The purpose of homework at Roding is to extend or reinforce the learning and achievement of all pupils.

Homework will give our pupils the opportunity to:

• Reinforce or extend what they have learned in school.
  
  
• Develop an effective partnership between the school
  and parents/carers.
  
  
• Exploit resources for learning of all kinds at home.
  
  
• Develop the confidence and self-discipline to study on their own.

Homework will be allocated depending on the curriculum subject and the age and ability of the child.

Reading

• Children take home a reading book and a ‘home school’ reading
  diary daily and return it to school the following morning.
  
  
• The reading diary is used by the teacher to record activities undertaken during Guided Reading and gives parents the opportunity to make comments about their son or daughter’s reading or to correspond with the teacher. The teacher may also indicate targets
  for the child  to work towards.
  
  
• Parents are provided with an age-appropriate leaflet, explaining the types of activity to undertake with children, when reading with them
  at home.
  
  
• In Years 1-6 an activity sheet is sent home at least once a week to develop the pupils’ reading skills.
  
  
• Children are expected to undertake a daily reading activity. In years
  1-4 five minutes each day. In years 5 & 6 fifteen minutes each day.

Spellings

• Children receive a list of spellings differentiated according to ability.

Mathematics

• Mathematics homework is not set for Reception age pupils or pupils in the first term of Y1.
  
  
• A weekly task (Y1 & Y2) or fact sheet/activity sheet (Y3 & 4) is
  sent home on a weekly basis to reinforce the week’s objectives.
  When required these sheets will be differentiated according to age
  and ability.

Research based homework

Years 1 & 2

• Children undertake activities related to class topics. This may involve bringing items to school or interviewing family members for example asking a grandparent to talk about what life was like when they were
  a child.

Years 3 & 4

• A research-based piece of homework is sent home at the start of
  each term. (Years 1 & 2 would be expected to spend approximately
  1 hour per term on this activity and years 3 & 4, 1½ hours.)  Pupils
  are asked to investigate topics such as science, history or geography.
  Some recording may be necessary but can take the form of drawings, photographs, interviews or made objects. Formal written responses are not a requirement. Clear guidance is sent home at the start of
  the project.

Years 5 & 6

• A research-based piece of homework is sent home each half term. Pupils are expected to spend approximately 2 ½ hours per term. Pupils are asked to investigate a topic such as science, history or geography. Guidance is provided for each term so pupils and parents know what the expectations are. A greater emphasis is placed on working independently, with parents encouraging their son or daughter to study, rather than helping them with it. Formal recording is a requirement; pupils are expected to present their work in a variety
  of ways.

Pupils receiving additional support in English or Mathematics

• Pupils who have an Intervention Profile will be set homework appropriate to their needs. The support teacher will set this.
  (The suggested time allocation should not be exceeded.)
  NO OTHER HOMEWORK SHOULD BE SET.

DCSF Guidelines.  Suggested time allocations are as follows:

• Year 1 and Year 2: 1.00 hour per week.

• Year 3 and Year 4: 1.30 hours per week.
  
  
• Year 5 and 6: .30 minutes each day.

The role of parents and carers in supporting pupils

• Parents/carers are encouraged to provide a reasonably quiet place
  to study where their son or daughter can do their homework.
  
  
• Make it clear to pupils that they value homework, and support the school in explaining how it can help their learning.
  
  
• Praise pupils when they have completed their homework.

Parental consultation

• Parental homework agreements are sent home in the first half of the Autumn term in conjunction with the ‘meet the teacher’ event. Parents are asked to sign this agreement to confirm that they will support their child with their weekly homework.