Homework
At Lynch Hill School Primary Academy, we regularly set homework. We believe it to be an important part of students’ learning, and an extension of what they have learnt in lessons. It also develops the habits of independent study. Homework can take many forms, including: completing work or exercises started in lessons, project work and research.
Ideally students should have a quiet place at home in which to do their homework and have access to a computer.
HOMEWORK IN KS1
Homework is set to support work in class. Whenever homework is set, we need support from home in ensuring that it is done. A homework diary is provided to ensure communication between home and school. (Further diaries are available for 50p.) We believe completing homework encourages your child to be responsible for themselves. Homework timetables are displayed in class so that parents/carers are fully aware of homework expectations.
The classroom charter negotiated with each class will have an expectation that homework is completed and books returned. Warnings will be given out if the rules are broken and pupils will be expected to complete work in break-time.
Homework in KS1 focuses upon reading and Word Work, as learning to read is a priority at this stage. Reading is one area of school life that spills over naturally into home life. All homework offers the opportunity for parents/carers to provide their child with valuable support. Equally important though is the learning of number bonds and tables.
We adapted our homework provision to reflect the preferences of the parents/carers within our school. Below it is detailed what homework is mandatory and what is available as an option for completion.
| Task | Reception | Year 1 | Year 2 |
| Reading at home with parent or carer including phonic activities | 10 mins per day | 20 mins per day | 30 mins per day |
| Phonics | Sound a day 5 mins per day | Sound a day 5 mins per day | |
| Spellings / Handwriting | Handwriting of the sound of the day. Spellings later in the year | Spelling words and activities for the week given to support with our new approach to spelling. This will differ from year group to year group | Spelling words and activities for the week given to support with our new approach to spelling. This will differ from year group to year group |
| Spellings / Handwriting | Maths practical activity set on the online journal | Given weekly | Given weekly |
| Word work / comprehension (optional) | Available weekly | ||
| Number bonds practise | Practised in class | Practised in class | |
| Tables practise | Practised in class | ||
| Project work/ Research (optional) | Offered during holidays | Termly projects linked with current or forthcoming units of stud | Termly projects linked with current or forthcoming units of study |
You may also request additional resources are shared with you via the online journal or directly from the teacher if you wish for your child to partake in further work at home.
HOMEWORK IN KS2
Homework is set to support work in class. Whenever homework is set, we need support from home in ensuring that it is done. A homework diary is provided to ensure communication between home and school. Recording of tasks in diaries each day also encourages your child to be responsible for themselves. (Further diaries are available for a charge of 50p for Years 3 – 5 or £1.00 for Year 6).
The classroom charter negotiated within each class will have an expectation that homework is completed and books returned. Warnings will be given out if the rules are broken and pupils will be expected to complete work in breaktime or lunchtime detention or after school detention. Good Day Tickets can be withheld if homework is not completed in full or to an adequate / satisfactory standard.
At times, pupils will be required to take books home to complete homework. These books are the responsibility of the pupil and loss or damage will have to be paid for. Exercise books are provided for pupils’ work. Pupils are expected to keep these in GOOD CONDITION and ONLY the pupil’s name, class and subject are to be written on the cover.
Your child will bring home reading and library books. Please encourage and support their learning by sharing these books with them, listening to them read daily and then utilising their reading record to showcase the books they have read and enjoyed. Parents/carers are responsible for the safe return of these books. Bills will be sent home to cover the replacement of lost or damaged books.
Weekly Expectation:
Reading: At least 20 minutes every night when pupils are expected to read either their library or class reading book. All pupils will benefit from being heard to read and being asked questions about what they have read. The reading record can be used for pictures, book reviews and notes from parents regarding anything for which they are proud of their child (perhaps reading with fluency or decoding tricky words) or any areas of concern they wish to highlight.
Spellings: Children in KS2 will be given spelling words and activities to support our new approach to spelling at LHSPA. This will differ from year group to year group.
Times Tables: It is so important that our pupils can recall their times tables quickly and accurately. The children will be expected to access TTRS (Times Table Rock Stars) each evening, completing a set number of games. This will include those pupils in Y6 who are still identified as needing to undertake daily practise. The expectations are as follows:
Year 2: Jamming, 1 game per night
Year 3: Gig, 2 games per night and after Christmas 3 games per night
Year 4: Gig, 5 games and after Christmas play sound check which is 5 games per night.
Year 5: Studio, 5 games per night
Year 6: Times table practise at teacher discretion
Maths and English homework tasks and challenges will be offered to all children each week. With the exception of an arithmetic task in Year 6, these are not mandatory tasks but will be offered to help support and scaffold your child’s learning. In addition to this, holiday projects will be set which children have the option to complete in order to extend their knowledge and skills and earn additional class rewards.
Good Day tickets will be withheld for incomplete homework or when homework has been completed to a poor standard.
If your child genuinely cannot complete the work, please write a short note in the homework diary giving the reason. A maximum time of 40 minutes should be spent on any one piece of homework.
Finishing Work: From time to time it may be necessary for a teacher to ask for work started in class to be finished at home. This is usually when sufficient time was allowed and a pupil did not do the work in the time allocated or homework was not done.