• Research evidence shows that students make better progress by completing homework than not.

• Students develop the correct habits for study and future success.

• Teachers are able to set a wider range of tasks through setting homework and, therefore, have a greater range of evidence of the students’ progress and achievement.

• Teachers are able to devote more lesson time to collaborative study, practical work and discussion, if independent consolidation work can be completed outside the classroom.

• Students can be encouraged to enrich their classroom learning with application to the wider world.

• Students and parents can share the learning experience in greater partnership.

Please be aware of the amount of home learning that your child should have and please support them at home as best as you can. Here are some simple ways you can help: 

• Make sure they are using their diary to write down tasks; this will help them stay organised, meet deadlines and complete tasks effectively. 
• Set a regular homework routine – working at the same time each day helps build good habits.  
• Create a quiet study space where possible - minimise distractions like phones and TV by removing them when completing work. If this is an issue at home, there is a home learning club that students can attend, Monday – Friday, 7:30am – 8:30am in the Reflection Room. 
• Encourage independence – let them try tasks first, but be available if they need help. 
• Talk about their learning – ask what they’re working on and show interest. 
• Support reading – encourage daily reading and ask questions about what they’ve read. 
• Praise effort, not just results – celebrate focus, resilience and progress. 
• Stay informed – if they get a detention for not completing a task, please speak to them to follow up and ensure they understand the importance of home learning. 
• If your child is not getting home learning from subjects, or with the regularity expected, please contact their head of year or tutor in the first instance. 

If you have any questions about this, please feel free to get in contact with the school to discuss them  

All home learning will be recorded by the teacher on SIMs and students should use their diaries to remind themselves and stay organised. We have drop-in clinics this week and next week for parents who have difficulties accessing the SIMS Parent APP. Please click on the link here to book an appointment with a member of school staff who will be more than happy to help you. 

The list below is not an exhaustive list of tasks that could be set for homework, but rather an indication of the type of tasks that are appropriate. 

There is an expectation that students would receive a variety of tasks over time.  

• Preparation for future learning (such as reading ahead and summarising or planning tasks for future tasks)  

• Wider reading tasks for enrichment or consolidation  

• Structured short-answer questions to consolidate learning in lessons  

• Choice of tasks with varying levels of challenge  

• Vocabulary or key-facts learning  

• Extended project work – either completed as individuals or collaboratively  

• Guided research with appropriate support at the start of the work, such as key websites or printed references  

• Timed essays or extended pieces of writing  

• Creative responses to the learning 

• Online homework tasks  

• Revision  

• Write-up of experiments or practical work  

• Rehearsal 

• Making improvements to a piece of work which has received feedback (GPOP tasks).

All GCSE subjects will set home learning once a week.  

For every lesson on their timetable, a minimum of one further hour of guided independent study should be undertaken by the student. This should include a range of research, review, revision and examination style practice and these tasks should be facilitated by the teacher.