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At Whitefield School we believe that home learning is an integral part of education for the following reasons;
- Supports classroom practice enabling students to extend learning.
- Enables students to practise skills learned in the classroom and so deeply embeds knowledge.
- Promotes personal and independent research and learning.
- Allows for differentiation where all students are able to fulfil their potential.
- Encourages key behavioural skills such as self-reliance, time management and personal organisation.
- Encourages the development of research and presentation skills.
- Allows for the testing of knowledge and the practising of techniques pertinent to criteria for assessment in examinations.
- Promotes enjoyment of learning for its own sake beyond lessons.
- Provides parents and carers opportunities to actively participate in their children’s education.
- Forms a partnership between Whitefield School and the students home.
Students and Parents can track when home learning is set in the following ways;
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Student Planner - The student planner is a key organisational tool and link between the school and home. Students will record all home learning set in their planner, including the exact details of the task and the date it is due. Teachers, tutor and parents should support the student to develop their organisational skills through ensuring that home learning is fully recorded and checking and signing the diary weekly.
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My Child At School – staff will log when homework is set on the school MIS system, this will include the due date of the task. This information is available to parents through the MCAS portal.
Home Learning Timetables
We expect students to
- Write down their home learning assignment in their planners, noting the date it is due. Those with SEN/EAL may need Teaching Assistant / a “buddy” to ensure the home learning is understood and correctly recorded.
- Set aside enough time to complete their home learning to the best of their ability, preferably as soon after it is set as possible.
- Complete their home learning in an appropriate environment for study, away from distractions.
- Hand in their home learning in class on the day it is due, or to the teacher as soon after as possible if they are absent on the day.
- Complete further independent reading to develop their wider subject knowledge.
We expect parents to
- Take an active role in helping students learn.
- Support their children in completing their home learning, assisting them where appropriate but allowing their children to work independently.
- Look at their child‘s exercise books and support their child‘s learning by helping them to act on the comments and targets provided by staff.
- Check and sign planners weekly.
- Use the MCAS portal to check home learning.
- Feedback any concerns about home learning to the relevant Year Team Leader.
We expect teaching staff to
- Set home learning frequently and regularly, mark it promptly with comments and targets that will help students progress if acted upon.
- Consider student workloads when setting home learning deadlines and give an appropriate amount of time to complete it.
- Set meaningful home learning activities that will help students build connections between what they have learned in individual lessons.
- Record when home learning is set on the MIS including the due date.
- Praise students’ effort and attainment in home learning using the school system.
- Sanction students who fail to complete home based learning adequately or who fail to hand it in on time and record this sanction using the school’s MIS.
- If students fail to complete three home learning assignments, teaching staff must contact parents via email or phone call.
- Make best use of technology to support learning and manage their own workload (to include the use of Google classroom to collect and set home learning and the use of GCSE pod, Seneca, SPARKS and other relevant digital platforms).
