Homework

At Queen’s Park High School, homework forms an integral part of our students' education. It serves to enhance the skills, knowledge and understanding which are essential for intellectual development. We firmly believe that homework is an opportunity to consolidate learning, prepare students for further study and help students to become independent learners who value their own studies. At Key Stage 4 it forms an integral part of our examination courses serving to support students to learn and revise material in preparation for their external assessments.
Homework is set in line with our policy to enable students to:

Show progress and understanding
Develop research skills
Have an opportunity for independent work
Enhance their study skills e.g. planning, time management and self discipline
Take ownership and responsibility for their learning
Engage parental co-operation and support
Create channels for home school dialogue

Expectations

When will homework be set?

For each Year Group, homework will be set according to a homework timetable (see attachments below) which students receive at the start of the year. This timetable is for guidance only and some variation may occur with regards to the day when homework is set in order to maximise learning.

As a guide, students should be set on average two or three homework tasks each day.

homework tasks

Homework can be:

Independent learning
Consolidation of work in class
Practise – learning by doing
Completion of coursework assignments
Research
Reading
Interviews
Drawing
Using ICT
Recording

It is important that students should have frequent and increasing opportunities to develop and consolidate their competencies as independent learners.

organisation of homework

Homework tasks set can be viewed via EduLink One, which both students and parents can log in to using unique accounts – parent accounts are different to student accounts. This also shows the students’ timetable which will indicate the class they are in for each subject. If you require your unique login details, please contact the school via phone or email to request them.

Non-Completion of homework

When homework has not been done, appropriate action will be taken by the Curriculum area. This could include a breaktime, lunchtime or after-school detention. Parents/carers will be notified in advance of an after-school detention so they can make arrangements for their child to get home safely. The after-school detention will last no longer than one hour.

School's responsibilities with regards to homework

The subject teacher is responsible for setting appropriate homework and for marking it regularly. They should check that students are recording details of homework set in their planners.

Curriculum Team Leaders are responsible for ensuring that all teachers in their Faculty are setting appropriate homework regularly and marking it. This should be checked as part of the Faculty self-review process.

Parents'/carers' role in homework

Parents/carers should support students with their homework, but accept that their role will become less and less important as students become more responsible and independent
Parents/carers should try to provide a reasonable place where students can work or encourage them to use the school facilities
Parents/carers should encourage students to meet homework deadlines
If parents/carers feel that insufficient or too much homework is being set, they should contact their child’s form tutor in the first instance, who will investigate the situation
Parents/carers should make it clear to students that they value homework and support the school in explaining how it can help them progress
Parents/carers should encourage students and praise them when work is completed

Students' responsibilities

We want homework to be purposeful and conducive to the development of learning. To this end, if no homework is set for a particular subject students should visit their class Teams channel on Microsoft Teams and access resources which will help to support and extend their learning.
Students need to meet deadlines
If students are absent, they need to find out what work they have missed and catch up on it. Being away on a day that homework is set is not an excuse for not doing it
Problems with homework should be resolved before the deadline. If necessary, students should see the member of staff concerned for help
Students should take pride in doing their best