Homework
Homework is not compulsory; however, the impact that learning at home has on your child’s progress is amazing. You as parents get to know what your child is working on and support your child with any misconceptions. The curriculum overviews are on each class page. We do encourage you to support us with completing the set homework – thank you.
Daily reading
This is typically 10-15 minutes a day (even 5 minutes helps)
The most helpful thing you can do to support your child’s learning is to read with them at home. We suggest sharing a book with your child, that either they read to you or share, take it in turns to read a page. Spending time discussing the book is so useful because it supports your child’s comprehension skills.
Children in the Early Years and Year 1 (some Y2 children) will learn their phonics through using a combination of Letters and Sounds and some elements of Read, Write Inc. Phonics will be linked to the children’s spellings and you can support your children with learning them each night and spotting the sounds in their reading books.
Spellings:
We use ‘Raintree’ spellings in each class and the spelling pathway (what we need to teach) can be found at the bottom of the page. Up to 10 spellings are taught each week depending on the ability of the child and which class the child is in. 5 minute sessions, four or five times a week are recommended. Any spelling practice methods can be used. The children learn their spellings using a variety of ways using examples from SOS spelling, also known as Simultaneous Oral Spelling activities.
Children will bring home a weekly spelling list of words that follow a spelling pattern in a booklet. These are on the year group’s spelling list or have been identified from their own writing. These words are tested in a variety of ways, through speed spellings, dictation exercises and used across the curriculum, as well as more formal testing. Parents will be informed of the children’s progress and asked to support further if we find that a child is struggling. The idea of the spelling book is that the children complete a short task each night from the booklet – these activities really help the children to retain their spellings.
Maths:
We use a scheme called POWER MATHS, which teaches strategies and challenges the children with their learning. To ensure that the children do not forget any of the strategies throughout the year, they have a daily maths. The children have 2-3 sums to complete each night at home after copying them from off the board. The children then complete the sums at home, come into school the next day, check their answers and write their new sums in their own books. The teachers look at the strategies the children have used, model any misconceptions and help any children who need additional support. The questions progressively get harder throughout the year.
In Year 5 and Y6, the children have additional homework to help them to prepare for SATs and also High School.
BIG WRITING
We complete a ‘Big Writing’ task each week in every class. Children complete Big Writing every week and use VCOP to highlight their work. V= vocabulary, C- conjunctions, O = openers, P = Punctuation. To find out more about Big Writing, click here
Home-learning projects
Sometimes a teacher may send project home to complete with parents to enjoy together. The time you spend on this is completely flexible – it is up to you!