Homework Guidance

At Alton Close, we believe homework enhances learning through:

Encouraging children to develop organisational skills and self- discipline;
Bridging the gap between home and school to provide parents and carers with direct involvement in children’s learning;
Developing children’s independent learning skills;
Personalising learning and developing children’s self-motivation and self-confidence.

We know the value of homework and how important it is for our children therefore we have clear expectations. We will make sure that the homework we set is valuable and useful. We will not set any homework that wastes time or is not required for children to develop.

All homework is crucial to the progress your child will make.

Early Years

Nursery 4’s

Each child will have a homework passport. Children are expected to carry out the following:

Daily sharing a story an adult, supported by the lending library
Knowledge Organiser of key facts for children to go home termly
Passport activity (Phase lead is responsible for completing this)

Reception

Each child will have a homework passport. Homework will be given on a Friday and is expected to be returned by Wednesday the following week. Children are expected to carry out,

Daily reading sharing a story (which will be logged in their reading record)
Read Write Inc Handwriting
Numbots (online)

Numbots is a fun online game allows children to practice their numbers or times tables quickly and in an engaging and safe manner. Each child will be provided with their own log in. Do not worry about times tables until children begin to learn the multiplication symbol towards the end of year 1.

Reading badges will be given out once children have enough reads and recorded on the reading rocket sheet in class.

Reading To Your Child

Everybody loves hearing a story and this is excellent bonding time for you and your child each day. Apart from that, it allows children to hear and understand words and stories above their own reading level, which can be much more interesting than early reading books! It introduces far more complex words than they would hear in normal conversation or could read for themselves. Hearing this language improves phonic scores, spelling and story writing. Hearing stories can also improve stamina and listening skills in class. Hearing a story is often a relaxing activity and can help calm an active child before bed. We will send home a sharing book in your child’s book bag, but books they enjoy at home or from the library are equally good!

Reading To An Adult

This skill will develop as your child moves through reception. Once your child is in Ditties, your child will start to bring books home to practice their blending skills. Before this please extend your story time, there is no point asking a child to practice reading if they do not yet have the phonic skills to read.

Reading to an adult allows your child to practice the mechanics of reading. They will bring home a book at their current reading level which they need to practice. A child will need to read the story at least 3 times to be able to read and understand it confidently. Your child will need to ‘sound out’ words at the beginning using their phonics, this will become quicker as their reading progresses. Try prompting your child with the phrase ‘special friend, fred talk, blend’ if they are stuck on a word. Try to remain patient! If your child is really struggling, try reading the story to them first or talk to their teacher/TA. It is important that they are heard read, so you can correct them if they are wrong.

KS1

Each child will receive a homework book/Portfolio. Homework will be given on a Friday and is expected to be returned by Wednesday the following week. Children are expected to carry out:

Daily reading (which will be logged in their reading record)
Weekly spelling (Tested the following Friday)
Numbots
TTRS (From Year 2)

For children that do not complete reading the class teacher is expected to hold a meeting with parents to discuss this. Reading badges will be given out once children have enough reads and recorded on the reading rocket sheet in class. Spelling results are to be recorded. There will be no punishment given for children that do not complete homework.

Homework portfolios are to include their weekly spellings, Knowledge Organisers and termly project.

In addition, Year Two Parents will be given the opportunity to purchase the CGP SATs work booklets in September and January.

LKS2

Each child will receive a homework book/portfolio. Homework will be given on a Friday and is expected to be returned by Wednesday the following week. Children are expected to carry out,

Daily reading (which will be logged in their reading record)
Weekly spelling (Tested the following Friday)
Hit the button/TTRS (both online)
Termly homework project. (Phase lead is responsible for completing this)
From Term 3, Year 4 will also be expected to begin completing homework on their Chromebooks, using Conquer Maths and Bedrock

For children that do not complete reading the class teacher is expected to hold a meeting with parents to discuss this. Reading badges will be given out once children have enough reads and recorded on the reading tracker in class. Pupils complete a book quiz using Accelerated Reader when they have finished every book they read. Spelling results are to be recorded. There will be no punishment given for children that do not complete homework.

Homework portfolios are to include their weekly spellings, K.O, termly project as well as the login details for TTRS.

UKS2

Each child will receive a homework book and Reading bookmark. They will also have their Chromebook which they will use to complete online homework. Homework will be given on a Monday and checked on a Friday. We have a no excuses policy where it is the responsibility of the child to complete their homework and there is NO excuse for not completing the homework.

Children are expected to carry out;

Daily reading – this should be logged on their weekly Reading bookmark. On the bookmark children should record a comment which can be any of the following:
What your child discovered as they were reading.
What they found interesting.
Something they would like to magpie in their writing.
A comparison they have made with another text.
A summary of what they have read.

Reading badges will be given out once children have enough reads and recorded on the reading tracker in class. Pupils complete a book quiz using Accelerated Reader when they have finished every book they read.

Self-quizzing - children will receive a Knowledge Organiser for each of the topics they are learning in all subjects, which contains all the key words, definitions and diagrams that they need to know. In the self-quizzing homework sessions, children need to practice memorising the spelling and definitions of the knowledge. They write out sections of the knowledge organiser (from memory) into their self-quizzing book. They must then self-check and correct any spelling mistakes, omissions or inaccuracies in purple pen. In addition, children can use our online retrieval software to access the knowledge, study packs and quizzes. Each week, children will be quizzed on this knowledge.
Online homework - each night, pupils will complete an online piece of homework. This is either Bedrock Vocabulary or Conquer Maths. Pupils also have access to Times Table Rock Stars which improves knowledge and fluency in times tables.