Homework
At STFS, we believe that home work should:
Enable students to consolidate and reinforce their knowledge.
Become part of the family routine - developing positive study skills and habits.
Be completed - getting the difficulty and interest level right so that students can complete it independently.
Build an effective partnership between home and school - enabling parents to be involved in their child's education.
How long should homework take?
One piece of homework is set for every 4 lessons per subject. Students should use the following timings as guidance for when to expect homework for each subject, and how long a piece of homework should take.
Year 7 - 20 to 30 minutes
Year 8 - 25 to 35 minutes
Year 9 - 30 to 40 minutes
Year 10 - 35 to 45 minutes
Year 11 - 60 to 75 minutes
Example:
A student in Year 7 will have 4 Maths lessons per week, so should expect a piece of homework every week for this subject.
The same student will have 7 Science lessons over the two week timetable so should expect a piece of homework every other week for this subject.
If you would like to discuss the quantity, quality or clarity of homework for your child, please contact your child’s form tutor, or the relevant subject teacher.
What type of homework will be set?
The homework set will reflect the stage students have reached as they progress through the school - in both the nature of the tasks and the time taken to complete it.
Years 7 - 9
Focus on knowledge and establishing a routine of completing homework on time and to the required standard.
This is to help build healthy habits of review and revision which will be essential for students in the coming years, particularly in terms of revision.
Years 10 & 11
Focus shifts to extending the knowledge gained in the classroom and applying this in different ways.
Homework set for students will be one of the following types:
Revision and retrieval of information.
Students will be directed to these specific parts by their teachers, in line with the curriculum plan.
Students will be given physical copies of the relevant knowledge organisers by their teachers.
Students will be taught how to revise effectively, through regular practice in Study Skills tutor sessions
Marking will be through whole class marking (peer or individual) feedback, and then corrected.
Learning from specific lessons which are in need of development.
Students may be required to review an existing piece of work, produce an extended piece of writing, or complete an exam question.
Marking could be through individual or whole class feedback, or through verbal feedback during the lesson. Students will be clear about what marking to expect when homework is set.
How can my child get help with their homework?
It is really important to us that students do not feel anxious about, or struggle with their homework.
Homework clubs, and subject specific support sessions are provided throughout the week to support students with their studies.
If a student feels they need more assistance or would like to discuss any aspect of their homework, they should speak to their tutor, or the relevant subject teacher to get help with this crucial independent learning.
How can I support my child with their homework?
All homework will be set on ClassCharts and students will need access to view their homework tasks. They may also need to access Teams, Google Classroom, or other sites in order to access the relevant resources. Parents and students can both use Classcharts for monitoring and managing homework resources.
Click here to view the ClassCharts Parents Guide
Students will need access to the internet to complete their homework. Provision can be made in school for students who do not have access to the internet at home (please contact your child’s form tutor).