Home learning
"I think it's a good idea to learn at home as well as at school, because you learn more that way." (Year 4 boy)
"I love reading at home." (Year 4 girl)
To read our home learning guidelines, please click here.
For web-links to support the topics the children study, please click here for our Learning Links pages..
This is an extract from our policy on Home and School Partnership:
Reading Young children begin their learning at home and when they come to school most are keen to bring home what they have made, and to borrow books to share with parents. For most families, shared reading at home is enjoyable, and an opportunity to boost children’s progress in this key area. From the Foundation Stage, we encourage families to use a ‘ book bag’ as a daily means of home-school contact, with a simple log as a way to note which pages have been shared. When, at a later stage, children have become independent readers, home reading remains a really helpful support to progress, by extending the range and length of the texts they read.
Skills practice Another area where a little time spent out of school can really support classroom confidence is practice of specific skills or knowledge. These vary through the school, and may include recognising or spelling key words, and learning number facts or patterns. Teachers will encourage children to revise these at home to boost their speed and confidence in school, and enable them to reach their learning targets more quickly.
Special courses We run a number of special courses for particular groups of children, to support or extend their learning. These programmes may last a term, for example, and to gain greatest benefit, children may be asked to complete tasks between sessions.
Research There is a lot to cover in the Primary School curriculum, and classes often become so keen on topics (e.g. in history, geography or science) that they want to know more. Where this happens, teachers may suggest that children follow up topics out of school. This might involve interviewing people they know, using books from the school or local library, using a computer if they have access to one, or adding ividual work to a class or group project.
Guidelines The Government offers national guidelines on the amount of time children should spend on out-of-school learning, and what it may consist of. To read the guidelines, and how they are interpreted in our school, please click the link above.
‘Homework Club’ Some children in Years 5 and 6 value the opportunity to share tasks with their friends, with the support of a teacher on hand. This opportunity is provided during certain lunchtimes. The local library also provides a similar facility.
Life skills Parents can also help children learn through daily life (e.g. shopping, cooking, travelling, etc.). Helpful literature is available, e.g. the Learning Journey booklets (DfES)
Family learning The school also operates in partnership with the Adult Education Service in offering short courses from time to time where children and adults can try out together activities which are new to both, e.g. art activities, basic foreign language skills. These have proved popular, and support the objectives of this policy.
Click here for home learning link for Year 6