At St Thomas à Becket School, homework is used to help reinforce classroom learning and to stimulate conversation between parent and child about areas studied at school. It can be seen as an opportunity for parents to be involved in the curriculum and to help to extend each child’s learning. Some tasks will be practical and may involve parental support in searching out solutions or further information.
We feel that homework is a valuable tool for learning and hope that you will encourage your child to complete each task to the same high standard that would be expected in the classroom using a pencil or pen.
St Thomas à Becket Church of England Primary School homework aims to:
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- Integrate with class work
- Be tailored to individual needs
- Help pupils to learn independently
- Provide information to parents
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To help with homework, it may be useful to have the following readily accessible:
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- Writing pencils
- Writing pens (preferably not biro)
- Coloured pencils and felt tips
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Glue and sticky tape
- Stapler
- Dictionary
- Thesaurus
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Homework may vary over time to ensure it best meets the learning needs of the class and children but the following serves as a guideline as to what should be expected for different ages.
Skylark Class:
Homework for all includes:
Daily – Hearing reading of school reading book
Weekly – Sharing a school library book
Year 1: Playing a school maths game and weekly spellings
Chough Class:
Homework usually includes:
Daily – Hearing reading or silent/shared reading as appropriate
Daily – learning times tables
Year 2/3: Weekly Maths activity or Literacy/topic activity
Year 4: Weekly Maths activity and Literacy/topic activity
Kestrel Class:
Homework usually includes:
Weekly – Literacy topic or literacy linked
Weekly – Maths homework supporting learning objectives covered in class
Weekly – Spellings, Individual reading, learning times-tables
Amount of time spent on homework
Whilst there are no strict guidelines, the DfE suggests that Year 1 & 2 spend 1 hour per week, Year 3 & 4 children spend 1.5 hours per week on homework and Years 5 and 6 should spend 30 minutes per day.
We want children to value their homework and complete it to the same standard as would be expected in school. However children vary and we rely on parents to help children regulate the time that is spent on completing the work. If you feel your child has worked hard and concentrated on their homework, but not quite finished, then explain that to the teacher (or write a note in their book). It may be that if a more open-ended task has been set they are engrossed and spend time to producing work of a high standard and in which case may not have time to complete other work – again make this known to the teacher.
Homework may be challenging, but it should not be difficult or frustrating. Please talk to the class teacher if your child is having problems with any particular homework set.