Homework

SNHS believes that Homework encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning, developing independence along with the skills and attitudes essential for successful lifelong learning.

Purpose

• To inspire independent learning beyond the classroom.

• To support progress in learning through consolidation of classwork or preparation for future work

• To develop the skills, attitudes and work ethic for lifelong learning

• To encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning, to manage time effectively and to respect deadlines

Roles and Responsibilities Student

• Record HL in diary with deadline and work out when you will complete the HWComplete the HW and bring it to class by the deadline

• If you are unsure of the HW task seek out help in your own time before the deadline by speaking to or emailing your teacher

• Ensure enough time is spent on HL to produce a quality piece of work presented in line with the school’s expectations on presentation – underlined title and date and marked as ‘homework’ and expect to redo any HW that does not adhere to this

• Ensure the recommended time for HW is not exceeded in order to strike a balance between work and leisure time

• If absent, find out what work has been missed including HW, which will still need to becompleted

• In failure to reach deadlines follow the whole school sanctions policy.

Parent

• Sign the Home/School agreement in student diary Sign student diary on a weekly basis reading any communication from tutors and teachers

• Check that student is completing the expected HW

• Offer support and encouragement to complete HW

• If a student is unable to complete a piece of HL in the recommended time frame, sign the planner or email the teacher to explain the circumstances

• Where students fail to reach deadlines, support the school with the sanctions (this includes

• Organising transport where necessary for after school detentions if they are set)

Teacher

• Communicate the expectations of the HW policy to students

• Set HW on the correct days according to the HW policy

• Clearly communicate expectations and allow time for recording HW in the planner (including deadline)

• Be aware of students who struggle to record HW and check it is accurately recorded in student planner

• Monitor the time students spend on HW

• Provide feedback in response to HW in line with the School’s Assessment and Marking Policy

• Challenge HL that is below expectation (e.g. quality, presentation) and expect that students will redo it

• Where students fail to reach deadlines follow the appropriate sanctions, entering the correct codes on SIMS

Tutor

• Communicate the expectations of the HW Policy to tutees

• Give students time in tutor time to pre‐populate diaries with weekly HW expectations

• Provide students with strategies to manage time for HW

• Check students and parents are signing planners on a weekly basis

• Ensure that students do not complete their HW in tutor time to emphasise its importance and value

Subject Leader (SL)

• Ensure that appropriate HW tasks are set within the relevant SOW

• Monitor that HW is being set and marked across the subject in line with the marking and feedback policy

• Ensure the team is adhering to the HW sanctions policy and entering the correct codes on PARS

• Use PARS to intervene with students who are persistently failing to meet deadlines and remind them of expectations

• Contact the parents of students where there are emerging patterns of repeated HW failures to

• understand the bigger picture and to find a resolution (HW clubs, discussion with HoY)

Senior Leaders

• Ensure that appropriate HW tasks are being set within subjects that are line managed (book scrutiny)

• Support tutors in monitoring that HL is being set and marked across all subjects through the collection and scrutiny of as well as spot checking

• Ensure HW diaries are being signed by students, parents and tutors

• Ensure that subjects are adhering to the sanctions policy and support the linking of some departments for joint detentions where necessary

Setting and Timings of HL

• HW must only be set according to the HL timetable that is available in September each year

• Where possible also provide a routine day for completion which provides students and teachers with clarity on when HL will be done and marked

• All HW must be followed up in a timely way and students must be given feedback in line with themarking and assessment policy.

Year Subject Time frequency

• Ensure that appropriate HW tasks are being set within subjects that are line managed (book scrutiny)

• Support tutors in monitoring that HL is being set and marked across all subjects through the collection and scrutiny of as well as spot checking

• Ensure HW diaries are being signed by students, parents and tutors

• Ensure that subjects are adhering to the sanctions policy and support the linking of some departments for joint detentions where necessary

* During periods of Controlled Assessment there may be times where students are expected to spendmore than the prescribed time on HW

Sixth Form

• Independent study is an essential skill that has to be learned in order to be successful at A-level. There is a vast difference between study at GCSE and A level and we work hard to help students to develop into independent learners who go beyond just completing home learning set by teachers, and who will read around their subjects and review their own work, producing summaries, revision notes and extension work. Students can expect teachers to regularly set challenging independent learning tasks which are relevant to their courses. They can also expect teachers to provide constructive feedback indicating how to improve their work.

• Students may choose where they spend this time, either in the sixth form quiet study areas at both sites, which are equipped with computers and laptop charging sockets or in the sixth form Cafés. The cafés have a more relaxed environment where you can carry out group work or enjoy a drink or something to eat while you work.

• Many departments, particularly in practical subjects such as Art, Graphics, Hospitality or IT, encourage students to spend study time in department areas. You can study in subject rooms at SNHS when they are available.

• Students will be expected to do at least one hour of learning outside the classroom for every hour they spend in the classroom. Both Home Study and Independent Learning are an essential part of success in years 12 & 13 and meeting deadlines is a requirement of the Sixth Form.

• A student who has the ability to learn independently will be more likely to succeed in both university and employment and this ability will be commented upon in references supplied by the school.