Year 6 Homework Leaflet 2013-2014
Children in Year 5/6 are set homework that will extend their understanding and
consolidate what they already know. It will focus on the basic skills and also
provide a platform for further study and enjoyment of learning. It teaches them
about time management, independent learning and becoming more responsible.
It also encourages lifelong learning skills from an early age.
Reading
Encouraging your child to read is essential if they are to develop good reading habits throughout
life. Being able to read is a key skill which will help them in every other curriculum area. Links
have been made between a child’s ability to read and their general intelligence and ability across
all other areas, including maths.
A child must be able to at first break down words and sound them out using letters and sounds.
As they gain fluency in reading, they must also comprehend more and more about the text and
the authors’ intentions. Above all, they must enjoy reading and begin to gain independence in
making book choices, gaining a respect for books and develop a love for particular genres and
styles, authors and illustrators.
Read to your child. This will encourage them to appreciate reading. Model how to read well,
including how to sound out a word they might not know. Model how to use expression, change
your voice tone for different characters, change the speed and dynamics to make the story sound
interesting.
Ask your child to read to you. Help them with sounding out words they do not know. Use clues in
the text to help them work out what the word might be. Get them to read the sentence without the
word, to see if this helps them to decode it. Ask them questions about the text throughout, using
the AF sheets that are ‘parent mailed’ out and which are also available on the website; your child
should also have a bookmark which tells you the AF their teacher feels they need to focus on the
most, giving you some relevant questions to ask. The questions you ask should help them
comprehend the text in different ways.
For more information on how to help your child to read, please refer to the Reading Booklet which
is available in school and in homework diaries. Come along to the next Parent Support Program
reading event. These will be next year on Thursday 18th September and Thursday 2nd October.
My Maths
This homework is set once a week, and should take the child about 30 minutes to complete. It is
set on a Wednesday, and should be completed by the following Monday. The web address for My
Maths is www.mymaths.co.uk. Log your child in using the details sent out to all parents. Teachers
have copies of the log-in details if you have misplaced them. The teacher will have set a task or
activity for the child to complete. Children should read the tutorial first by clicking on the tutorial
button, then answer the questions set – if they don’t achieve a ‘Green’ grade on their first attempt,
they should keep trying. They must then rate the activity using the sunshine icons to tell the
teacher how they felt about it.
Support your child if they need help by reading through the question with them and talking
through methods. Set another example to consolidate their learning. Encourage your child to
have a jotter and pencil to help them with their working out if needed. The homework should take
no more than 30 minutes to complete. If they finish early, they can choose another unit to practice
on, or look at the materials in the booster pack. If they have got an amber or red for any other
homework set previously, they will need to look through the unit again, taking note of any marking
comments the teacher made. Please advice your teacher if they complete the homework in less
than 15 minutes and score very highly. For further information on My Maths, please come along
to the annual training sessions. The next session will be on Tuesday 7th October.
Revision Maths
For part of the school year children will be set Revision Maths instead of MyMaths. The pages are
set in the school homework diary on a Wednesday and should be completed by the following
Monday.
Support your child if they need help by reading through the question with them and talking
through methods. Set another example to consolidate their learning. Encourage your child to
write their working out in the booklets using a pencil. The answers are placed in the middle of the
booklet and we encourage parents to use these to check their child’s accuracy and identify which
areas need further support. Both parent and child can then revisit this together, using the learning
points given in the book. Once completed, the child should then circle the appropriate face to
assess how they got on (,). The homework should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.
If they finish early, they can choose another unit to revise and/or go on to the MyMaths booster
packs.
Comprehension
Comprehension homework is set once a week, on a Wednesday, and is due back on the
following Monday. Homework folders are used to transport the homework and store it once it has
been marked; marked homework should be back in folders again within a fortnight from when it
was set.
Children should read the extract carefully. Once completed, they should answer the questions in
full sentences, developing their answers to include ‘what’, ‘when’ or ‘how’ and also ‘why’ they
think that, quoting where they got the ideas or information from the text where relevant. The use
of the word ‘because’ will help them to get the question correct. If a question reads: What is the
character ‘The Pied Piper’ like? A model answer would be: ‘The Pied Piper is a nasty character
who does not care for the people of Hamlin, because he took the children away from their
families’. Children can be helped to read and answer the questions. It is best for the children to
read and answer themselves and then have support marking, checking and developing the
answers to be longer and more detailed once they have finished. This homework should take no
longer than 30 minutes to complete. Please advise your teacher if it takes less than 15 minutes or
if they struggle to answer any of the questions independently.
SPaG
SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) homework will be set every Wednesday, and is due
back on the following Monday. Homework will either take the form of a sheet which will be placed
in the school homework folder, or a booklet where pages set will be in homework diaries.
If homework is set on a sheet, support your child by reading through the questions with him/ her
and discussing the technical vocabulary. Your child should be familiar with this as it will tie in to
the learning they have been carrying out that week. If homework is set from the booklet, use the
explanation page to support your child. Again, the answers are placed in the middle of the booklet
and we encourage parents to use these to check their child’s accuracy and identify which areas
need further support.
The homework should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.
Booster Reading & Booster Maths
If your child is a attending a Level 4, 5 or 6 booster for Reading and/ or Maths they may be set
extra homework by the booster teacher. This is extra homework and has been provided to either
consolidate or extend learning areas. It is recommended that they complete this however it is not
set, and therefore is not compulsory. If your child completes this homework, they should return it
to their booster teacher on the day instructed via the homework diary.
Spelling Challenge
Children will receive a sheet containing all the words they will be focussing on each half term. The
sheet will be sent out at the beginning of the term. The children will be tested at the end of the
half term. Children will be able to spell varying amounts of the words from the lists each time a list
of sent home. To support them, check on which words require the most practice by asking them
to spell the words on the sheet, a few at a time. Only work on those words your child did not have
correct. To help them to practice, complete a ‘look, cover, write, check’. This is where the child
has the word written correctly for them. They look at the word and study it. They can pull it apart
or think or the phoneme or syllable patterns (using the ‘dot, dash, count’ method taught in
school). They may also have been taught a mnemonic or memory game to remember the spelling
of the word e.g. ‘oh you lovely darling’ for words with the ‘ould’ spelling pattern. They then cover
the word with their hand or a book. They then write the word down, remembering how to spell it.
They then check it is correct. This is repeated 5 times in the same order. Children will also need
to differentiate between homophones so it might be useful to get them to practise writing these
words in a sentence. For further information on how we teach spellings, please come along to the
annual training sessions. The next session will be on Thursday 18th September.
Times Table Challenge
Find somewhere very quiet to sit where the child will not be disturbed. The child will have a sheet
with a set of questions and a space to write each answer. They have 1 minute to answer as many
as they can without support. We recommend at least five practices a week. Once completed,
mark the work and check how many are correct. To support them to achieve more next time, look
at those they got wrong. Practice quick fire questions on these questions, until they are secure
and can remember these facts. Alternatively, ask the children to write out the question and
answers. Short bursts of questioning on the answers your child does not remember quickly is the
best way to help them consolidate, a few minutes at a time, as many times as you can manage
each day. Some parents will check up on facts their children are not remembering by asking them
over breakfast, whilst driving to school, before bed etc. When children are tested in school each
week, they mark their progress. A ‘Beat your score’ chart is kept, to celebrate improved scores
each week. Once they have completed a Level test, they are awarded a certificate and can ask
for the next level up to start working on at home. The tests are also available on the school
website. This homework is not set. Parents can choose to do as little or as much support for this
challenge homework as they choose. Come and look at how we teach times tables in school at
one of next parent support program events. The next event for times tables will be on Friday 14th
November.
Bug Club
Children now have access to a wealth of reading materials in school using Bug Club, an online
library and reading study website. Teachers set books for the children to read. Each child has
been given log-in details; if you have misplaced them, please see your class teacher. Once
logged in, your child will be able to read the books set by the teacher, answer the quiz questions
and take part in the challenges. You teacher will be able to see what they have done and how
well they have achieved. Each term, they will nominate a child who has achieved well and used
the site to enhance their reading. Children will be selected not only by how much they have read,
but how well they have understood the texts and what impact this has had on their everyday
reading and comprehension. Winners receive a certificate and furry bug award. This homework is
not set, but parents and children can access the materials to enhance the children’s reading
further as often as they choose. If your child would like extra books set, please see your class
teacher. If you would like to find out more about how to support your child at home with Bug Club,
please come along to the next training session for parents on Monday 1st December.
Sum Dog
Sum Dog is a website that is full of educational maths games and challenges. The web address is
www.sumdog.com. Children have their own log-ins which have been written in their homework
diaries; please ask your child’s class teacher if you have misplaced them. When national
competitions are ‘live’, children compete against other boys and girls across Lincolnshire for a
place on the leader board; when no competitions are running, the site is still active and children’s
personal point scores and avatars will not be reset. Notable success is rewarded by a certificate,
sent by the Sum Dog team to schools, however all teachers can see how many questions
children have answered, how many were correct and also the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
The children complete activities set to their own personal levels on the website. They earn points
for achieving well on the challenges. If they do well enough, they may even be featured on the
Lincolnshire Leader board. Children should be able to navigate and use the site themselves. If
they need help with any questions, parents can help, but should not answer the questions for the
children. This is not set homework, but can be used as often as parents want, to help support
their child’s understanding of maths, and ability to work under the pressure of timed conditions.
My Maths Extra
Children may log in to use My Maths at any point in time, and complete any of the units or
booster packs. Their teacher will see what they have done when they next log-in, and will leave
some feedback if the work has been completed. If units have not been completed or achieved
well, children might want to revisit them at a later stage. This homework is not set.
Extra Times Tables
If parents would like to support their child with times tables beyond the Tables Challenge, children
learn times tables in the following order in school: 2,5,10,3,6,4,8,9,11,7.
Children will need to learn how to recall both numbers (factors) that create the answers
(products), i.e. ? x ? = 20 and also recall missing factors when the product and one factor is
known, i.e. 3 x ? = 12.
They will also need to be able to find the divisors of products (which multiples fit into the product
equally without a remainder), and use their facts to help them work out division problems i.e. 32
divided by 8 = ? and more difficult related problems, i.e. 250 divided by 5 =.
This homework is not set, but we appreciate any additional help you can give your child through
learning times tables at home.
Late/uncompleted homework
Teachers keep a running record of homework that has been returned each week. If a child has
forgotten their homework, and they normally bring in homework on time, they may be given an
extra day to bring the homework in. If for any reason your child has not been able to complete
their homework, a note should be written in the homework diary to the class teacher. Persistent
lateness or uncompleted homework will result in the child completing the homework in their free
time in school. Homework club is available in Miss Rana’s classroom each Thursday, 12.45-1.30,
and any child persistently failing to complete homework will be told by their class teacher to
attend.
Presentation
Homework is sent home in a folder, which should be looked after carefully. Homework should be
completed in the pen or pencil that the child uses in class, and to the standard expected by the
teacher in class. Handwriting should be cursive and joined, with mistakes wither rubbed out or
crossed through neatly with a line. If any homework has required substantial parental input,
please make a note of this on the homework or in the diary. Children should take pride in their
homework, and be proud of the outcome.
Marking
Homework that can be marked and feedback given to the children, will be looked at after it has
been handed in. Homework can take two weeks for teachers to mark and return to homework
folders.
Holiday Homework
Homework will be set for the first week of each holiday except the Summer Holiday, in the same
way as normal school weeks. However, additional tasks or activities may be given to supplement
learning, which will be sent in the homework folder in the usual way for the longer Christmas and
Easter holiday periods.
Problems With Homework
If you do not have access to a home computer or internet, or if your access is temporarily
disrupted, please see your class teacher in the first instance to discuss a solution. Children and
parents have access to the computer suite after school to use the school computers for the
completion of homework when required.
If a child completes the homework very quickly, or does not understand a large proportion of it,
please communicate with your child’s class teacher through the homework diary or speak with
them directly. If they have not finished the homework within the allocated time set, they may finish
at the end of the allocated time and leave the rest of the homework unfinished. Please advise
your child’s class teacher that this has occurred.
For any other problem with homework, please come in and speak to us or write a message in the
homework diary.
Homework Hints for children
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Plan your time effectively – spread homework out across the week, don’t try to cram it
all into a Sunday evening, or it won’t be done as well as it could be.
Homework area – find a quiet place, remove any distractions and concentrate on what
you have to do, thinking carefully about what you have learned that week.
Have a go – don’t rely on an adult to help you, have a go on your own first, then ask for
help and guidance if you need it. Your teacher needs to know what you can do well and
what you have struggled with. Ask an adult to make a note on your homework if they
have had to give you lots of help, or if you really found it too challenging.
Take pride in your work – make sure the work you do at home is just as good as the
work you would do for your teacher in school. You should always try your best and feel
pleased and proud of the homework you hand in – this way you can be sure that your
teacher will be pleased, and that you have learned lots.