Homework Guidance for Parents

Proverbs 18:15

‘The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out’

We understand parents have different views regarding homework, so we have strived to ensure home learning is manageable, meaningful and supportive.  Homework is flexible to ensure different views can be accommodated. However, for those that want to engage with home learning tasks, the following guidance will help you to understand how and why homework works the way it does here at Egerton.

From the Early Years, simple games, learning letter sounds (phonics), and of course, reading with parents provides valuable opportunities for the practice/reinforcement of key skills in a supportive environment.  As children get older, they need to develop the habit of regularly devoting short periods of time to personal study in preparation for their transition to secondary school.

The main emphasis of homework activities at Egerton are to develop and enhance English and maths knowledge. However, we value the importance of all areas of the curriculum. Therefore, tasks may vary from term to term. Sometimes, children may bring home a piece of work they have missed through absence, or for further reinforcement. Regular reading is vital. 

As guidance only, we suggest the following as good practice:

Reception and Year 1 – to learn nursery rhymes, songs and read books together. Talk about the difference between pictures and words, titles, authors’ names and predict what will happen next in the story. Read poems and rhymes and information books as well as stories. Children will have phonic work to do at home and games to play. Once children can read, they should read their school book every day for approximately five minutes every single day.

Year 2, Year 3 and year 4 – To read their school book or another book every single day at home for around ten to twenty minutes. Discuss the way we read punctuation as well as words, how bold or italic words are read differently. Look for how advanced punctuation is used. For example, inverted commas (speech marks), brackets, commas, apostrophes etc. It is very important that adults discuss these things with their child, as they are not likely to notice them on their own.

By year 2, all children need to learn their 2x, 5x and 10x tables fluently.

By year 3, all children need to continue to practise their 2x, 5x and 10x tables but to also learn their 3x, 4x, 6x, 7x, 8x and 9x tables.

By year 4, all children need to consolidate their times tables and improve the speed of their recall and learn what the corresponding division facts are. For example, 7 x 6 = 42, also, 42 = 7 x 6.

There may also be some spellings, maths and/or other curriculum tasks linked to classroom learning and specifically targeted as appropriate to individual children.

Year 5 and Year 6 – Many of the aspects of year 5 and 6’s homework is in line with the homework for years 2 to 4 but it requires much more depth of study. Children will receive homework covering several areas of the curriculum and their work will begin to require more concentration and self-application.  Reading should increase to include regular sustained periods so that children develop the habit of ‘getting into a good book’. (Reading a few pages every few days inhibits this). Although fluent readers are likely to be reading independently by this age, parents/carers still need to hear them to read aloud on occasion to develop their fluency in harder text types. Developing readers will still need reading support on a daily basis.

Children in Year 5 and 6, may be given more pieces of sustained writing to plan or complete at home. Children of this age should know what features make a good story, a good letter, a good report, a good newspaper article etc.

In maths, children will receive support work for the learning they are doing in class. Children will also receive practise SATs tasks near the time of their SATs to help them become familiar with the test format. By year 5 and year 6, it is expected that all children should have fluent recall of their times tables. Children forget them if they are not used, so a regular (daily if possible) quick and short tables quiz would help your child retain what they have learnt.

Homework tasks will vary as to the needs of the individual class and the individual child. Our staff hope that you can support us in getting the balance right. We want to work together with you, to help your child be the best they can possibly be and reach their full potential. If you have any concerns about the homework set, please speak to your child’s class teacher, either in person at morning/afternoon drop off/collection, or contact them via email/telephone.