Home Learning
Introduction
At Danetree Primary School we recognise and value the contribution that learning in the home environment can make to children’s education. This guidance sets out the purpose of and benefits of home learning, and the guidelines we follow when setting home learning activities for our children.
Aims
Our school believes that home learning should:
- Involve parents and carers in their child’s education;
- Give plenty of opportunities for children to succeed;
- Be planned by teachers alongside the other elements of children’s learning;
- Consolidate and reinforce a wide variety of skills and understanding in a supportive environment;
- Extend in-school learning;
- Provide children with the opportunity to learn in different settings;
- Develop progressively according to the age of the children;
- Encourage children to talk about what they are learning;
- Encourage children to develop the self-confidence and discipline needed to study independently; and
- Prepare children for the transition to secondary school
All Home Learning is linked to work done in class and consists of activities to consolidate and reinforce what has been learnt in a lesson, or investigation work linked to a topic. To establish a regular routine, Home Learning is given out on a Friday and collected in the following Wednesday.
Home Learning is set at an appropriate level for each child so that it can be completed independently, or if adult support is required, clear instructions are provided to help adults support learning effectively.
At parent/carer consultation evenings during the year, the Home Learning content is discussed, and expectations on standards made clear. The value of Home Learning is emphasised to all parents/carers.
To find your child’s current home learning, click on their year group page and find the attached document at the bottom.
Remote learning offer
To ensure that our children learning at home during Covid-19 make the same progress as their peers in school we have a remote learning offer in place. Children, or siblings of those with symptoms, who are at home awaiting a test or test results, should access a folder of distance learning and a guidance sheet that has been shared with them. They can do this by logging in to their GoogleDrive account and clicking on the “Shared With Me” button on the left hand side. If a child needs to self-isolate then, each day, their teacher will share the daily class slides for learning at home. These can also be accessed by clicking on the “Shared With Me” button on the left hand side of their GoogleDrive account. Any work completed can be shared back with their teacher or a photo of the work can be taken and sent to info@danetree.surrey.sch.uk.
Summary of expectations for Home Learning
More detailed expectations for Home Learning, across subjects can be found in the drop down lists below
Reading
Fluent reading and good comprehension skills have a key role to play in children’s learning across all areas of the curriculum. Fluency in reading is achieved through practice. Therefore, it is important that the children read outside of school at least three times a week. Reading can include a range of types of texts and media – not just their reading book. This could be through reading books, comics, magazines or newspapers; reading on tablets and Kindles or listening to audiobooks. Your child has a reading diary for you to sign to evidence that they have read at home. We use this monitor how much they read on a weekly basis.
Phonics
From the spring term in Year 1, children will take home a weekly phonics sheet to practise at home. This will contain alien and real words using sounds they have learnt in school. Reception children take home Read Write Inc Speed Sound books which reinforce daily sounds taught and letter formation.
Spelling
In Years 2 to 6, teachers will send home Look Cover Write Check Grids to complete based on the spelling pattern the children have been learning in school. Every 3 weeks, the children will complete a Chilli Challenge assessment which tests words learnt from previous weeks. Teachers will assess spelling through daily application in their spelling sessions and through their writing in all lessons.
Maths
Each child will be set activities to complete fortnightly by their teacher. The tasks will consolidate learning that has taken place in class. Teachers will adapt tasks where appropriate to meet the needs of pupils.
Optional- Topic Big Questions
Children will be given the opportunity to complete an optional topic related piece of home learning. There will be questions to choose from and the children can present their work in any way they choose. This will be given out at the start of the topic and will be due for completion approximately 1 month later. There will be a celebration of home learning in the last week of each half term and children will have the option to take their learning home.
