Homework Policy

Preamble

School related activities completed at home benefit students by complementing classroom learning, fostering good study habits and providing an opportunity for students to be responsible for their learning.

Principles

Homework provides further opportunities for parents to participate in their child’s education. Parents, in partnership with the school, should encourage their children to establish good homework patterns form early primary school.

• Parents should be advised at the beginning of the school year what to expect in relation to homework, and be provided with a copy of the school’s homework policy.
• Student’s benefit from completing appropriate homework tasks on a regular basis. Homework assists them to develop organisational and time management skills, self discipline, skills in using out of school resources and personal responsibility for learning.
• Children in upper primary classes should use homework books or diaries. Homework books/diaries provide a means of regular communication between the parents and the school. Failure to complete homework on a regular basis should be followed up with students and parents.
• Students are expected to take responsibility for their homework but may seek teacher assistance when necessary.
• Students should be given adequate time to complete homework tasks, taking into account, demands on their after school time.

 Homework Should:

• Be appropriate to the skill level and age of the student
• Be interesting, challenging and where appropriate open ended
• Be purposeful, meaningful and relevant to the school curriculum
• Be assessed by teachers with feedback and support provided

Homework Expectations

Prep – 2

• Mainly consist of reading on a daily basis; reading to, with and by parents/caregivers or older siblings.
• Extension of classwork may be given periodically
• The following are suggested times to be spent on homework at each grade level:

                        Prep     –   15 mins
                        One      –   20 mins
                        Two     –   30 mins

Grade 3 & 4

• It is expected that children will take responsibility to practise reading, spelling and tables on a nightly basis.
• In addition, there will usually be weekly tasks in order to reinforce or extend work done at school. These may take the form of worksheets, research projects, posters, diagrams, models etc. set by the class teacher.
• Homework should not exceed 30 minutes per day.
• Clear classroom rules and procedures will be followed by students who regularly fail to submit homework.

Grade 5 & 6

Should include:

• Independent reading on a daily basis

• Weekly spelling words

• Tables and number facts

• May include tasks such as revision/completion of classroom activities or extension activities, projects and assignments.

• May be set during weekends and vacations as appropriate.
• Should be co-ordinated across teachers to avoid unreasonable workloads, and ensure that adequate time is allowed.
• Students will be made aware of expectations for homestudy (due date etc) and take responsibility for completing tasks.
• Clear classroom rules and procedures will be followed by students who regularly fail to submit homework.

 Reading Recovery (RR)

• Children on the Reading Recovery Program will be expected to read R.R. book every night, including some reading of books supplied over the holidays.
• Students are also expected to re-assemble a cut up sentence on a daily basis.

Specialists (Library, Art, Music & Italian)

Our policy is open-ended.

• Homework will be incidental, depending on need/topic. Eg. project, recorder practice and reading library books.
• Homework will be set in consultation with classroom teachers.
• Homework will be assessed, with feedback.
• Homework will be related to ongoing specialists’ topics.

This policy and guidelines has been developed in line with new DET (Department of Education and Training) policy guidelines. It documents what has been common practice at AMPS for many years.

Further details may be provided at information evenings, parent/teacher interviews and in regular curriculum newsletters.