Our homework policy
Our Homework Policy was written to support and engage as many learners as we can, and to provide opportunities for others – family, friends – to support in a positive, constructive way. It’s great to see more and more children are putting more and more effort into their homework. Recently, a few parents have asked about expectations. I hope the following will clarify what we can expect and what you can expect:
Talk Time
Teachers have noticed that, in some instances, a lot of time has been taken on the presentation of the Talk Time homework. Children are welcome to do this although it is not necessary. The purpose of Talk Time homework is to encourage a conversation around their current learning. Any notes made in their homework book should simply be there to aid them as a prompt when it is discussed in class the following week. For this reason, teachers tend to give verbal feedback during their talk time session in class. We want our children to be expert talkers, using a variety of sentences and expressions, and able to back up their points or disagree with others in a polite way – this is more important than written notes for Talk Time. Simply: it’s hard to be a good writer if you’re not a good speaker, so Talk Times using ambitious words, useful phrases, interesting sentences is the best way to support your child.
Creative
This is where your child’s creative juices can flow! Creative homework is an opportunity for your child to choose whatever they want to demonstrate some learning. For example, the Y3 and Y4 homework this week is Creative: I can show what I know about food chains. Your child could present all their learning in so many different ways, from a diagram with notes to a story or comic strip. Parents’ and carers’ role is to support, encourage, help but (obviously) never to take over and do the homework! Teachers always look forward to seeing how creative children can be. If you notice the work has not been marked, please don’t worry. Teachers will have looked at and celebrated the homework in another way – the work might have been viewed by the whole class using a visualiser which allows the work to be projected to the whole class and a discussion of ‘stars and steps’ will happen. Peer assessment is also effective – children are very able to share what’s good and what needs improving! These sorts of verbal feedback strategies are often more effective than a written comment because it’s more instant and it makes sure the child understands (and their work is praised publicly!).
Practice makes Perfect
This is similar to what you might consider traditional homework: it may be a worksheet or a writing task (such as Y5’s current homework: I can write instructions). Practice Makes Perfect is useful homework when something has been taught in school but needs consolidation. The work should be fairly straightforward for the child as there should be no need for new learning, so just some encouragement from you is needed. However, it would be a great time to get your child to teach you – they should be able to explain the key points or processes! We use this type of homework less often because usually the best practice is where a teacher can keep feeding back and presenting new challenges when they see it as appropriate. Teachers mark these activities in line with our marking policy.
As always, please ask if you’ve any questions or concerns.
Moortown Tower
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd12TKqQl38&feature=g-upl&context=G2a2bf28AUAAAAAAAAAA
Our first Big Topic of the year was Our House. Moortown Tower is the final piece of work which brought together a lot of the learning we have done throughout the topic.
Thanks, parents, for all the shoeboxes!
Expanded column method for addition
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKJRAajMsKw
The expanded column method is a way to add that makes links between how we might add mentally and the standard column method that we’ll move on to very soon. We believe it’s important to teach this method so our children have an understanding of numbers and the number system and not just able to carry out a process.
Star Wars Anti-bullying
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWY5FSBI_Ic&feature=youtu.be
An example of one of our brilliant anti-bullying homeworks
Another big well done to…
…everyone in Year 3.
I was so proud of the class during our recent Ofsted inspection. They weren’t bothered by our visitors at all. They showed off what fantastic learners they are and the inspectors were very impressed by their enthusiasm for learning. Special praise must go to Madison, Amie and Abigail who amazed the inspectors with their mature and articulate answers to the inspectors’ questions.
A massive well done to…
Holly Stevenson!
Holly recently took part in a gymnastics competition. It was only her second ever competition but she still managed to scoop four medals and five certificates. Well done, Holly. We’ll be looking out for you in the Olympics in a few years!
Takeover Day
Recently, it was Takeover Day and there were some unusual goings ons…
Well done to Isra, Sarina, and Abdul-Ahad who also chose who would win our certificates in Friday assembly. They then wrote the certificates and handed them out in front of the whole school, explaining why they had won.
Class Assembly
Well done to the whole class for an excellent performance in our first school assembly of the year. To say we started practising on Monday, I think everyone did a fantastic job.
Thanks to all the parents, carers, grandparents, siblings who came to watch. It was great to see so many people there.
Our class assembly…
…is today at 2.40pm – friends and family of pupils in Y3 are welcome to attend.
Hobby Half Day
Check out our fantastic photos of our first Hobby Half Day!
Children from Year 1 to Year 6 had the opportunity to participate in an afternoon of learning something new. The activities ranged from everyday baking and cooking to the unusual: creating their own carbon footprint.
