Next steps for home learning and how we will share your child's progress with you

Since the last survey, a number of changes have been finalised and made to homework arrangements, in consultation with parents.  However, parents continued to express a wide range of different views about homework.

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!

Enlightened schools have already made changes to reduce homework.  However, some parents still judge the quality of a school by the amount of homework children receive: the more homework, the better the perception of the school.

Our parents tell us that homework helps them to see how well their children are doing at school.  However, we believe that we can find better ways of doing this.

Therefore, we are going to:

• send class exercise books for English and maths home once during every half-term so that parents can talk to children about their progress and next steps;
• publish all home learning expectations, routines and resources to help on each Year Group Noticeboard;
• continue emphasising 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;
• continue giving children opportunities to learn across the curriculum and be creative through our half-termly creative home learning, with written feedback from peers and the class teacher