HOMEWORK AND OWN LEARNING POLICY

A Summary Statement

At Poltair, we believe that work undertaken outside the classroom can be of great value in pupils' education.  We aim to provide learning opportunities that complement or enhance studies carried out in lessons.  It is particularly important that pupils develop the capacity to direct their Own Learning and to be able to apply the skills and knowledge acquired beyond subject boundaries, not only to other subjects but to the wider world.  The active support and involvement of parents is essential.

How is own learning planned and scheduled?

The school is moving towards a programme of relevant and challenging Own Learning to be undertaken outside lesson time.  Pupils will be encouraged and expected to carry out these tasks and will be rewarded accordingly.  Besides the educational gains that will hopefully be derived from the tasks themselves, we aim, with support from parents and carers, to create and foster the ability to plan, manage and carry out additional tasks independently, an ability that will be of immeasurable value as pupils approach their later stages of education and enter the world of work.  In another sense, it will engender a sense of owning learning for young people.  Tasks will be set by each Section, or subject area, one term in advance and will be summarised in a booklet for parents and carers, as well as being published in full on the school's website.

Ultimately, there will not be a homework timetable but there will be a schedule, although we would recommend that tasks are carried out regularly, rather than being left to the last moment: learning to manage time is a highly valuable lesson for pupils.  These longer tasks will be structured, with suggested marker points for young people to work towards and for teachers and parents to monitor.  Teachers will be responsible for monitoring the completion of Own Learning tasks, assessing it and reporting to parents through the reporting system.  The emphasis will be, for the reasons given earlier, to encourage and reward successful completion rather than to use sanctions for non-completion.  The move from policy to embedded practice will take time as it is essential that the Own Learning put in place is exciting, challenging and relevant.  In the first year, this will be in place for Years 7 and 8.  The School Improvement Plan will make it clear about the phased and staged changes.  During this interim period, normal timetables of homework will be followed and adhered to in years 9, 10 and 11.

What is the Importance of Own Learning?

Properly designed own learning can play a valuable part in a pupil's education.  Over a school career it can add a substantial amount of study time.

a. Own learning can exploit materials and sources of information, which are not accessible in the classroom.

b. Own learning can help pupils master a subject and digest what has been taught in class through independent and unsupervised study at the child's own place.

c. Own learning should develop the skills of reading, fact-finding and the consolidation of knowledge and understanding, which are sometimes difficult to practise in the distraction of a busy and crowded classroom.

d. Own learning should encourage a degree of self-discipline and personal initiative in children and at the same time help them to progress and assimilate at the pace, which suits them.

e. Own learning enables pupils to practise and repeat skills which have been taught in class but need repetition to master.

f. Own learning helps staff to assess more clearly the individual progress of each child and permits them to set tasks in accordance with the abilities of individual pupils.

g. Own learning should help strengthen the liaison between home and school by helping parents keep in touch with work and methods of the school.

h. In some cases own learning will also occupy purposefully and safely, part of that long stretch of time, which exists for many children between school and bedtime.

i. With the change in emphasis from ‘passive' to ‘active' learning clearly laid down in GCSE and NC requirements, pupils will have to complete assignments independently using their own research and presentation skills. Own learning at this level is an essential area of child's examination work and it is important that pupils have been prepared for working in this way by having had to consistently produce their own work at home in previous school years.

How can we motivate children to do ‘Own Learning'?

Some groups produce 100% response to ‘own learning'.  This is usually because they are assessed quickly and given high profile by the teacher concerned.  Sometimes the work done at home is put on display immediately and pupils have instant recognition for what they have done.  With mixed ability groups, many teachers who are successful in 100% response, can focus on the effort that has been put in by each pupil which can be above average, satisfactory or below what would have been expected and to make sure, that those pupils, who do seem to find it extremely difficult to do this work, have some special support at an early stage.  The use of commendations, rapid marking and feedback within lessons, more display of work done at home; all of these things would seem to be valuable ways of motivating all children to do their homework.