Homework / Independent Study
Year 7 students will have a homework timetable which will be published at the beginning
of year, which staff are requested to adhere to. The school wishes to establish
a routine for students new to the school.
From Year 8 onwards the school wishes to adopt a more flexible approach to the setting
of homework which relates to the different learning styles associated with different
subject areas and individual circumstances of each class. Some subjects may therefore
set 1 piece of homework for the allocated amount of time, others may set 2 / 3 shorter
pieces of homework which will add up to the allocated period of time. Similarly,
rather than set a class a homework because of a pre-determined timetable that is
unrelated to what has been taught, the teacher can choose the appropriate time during
the week to set the homework related to the learning process. To avoid overload
a minimum of 48 hours to complete the task will normally be given.
Assessment:
During the year, each of the year groups have a predetermined Parents Evening. These
often coincide with a formal written report and/or following an internal, formal
examination session. The outcome of these assessments will have been communicated
with the form teacher, student and parents before formal discussions take place between
the three recipients, where the students, effort, behaviour and attainment against
expected outcomes will be the focus of the meeting together with ways of improvement.
At least two Pupil Assessments (PA), take place during the year that focus on the
three criteria above, taking into account the work done in the classroom since the
last PA. The PA’s are discussed at a staff meeting and measures are put in place
if the student is not achieving as well as they are able. After the meeting the PA’s
are given to the students to take home and share with their parents. An opportunity
to discuss the outcome of the PA’s is made available through the two Academic Mentoring
Days, which often follow closely after each of the first two PA’s where the teacher
and student will discuss the PA assessment and together produce at least one SMART
target, the parents are invited to attend both of these days.
The Head of Year track and monitor the pupils and communicate concerns and interventions
with parents when necessary throughout the year.
All assessments are available for the parents to access through the school office
and /or through E-Portal once it has been introduced to each year group.
