Homework

Homework is not an optional extra, but an essential part of a good education.” – 1999 White Paper, Excellence in Schools

Homework has a key role to play in the education of all our pupils. It is an integral element of how pupils can make progress and gains in their learning. Research carried out by the EEF found that Homework has a positive impact on average (+ 5 months), particularly with pupils in secondary schools.

 At Cedar Mount we are very keen to promote independence, organisation and resilience in our pupils, and homework helps to develop these much-needed skills in children of all abilities. All our pupils should assume responsibility for their own learning so that they are well prepared for later life.  We believe that homework should be manageable, meaningful and motivational.

Homework has a variety of purposes including:

• Reinforcing and consolidating learning in the classroom
• Developing learning behaviours
• Retrieval practice
• Exam preparation
• Flipped learning – preparation for the next lesson
• Allows parents to see what their child is learning about
• Prepares pupils for the demands of college/University

As a parent, could we please encourage you to support your child by:

• Completing  learning activities at home – not necessarily helping with homework but keeping to homework routines and offering a hand where needed.
• Taking an interest and supporting learning at home.
• Keeping track of how well your child is doing and encouraging and supporting them to set their goals high enough to reach their full potential.
• Checking on Class Charts what homework has been set for your child.

How long should my child spend on homework?

As there will be a wide variety of tasks set by teachers, the amount of time pupils spend on homework will vary, but as a general guide the national average is shown below:

Year 7, 8 and 9 = 1-2 hours a day

Year 10 & 11 = 1-2 hours a day with additional revision for GCSE exams

 In Year 10 and Year 11, your child will receive homework once a week, for each subject. They will be expected to hand this to their teacher the following week.

If your child is usually spending either far more time than this or far less, please draw the matter to our attention.

Homework Timetable

Homework is set for all subjects on Class Charts  and Microsoft Teams. As a parent, if you log on to Class Charts you can see if homework has been set in the different subject areas. Pupils can find the resources for their homework on Microsoft Teams or will be given worksheets by their teacher

Homework club and support

We have a homework club every day in the LRC from 3.10pm to 4.10pm Monday to Friday and all pupils are welcome to attend where they can receive support from our Teaching Assistants.

Who to contact

If you have issues relating to homework, please contact the subject teacher in the first instance and then if the issue is not resolved, the Head of Department.

Useful videos to help you revise:

Motivation

Action over Anxiety

How to Study Effectively