Homework Guidance
Homework at Stonebow Primary School
Rationale
At Stonebow Primary School, we see homework as a means of supporting the development of key basic skills, with weekly tasks in reading, spelling and maths. We also value engagement at home with topic related projects over a longer period, to encourage working together to support children’s ‘sticky knowledge’.
As we prepare children for the next phase of their education, a positive attitude towards homework will help pupils when they reach secondary school.
1. Homework Tasks
The homework tasks set will vary across the school, depending upon the age and needs of the children.
Reception/EYFS
- Reading – 10 minutes daily reading with an adult – (adult to complete reading record)
- Learning high frequency words, phonic work (sounds), writing own name.
- Numeracy activities.
- Talking with parents about schoolwork.
- Sharing home learning via Tapestry.
Activities will be set using Tapestry.
KS1 – Y1/2
- Reading – 15 minutes daily reading with an adult (adult to complete reading record)
- Handwriting – Penpals handwriting activity (weekly, paper based in reading folder)
- Spelling – Spelling Shed online activities: learning high frequency words, phonics (alternating weeks, with numeracy below)
- Maths activities – SumDog online challenges and some paper based, to support current learning in class (in reading folder, alternating weeks with Spelling Shed)
- Topic – project work linked to the current topic (this will not be set for every topic).
Activities will be set on a weekly rota, generally on a Monday.
KS2: Y3-6
- Reading – 15-20 minutes daily reading with an adult (adult to complete reading record).
- Spelling – Spelling Shed: weekly activities/tasks set by teachers, tasks recorded/engagement monitored.
- Maths – SumDog: weekly tasks set by teachers, scores/engagement recorded.
- Topic – project work, linked to the current topic (Humanities and Science).
Homework club
Any children who may prefer to complete their tasks in school time, are welcome to attend a homework club at lunchtime. For any children with limited access to an appropriate device at home, there will be open access to a Chromebook at the back of the dinner hall each Friday, with a member of staff to support if needed. Any children who regularly fail to complete their homework may be invited to attend this.
How to support your child
We actively encourage parents to support their children in the tasks set. This may include:
Sharing experiences – particularly for younger children in EYFS, you can share these via Tapestry to support their profile.
Reading with your child (guidance on supporting phonics and our VIPERS – comprehension are available through the links below). Please complete reading records!
Spelling Shed – the website includes guidance on how you can support your child with spellings, including Look/Cover/Write/Check, which you may be familiar with.
Times Table Rock Stars/SumDog – both are web-based activities, an old-fashioned Times Tables or Number Bonds to 10/20 etc., can support children with quick recall to improve their response times.
Topic projects – discussion about the topic, will help in supporting the children explain their learning. Additional research online or at the library is helpful too. As many projects are practical, feel free to support in making a model or presentation fact file!
Acknowledgement of homework
Staff will monitor completion of homework electronically. As the children will be using their Stonebow Powers to complete homework tasks, we will include a celebratory element of weekly engagement and completion of work in our Friday Assembly – displayed in the hall and shared on the website.
For Spelling Shed and SumDog, we can monitor usage and scores etc. by class. We will organise awards and rewards for those classes who work as a team, to engage with home learning.
Reading records will be monitored.
Where appropriate, we may organise celebratory events for pupils to share their learning through topic related projects with parents.
Should you require any further information or support regarding homework, please contact your class teacher via the school office.
Accessing Homework Tasks
The quick links below, provide easy access to the various online resources we use at Stonebow. Some may require a username and password, which when input correctly once, can be saved to the device used. Usernames/passwords will be provided by staff.
Tapestry
Google Classroom
Links to online learning
Other useful websites/quick links to support learning. Click on the picture.
Mathsphere.
Four different games headings are available for each year group. Teachers and Parents can also download worksheets and boardgames. Click on the mouse to play.
Topmarks. Hit the Button. Against the clock maths games.
Sing along and learn all about numbers with the Numberjacks from CBeebies.
Curriculum Visions
An online library resource for non fiction books
Pupil login: stonebow/0001 Password: jungle
Digimaps
Username: LE114ZH
Password : brusps5031
Access – help and support
If you have any issues accessing the homework tasks after following the above guidance or if you have difficulties accessing the internet due to equipment or broadband issues, please contact your child’s teacher in the first instance.
Most of the Internet providers have special deals if you are in receipt of certain benefits, check their website or phone their helpdesk.