Homework

In Art and Design, homework is used as an opportunity to strengthen student’s understanding of great artists and craft makers and consolidate classroom learning. Students are set both written and drawing tasks that embed an understanding of visual language within Art and Design. At Key Stage 4, homework is a continuation of their personal responses to a theme, through research, experimentation of media and annotations of their development.  

In Business, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate learning. Students will be set homework once a week and will be split into three parts. The first task will consist of a knowledge retrieval exercise that covers the key areas of learning for that week. The second part focuses on past MCQ exam questions to test their knowledge on the topic. The final part of the homework focuses on students' ability to consolidate and retrieve their knowledge in the form of a mind map drawing on their memory. These tasks are designed to support students with revision and address any knowledge gaps within the topic. 

Students will be set a variety of activities for homework to engage them with learning outside of the classroom. Homework will not only consolidate their classroom learning, through a mix of tasks ranging from quizzes and exam style questions, but they will also engage with case studies and research that can be discussed and dissected in the classroom following completion. Homework will also involve revision of previous topics, development of revision materials and practical work as part of the active citizenship topic.  

In Computer Science, students will be set homework through Satchel One which will consist of a task set by their teacher based on content that is being covered in lessons allowing for practice and consolidation of concepts. The homework in computer science is research based with links to reference material provided.

At key stage 4, students will also be set GCSE exam questions to help them develop their exam techniques.

In GCSE dance, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate and practice studio learning. Students are set both retrieval and preparation tasks which contribute to the learning in the next lesson. These differing homework styles encourage students to recall information that has been learnt as well as apply and rehearse new skills which have been shared within the studio. Through regular retrieval and practice, students grow in confidence in their application of skills.  Studios are made available for students to rehearse certain homework tasks as rehearsing in their own time with use of mirrors is an excellent way of developing performance and choreographic skills. 

In GCSE drama, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate and practice classroom learning. Students are set both retrieval and preparation tasks which contribute to the tasks within the next lesson. These differing homework styles encourage students to recall information that has been learnt as well as apply and rehearse new skills which have been shared within the classroom. Through regular retrieval and practice, students grow in confidence in their application of skills meaning progress is maintained. It also threads together each lesson and outlines a clear learning journey for students over the two-year course.  

In Design and Technology, homework is used as an opportunity to strengthen students’ understanding of theory aspects; study of design and designers; and technical knowledge to consolidate classroom learning. This may take the form of written tasks responding to articles about topical issues covered in projects such as sustainability, or knowledge retrieval about materials and their properties. We also set creative and drawing tasks to further students’ idea development and designing skills. At Key Stage 4, homework for Product Design and Textiles is a continuation of their project work, responding to a theme through research, experimentation of media and annotations of their development. In Food Preparation and Nutrition, students will revise content across Food commodities, Principles of nutrition, Diet and good health, The science of food, Where food comes from in order to support their GCSE studies. 

For homework, pupils use an innovative literacy improvement tool called Bedrock Vocabulary which is an interactive website that helps children to learn important academic vocabulary. As the pupils progress through the curriculum, they study hundreds of words, whilst reading fiction and non-fiction texts regularly. They also fill in an online vocabulary notebook to practise using this vocabulary and parents and teachers can track progress on the programme with their own accounts   

Vocabulary remains key to pupil success at KS4, so pupils continue to use Bedrock Vocabulary to learn important academic words for homework. By this point, pupils will have moved through the Bedrock curriculum and will be learning challenging vocabulary that is appropriate to their reading and word ability and are encouraged to apply this vocabulary in both analytical and creative writing tasks. Alongside this, pupils are set English Literature revision tasks related to their set texts which ensure pupils are regularly retrieving knowledge they have learnt in class and practising its application independently.  

In Geography, homework is intended to consolidate classroom learning or practice key geographical skills. Homework will generally take the form of four styles of activity: 

• Research/source based- This is important so students can engage with contemporary events that link to geographical theories learnt in lesson. 

• Knowledge retrieval quizzes- These are based on Satchelone or Seneca encouraging them to recall information learnt in lessons which is important to embed geographical knowledge 

• Numerical/Cartographic/GIS Skills- These are key geographical skills students continually practice throughout their studies and will enable them to become more familiar and competent in accessing different forms  

• Extended Writing practice- Extended writing remains a key part of our curriculum and this will allow students to practice applying geographical language to explore writing like a geographer independently.  

At Key Stage 4, students engage in similar activities as above, however there is also emphasis on creating revision materials, critiquing resources, and decision-making activities. These tasks are intended to support and enable students to become more confident independent learners.  

For homework at KS3, students are largely completing one of three activities: knowledge quizzes, to enable students to consolidate and identify gaps in knowledge; source analysis, to practice key skills of inference and evaluation; or guided research sheets called ‘meanwhile, elsewhere…’ which allow students to explore a key event or time period in history from a more global perspective. These ‘meanwhile, elsewhere…’ sheets are designed to link chronologically to topics being studied in lesson, but provide broader knowledge, often allowing students to link global communities or to compare and contrast events.  

At KS4 students engage with similar activities, however there is also more of a focus on practice and consolidation, with students completing exam questions and revision activities as part of their revision. Occasionally they will also be set short research tasks to give them more varied examples of case studies that can be used to strengthen their written answers.  

In Health and Social Care, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate learning. Students are set quizzes and short exam questions encourages students to recall the information that has been learnt during lessons.  Through regular retrieval students will deepened their knowledge and improve confidence within these topics making completing the internally and externally assessments successful.  

A range of activities is set for students to consolidate classroom learning, revise core knowledge and practise comprehension, translation skills and extended written questions as well. Students complete multiple-choice grammar and vocabulary tasks that support them to complete more challenging tasks such as comprehension and translation of an unseen passage. Homework also involves short quizzes that encourage them to recall key information about classical civilisation and prepares them to collect evidence for the synthesis of their extended written questions. At Key Stage 4 students engage with similar but more challenging tasks that focus on GCSE practice. 

In maths, students will be set weekly homework tasks through Sparx Maths. The purpose of these tasks is to consolidate learning and develop fluency. This gives students the opportunity to practise topics that are being covered in lessons and get support through videos where required. Students will also complete tasks on previously taught topics. This retrieval of prior knowledge will help to embed learning in their long-term memory.  

At Key Stage 4, students will also be set GCSE exam questions to help them develop their exam technique.  

At Key Stage 3 homework is not set regularly, but there will be occasions where students are asked to do some listening based homework to support the work they are doing in their lessons.  

Homework is used at Key Stage 4 to consolidate learning that has taken place in the classroom. This could take the form of theory based questions, revising for a specific Learning Snapshot or listening to a piece of music and answering exam style questions.  

In PE, homework is set at GCSE and is used to consolidate classroom learning. Students are set short retrieval tasks further applying studied topics and embedding their knowledge of physical factors affecting sports performance, sociocultural issues in sport and sports psychology. In addition, student complete smart learning algorithms and quizzes via the Seneca Learning platform, designed to address gaps in their knowledge.  

Students do not receive regular homework in performing arts however there are times when we will ask them to watch or listen to a particular video or piece of music to better prepare them for the work they are undertaking in class or to follow up on something that has come out of a class discussion. 

In RS, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate classroom learning. Students are set short retrieval quizzes that encourage them to recall the information that has been learnt during lessons. Through regular retrieval, students embed their knowledge of religion and philosophy, allowing them to engage with the subject at a progressively deeper level as they move through their studies. At Key Stage 4, students will also spend time unpicking extracts from scripture as part of their homework, in order to support their GCSE studies. 

In Science, homework is used as an opportunity to consolidate classroom learning.  This might involve answering examination style questions to consolidate and apply the students’ knowledge of a scientific concept they have learnt about in the lesson.  It is also used to practise key skills of working scientifically, such as analysing the results of an experiment that the students carried out in the lesson or carrying out mathematical calculations. 

We also make extensive use of an online resource called Kerboodle, for which every student has their own username and password.  As well as access to all the online resources, their Kerboodle user account gives students access to the science textbooks in digital format.  Homework activities set on Kerboodle include: 

• Progress Tasks – context-based enquiry processes tasks  

• WebQuests – internet-based research and literacy activities; 

• ‘On your marks’ - interactive activities in which students attempt an exam-style question and then submit for teacher marking; 

• Guided practice 6-mark questions requiring an extended response; 

• Progress quizzes in which students receive formative feedback. 

At Key Stage 4, students engage in similar activities as above, however there is also emphasis on creating revision materials and preparing for their GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11. These tasks are intended to support and enable students to become more confident independent learners. 

For homework at KS3, students complete a range of activities to enable students to consolidate and identify gaps in knowledge. Homework involves a mixture of skills based and vocabulary learning tasks in order to develop mastery in the language.  Students also are regularly set enquiry-based research tasks which deepen their cultural understanding, promote language learning and develop a range of skills.     

At KS4 students engage with similar activities, however there is also more of a focus on GCSE practice, with students completing exam questions and revision activities.