At Baxter College, we believe that learning extends beyond the classroom walls and home learning plays a vital role in your child's educational journey. It's not just about completing tasks; it's a powerful tool we use to support our pupils in becoming independent, confident, and successful learners.
Why Home Learning Matters
Home learning is assigned for several important reasons, all designed to enhance your child's understanding and development:
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Reinforcing and solidifying learning: Homework provides a crucial opportunity for your child to revisit and practise what they've learned in class. This extra engagement helps to solidify their understanding of concepts, making it less likely they'll forget important information. It also helps us identify any areas where your child might need a little extra support or clarification.
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Developing independent learning skills: One of the most significant benefits of home learning is the way it fosters independence. When your child tackles assignments at home, they learn to manage their time, organise their resources, and take responsibility for their own learning. These are essential skills that will serve them well throughout their academic careers and beyond.
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Extending and applying knowledge: home learning is about deepening understanding. It allows students to explore topics in more detail, apply their knowledge to new situations, and integrate different skills like research, writing, and problem-solving.
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Strengthening the school-home connection: home learning provides you, as parents, with a window into what your child is learning in school. It creates opportunities for you to support their education, reinforce good study habits, and engage in valuable conversations about their progress. We truly value your partnership in your child's learning journey.
Key Stage 3
Home learning at key stage 3 is based around the use of retrieval practice. This is a learning strategy based on the science of learning and an understanding of how we build memory.
How much time do they have to complete each evening?
Students in KS3 will be required to spend 30 minutes each evening using their knowledge organisers on retrieval tasks, plus an additional 30-40 minutes per week using the online platforms Sparx maths and science. The three subjects are identified on their home learning timetable, a copy is shown below.
KS3
Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9
10 minutes retrieval in three subjects
Total: 30 minutes per evening
In addition to this Maths/Science tasks will be set online using Sparx.
Total: 30-40 minutes per week
What are knowledge organisers ?
Each student will be provided with a knowledge organiser that contains the essential knowledge that is required for each subject for each half term. These will also provide you with a clear picture of the topics your child will be studying in school each term.
The knowledge organisers can be found below and will be placed on the google classroom for individual subjects.
The knowledge organisers give you a clear picture of the topics being studied in school each term. We would encourage any family who wants to engage with this at a deeper level at home . Many museums and galleries are free to look around. Many libraries will provide different workshops through the year that may be relevant to the area of study. Documentaries, theatre, films, podcasts all provide opportunities to enrich what is being learnt in the classroom.
If students require a printed version that can be provided if requested.
What is Sparx Maths/Science
Sparx Maths/Science is an online learning platform that enables all students to follow a set of personalised tasks that are designed to improve their retrieval and application skills. When students login they can access key video tutorials that will further support the learning that takes place in lessons. All students will receive their login details through their normal maths/science lessons and be supported to use the platform. All parents will receive regular emails informing you of your child's progress.
You can visit the links below for further information.
Home learning is set each week and students have 1 week to complete the work.
Where do they record their home learning?
All students will be provided with a purple home learning book where they will record all home learning for all subjects.
How should they organise their home learning?
It is important that your child takes the time to organise and present their home learning to the best of their ability as you would for any piece of classwork.
For each piece of home learning your child needs to:
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Write the date at the top of the page.
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Write and underline the subject name.
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Complete home learning for that subject.
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Write and underline the name of the next subject and so on until completed.
What strategies should they use?
All students will complete their home learning using a strategy known as Look, Cover, Check. This is a very popular revision and retrieval strategy and has been shown to strengthen long term memory and support independent study at home.
All learners will receive guidance on how to use the strategy in form time and this will be recapped regularly across subjects.
How can parents/carers support home learning?
In order to support your child with their home learning there are a number of things you can do;
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Know their home learning timetable, consider displaying this somewhere visible at home.
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Try to create a quiet space for your child to work, a tidy desk to allow an opportunity for retrieval.
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Talk to your child about the knowledge they have retrieved, show interest in their studies.
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Reward consistent work habits positively. Recognise they have invested time in their home learning.
How will this be monitored
It is compulsory that all students complete their home learning.
This will be checked each week by form tutors house points will be awarded for good effort and completion and if necessary further actions will be taken if the home learning is not completed.
Key Stage 4
What does home learning look like
For each subject pupils will be issued with a set of key learning tasks, specific strategies required for completion and required completion dates. (these will also be on google classroom for reference). These tasks will change throughout the year and will reflect students' learning needs in relation to mock/external exam data.
How much time do they have to complete each evening?
Students in KS4 will be expected to spend up to 1 hour each evening completing independent application tasks.
KS4
Year 10 and Year 11
30 minutes application tasks in two subjects
Total: 1 hour per evening
What can they use to support them ?
All students will have access to their course folders and google classroom. All subject teachers will direct the students to the home learning that needs to be covered and provide them with the required application tasks. If they are unsure of the requirements they can discuss this with their class teacher.
Where do they record their home learning?
All students will complete all home learning tasks either within their subject books or on google classroom.
It is important that your child takes the time to organise and present their home learning to the best of their ability as you would for any piece of classwork.
How will this be monitored?
It is compulsory that all students complete their home learning.
This will be checked each week by class teachers and if necessary further actions will be taken.
