Homework

A parents guide to homework at Kingsmead

Why do teachers set homework?

All exam subjects set homework and most key stage 3 subjects set homework too. We do it because it extends the time students are learning our subject, it also extends and consolidates what has been learned in class. Homework gives our students the time to practise and apply skills at their own pace; it allows students and teachers to see whether classroom learning has been understood and it helps students prepare for future lessons. Finally, it helps develop independent learning skills needed for success in school, higher education and the workplace. A recent study by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) suggested that good homework added 5 months learning to a secondary student’s exam potential. We therefore insist that, for their own benefit, all Kingsmead students complete homework to the best of their ability.

How long should my child be spending on homework?

Year 7 and year 8 should spend at least 30 minutes on each subject homework, Year 9, 10 and 11 should be spending at least 1 hour on each subject homework. ‘A’ level students should spend at least 7 hours a week per subject. Homework doesn’t all have to be done at home. The school runs a well attended homework club staffed by teachers every lunchtime and for an hour after school.

What homework is set, and on what day?

Homework is set according to the homework timetable, published on the school website. Homework will be set by teachers at the start of the lesson to ensure all students can write it in their school planners. If your child is struggling to write their homework down, or cannot read what they have written, the Inclusion department at school will want to help. Please contact your child’s Head of Year (HOY) in the first instance. Teachers have been told to set homework that allows students to practise, extend, apply or embed their classwork in the subject. They should never set ‘finish classwork’ as the homework task. The bullet points below include examples of the kind of homework your child may be set:

Embed – consolidate learning that has taken place in the classroom, e.g. revision for assessment or learning key knowledge.
Practise – refine knowledge and procedures learnt in the classroom based on feedback from the teacher, e.g. RRD (green pen) activities.
Extend – move learning beyond what has been achieved in the classroom, e.g. adding breadth to their existing knowledge.
Apply – use learning from the classroom to complete a specific task, e.g. writing a practice exam question based on content covered in a lesson.

How will homework be marked?

All homework tasks must be acknowledged by the teacher. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as:

Marked by the teacher
Peer/self-assessment
By testing

Different departments have their own systems for providing feedback on homework.

What are the school sanctions for incomplete or missing homework?

For ALL Key Stages, where homework is not completed or the work produced demonstrates insufficient effort the student will be issued with a C2 (recorded by the subject teacher on SIMS and in the student’s planner). The student will receive a 30 minute centralised detention. If the homework is not subsequently completed to the standard expected, another C2 will be issued and a second detention served. This will continue until the homework is done.
Persistent homework offenders in Key Stage 3 and 4 may be offered interventions such as the Student Learning Centre (SLC) homework club to help them get on top of homework. ‘A’ level students who fail to complete homework over an extended period may be referred to academic board for close monitoring.

As a parent, how can I support my child’s homework?

checking and signing their planner every week;
support your child with planning and organising their time;
providing the necessary equipment needed for the completion of home-learning tasks;
provide a suitable working environment for your child to complete homework tasks which includes encouraging them to avoid distractions such as mobile phones and console games
encouraging them to attend one of the Home-learning Clubs if a suitable space is not available at home;
encourage and monitor homework and inform the Head Of Year if an issue arises.

Homework Clubs

In order to ensure that all our students have the opportunity to work on their home learning in a well resourced and supportive environment, Kingsmead School runs a number of Home Learning Clubs during the school term.

Homework Club runs every day in the library after school, 2:45pm - 4:00pm Monday - Thursday and 2:45pm - 3:45pm on Friday.

These clubs are open to all students in Years 7-11. They are supervised by a member of the teaching staff who are able to support students in their understanding of the work they are undertaking. Subject and Year team specialist staff frequently drop into the clubs to offer additional support.

In addition to the daily Homework Clubs there is extra support for Key Stage 4 students preparing for GCSE examinations.