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Home Learning Policy Secondary

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HOME LEARNING POLICY - SECONDARY

SCHOOL AIMS:

  • To promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning.
  • To provide a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the international nature of the DBIS student community.
  • To foster a learning community where every student, teacher, staff member, parent and DBIS alumni has an ongoing passion for learning.

RATIONALE:

Home learning is seen as a method of continuing learning away from the classroom. Home learning tasks can enhance the development of self-regulation processes and self-efficacy beliefs, which improve the capacity for greater academic achievement, as well as goal setting, time management, managing the environment, and maintaining attention (Bembenutty, 2011, Baş, 2017). As such, home learning opportunities should be provided that give a chance for students to develop both their academic ability and self-management skills.

PURPOSES:

1. To provide opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom.

2. To provide tasks that may not be possible within a classroom environment.

3. To encourage personal responsibility in completing tasks within a set time frame.

4. To develop a sense of self-efficacy through challenging tasks.

5. To consolidate prior learning; this may be through the use of memorisation strategies or

guided or independent practice.

GUIDELINES:

TIME ALLOCATION

Years 7–8

In Years 7 and 8, home learning will be assigned to broadly reflect the amount of learning time required to adequately supplement in-school learning. The amount given per subject over the 10-day timetable is detailed below:

  • Core subjects (English, Maths and Science) - 80–120 minutes
  • Geography, History and Languages - 60–90 minutes
  • All other subjects - 40–60 minutes

This allocation will provide students with an average of 1–1.5 hours of home learning for each timetabled day.

Individual subjects will allocate their time as needed over the 10-day cycle.

  • E.g. On Day One, English may set one larger activity that is due the following Day One.
  • E.g. Science may set one larger activity due the following week and one short task that may be due the subsequent lesson.

Years 9–11

The expectation regarding home learning time will increase given the academic demands of examination years.

In Years 9, 10 and 11, students should expect 1–2 hours of work each evening, though this may increase as internal assessments become due and formal testing nears.

Years 12-13

A Level students should expect approximately 1 hour of home learning for each hour spent in lessons.

TYPES OF TASKS

Research suggests that effective home learning will provide a variety of tasks so that a student’s perspective on learning is widened (Alleman, 2010). As well as this, different subjects have different requirements depending on the type and stage of learning that is taking place in the classroom. The key elements when setting activities are that students are clear on task requirements and that effective feedback is given upon completion of the work.

The types of tasks set could be considered:

  • Extending learning beyond the classroom so that students have a chance to explore topics beyond the curriculum
  • Being set over an extended period of time to avoid time management issues on a single night
  • Focus on a process of thinking (metacognition)/learning rather than simple right or wrong outcomes
  • Reflection and/or action following on from feedback
  • Pre-learning for new topics as a means of formative assessment
  • Self-assessment of curriculum content
  • Consolidation of learning; this may take the form of guided practice or retrieval practice that promotes effective self-regulation strategies

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TEACHER

  • Set appropriate work and provide clarity about home learning expectations and deadlines
  • Post the task on Google Classroom with a deadline. Use #HL to identify Home Learning and #KAT for students to be aware of a Key Assessment Task date.
  • Record in the student diary if the home learning has not been completed to a satisfactory standard
  • Reward students for exceptional Home Learning - Where tasks have been completed to a level beyond expectations, recognition should be given. Means of recognition may vary, such as awarding of house points; however, these acknowledgements will align with principles and behaviours referenced in our Character and Culture Policy.
  • Follow up on incomplete Home Learning - Where home learning has not been completed, the Character and Culture Policy should be consulted and referenced as a guideline. Communication should be relayed in student diaries and entered into the appropriate Character and Culture category within iSAMS.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE STUDENT

  • Record all home learning sets in the student diary
  • Complete it on time and mark it complete on Google Classroom and in the Diary
  • If unsure about a task, speak to the teacher before the home learning work is due

EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS

  • Check that Home Learning is being completed
  • Look in Diaries and for #HL and #KAT tasks on Google Classrooms
  • Provide a quiet space for Home Learning to be completed
  • Encourage independence








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