Homework provides an opportunity to consolidate, reflect and make progress. The tasks that are set will vary significantly from subject to subject, but all homework tasks are designed to be purposeful and helpful to the long-term success of the learner.
Homework is set via ‘Class Charts’ and students are encouraged to check this daily.
Homework clubs are available before school and after school, in the Learning support centre and in some departmental areas, and students can access computers and support to ensure independent study is manageable and productive.
Students in Key Stage 3 are set up to 30 minutes per task, and Students at Key Stage 4 are expected to complete up to 45 minutes per task.
Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form) should expect up to 5 hours additional study, per subject per week.
Every termly assessment window provides an opportunity to practise completing work under exam conditions. The key to success is not how well students do in those assessment, but how well they use their performance to target areas for improvement and subsequently seek additional help and advice from their teachers.
Research shows that 80% of exam success is effective exam technique, and just 20% is regurgitation of facts and ideas.
We encourage students to approach revision in the following phases; Memorisation phase and Practice phase.
During the revision window, homework set will reflect revision needed for assessment.
Make a revision resource by using revision cards or note books to write down a key question and answer or to write down key facts or useful mnemonics for each subject area. Over 14 assessment windows and up to summer of Year 11, this revision resource will become an incredibly effective tool to help students to test themselves and to ensure the information is retained.
In this period, students are set homework tasks by their teachers (aligned with our College’s homework policy). By completing these homework tasks, handing their work in on time, and looking at the marking and feedback provided by each subject teacher, the students are completing the revision practice that is recommended.
The assessments are ‘summative’, meaning anything that has been taught from the beginning of Year 7, and some further assumed knowledge from KS2, can be included. It would not be reasonable, therefore, for students to attempt to revise everything, and indeed this could cause stress which is counter-productive to success.
While some additional resources are included within some subject areas in the student Shared Area, and students are always welcome to complete additional work using these resources if they choose to.
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