TOWERS JUNIOR SCHOOL
HOMEWORK POLICY CHANGES
New Arrangements for Homework for Year 3,4 and 5 ONLY
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you for completing the homework questionnaires last term. We have taken account of
these, the pupil questionnaires and also comments made during various parents meetings and
discussions.
At Towers Junior School we recognise the importance of homework. We believe that it offers
the opportunity to actively involve parents and carers in their children’s learning, further
developing children as confident, independent learners by consolidating and reinforcing skills and
understanding, whilst nurturing an effective partnership between home and school.
We do not wish homework to become onerous and we understand that children take part in
activities and clubs outside of school. As well as this, children do need their own leisure time.
However, there is a need to make the system more rigorous across the whole school. It needs to
be manageable for all involved but most importantly it must be of benefit to the children.
SPaG Books
Starting this week all children in Years 3, 4 and 5 will be given a spelling, punctuation and
grammar (SPaG) homework book and a separate maths homework book.
On Mondays SPaG books should be in school containing completed homework. In response to
parental requests to see the spelling test outcomes so that they know how well their child is
doing, tests will be carried out in the back of the SPaG book during the lesson. The test will be
marked and a new list provided, The SPaG books will be returned to the children on
Wednesday to take home. Using this method parents will receive weekly feedback on their
child’s progress.
On return of their work parents should ensure the child should write in their book, under the
relevant test, the correct spellings three times of any word he / she did not write correctly in
the test. Parents should sign under the completed test, to indicate that you have seen the test
outcome and ensured that your child had has further opportunity to practise the correct
spelling.
At home your child will need to practise their new spellings. They may do this once in their book,
then should use separate paper for any subsequent practise. Under the new spelling list, to
demonstrate understanding of the meaning of words, children should one sentence incorporating
one word on the new spelling list i.e.ten spellings = ten sentences, each sentence containing one
word from the list. Your child should start each new sentence on a new line.
Reading
In response to parent and pupil voice, there will no longer be a reading log sent home.
Support at home for reading of course remains pivotal to a child’s progression in all areas and we
expect parents to hear their child read five times per week. Parents could use this time to
question the child about the text to check their comprehension or identify any new
vocabulary to the child and check for understanding of meaning. Therefore, we ask that you
continue to hear your child regularly and sign their reading record. Reading records should
come into school on a daily basis alongside your child’s reading book.
TOWERS JUNIOR SCHOOL
HOMEWORK POLICY CHANGES
Maths
Maths homework books will need to be brought into school on a Friday. The homework will
be checked during the numeracy lesson and a new task will be set. Children will be able to take
their books home on the same day. The books will also have copies of times tables at the
back and a grid. Children will tick the grid to indicate which times tables they have been
allocated. If there is no additional tick from the previous week this will mean that your child is
not ready to move on and should practise and rehearse the number facts of the existing times
table.
Additional Homework Activities
Occasionally, additional homework may be set (research, competitions, design and make tasks
etc.). Where a design and make task is set a longer period for completion, normally
incorporating a holiday period, will be allocated.
The online programs Mathletics and Reading Eggs have proved to be very popular with the
children and a great way to practise their skills. Although considered as an optional extra, we
will continue to encourage the children to use these sites. Reading Eggs is particularly useful to
improve comprehension skills, something parents find more difficult (so they tell us). Children’s
progress, using these two programmes, will be monitored and they will receive certificates for
work completed.
Non Compliance
Of course, there will be times when it will not have been possible to complete homework. A brief
note to the teacher would be much appreciated in these circumstances. Teachers will keep
homework records and, if no note has been received, a standardised note will go home to inform
parents about missing homework. This will include a tear off slip for parents to sign to indicate
they are aware that homework has not been returned to school.
The new homework book system will be trialled this term, in order for any necessary
adjustments to be made before the new school year. Therefore, I would really appreciate your
comments on how you think the system is working. You can contact me by letter or by
telephoning the school and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Summary
Reading Books and Reading Records In and Out Everyday
Day of Week
Book In
Monday
SPaG,
Tuesday
Wednesday
SPaG
Thursday
Friday
Maths
Maths
Yours Sincerely,
Deputy Headteacher
Book Out