them develop their creativity.

Our home learning routines

• exercise books for English and maths to be sent home once during every half-term so that parents can talk to children about their progress and next steps;
• we publish all home learning expectations, routines and resources to help on each Year Group Noticeboard;
• we emphsise the things that children need time to practice and rehearse:
  • reading and/or talking about their reading to an adult for at least 20 minutes, 5 times a week
  • learning spelling patterns linked to age-related expectations ready for use in dictation towards the end of every week; with children’s work being sent home weekly
  • reciting multiplication tables to increase their fluency so that they can be applied in other areas of maths and problem solving; with children’s work being sent home weekly;

Home learning policy

Our Home learning policy is written in order to inform all members of our school community of our common vision and to provide guidance about how to achieve this vision through the use of consistent agreed routines.

Spelling

Spelling patterns build on phonics.

Reading Records