1. ‘Homework’ Working Together at The Downley School

2. Welcome and Introductions Sue Webb – Headteacher, Maths Team Helen Hadaway – Deputy Headteacher, Literacy Team Lynne Gippert – Assistant Headteacher, Science Team Sam Bone – Literacy Leader Carmen Batory – Maths Leader Alastair Haywood – Maths Team Steph Reddington - SENDCo, Maths Team Jo Jonwood – Literacy Team (Reading Leader)

3. Objectives Of This Evening Why do homework? How can home and school forge the best partnerships in supporting the child? Exploring the structure of homework at TDS How to motivate your child Is ‘homework’ the best terminology?

5. Why Do Homework? Research provides strong evidence that, when used appropriately, homework benefits student achievement. To make sure that homework is appropriate, teachers should follow these guidelines: Assign purposeful homework Design homework to maximize the chances that students will complete it Involve parents in appropriate ways Carefully monitor the amount of homework assigned http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar07/vol64/num06/The-Case-For-and- Against-Homework.aspx

6. Why Do Homework?

8. Parental involvement in children’s education from an early age has a significant effect on educational achievement, and continues to do so into adolescence and adulthood. The attitudes and aspirations of parents and of children themselves predict later educational achievement. International evidence suggests that parents with high aspirations are also more involved in their children’s education.

9. Why Do WE Do Homework? To reinforce learning, develop skills and increase self confidence/self esteem To give parents an opportunity to engage with their child’s learning, provide support and have realistic and ambitious expectations To encourage children to become independent learners for life

10. The Structure Of Homework at The Downley School What do we do and why

11. Reception Reading 10 minutes each evening Learning Logs 1 task per fortnight (Tasks will be issued according to the dates which can be found at the front of your child’s Learning Log book) Home / School Journal Information shared fortnightly about child’s learning and achievements Parents’ feedback encouraged

12. Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) Reading: 10 – 15 minutes each evening Phonics: 1 piece of homework per week Given out on a Monday, due back on a Friday (during assessment periods children will not receive a piece of homework. You will be advised about this) Maths: 1 piece of homework per week Given out on a Friday, back the following Friday (this needs to be be marked by the parents). Learning Logs: 1 task per fortnight

13. Key Stage 2 (Years 3,4,5 and 6) Reading: 20 minutes each evening Spelling: 1 piece of homework per fortnight Given out on a Monday, back on a Friday (during assessment periods children will not receive a piece of homework. You will be advised about this). Maths: 1 piece of homework per week Given out on a Friday, back the following Friday (this needs to be marked by the parents) Learning Logs: 1 task per fortnight

14. Reading at Home – Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) In Key Stage 1 we would like you to try and hear your child read for 10-15 minutes each evening. Spend time discussing what your child has read. Try not to focus just on reading the words correctly and instead ask questions about characters’ feelings Ask your child to make predictions, discuss the author’s choice of words etc.

15. Level 1c Level 1c In some reading usually with support: AF1: Use a range of strategies to read for meaning. I can read simple words by breaking down the words and blending the sounds together e.g. cat. I can recognise some high frequency words. I can recognise a full stop in writing. AF2: Understanding and selection information. Quotation use. When a story has been read aloud to me, I can tell an adult what happened in it, in the right order. I can tell an adult about the main character when the story is read aloud to me. AF3: Infer, deduce and interpret from texts. I can guess what my new book might be about using the title and pictures to help me. I am beginning to talk about the meaning of parts of a story. AF4: Structure and organisation of a text. I can understand that stories have pictures to help you understand what a story is about and I can talk about them to an adult. AF5: Use of language – word and sentence level. I am beginning to notice rhymes and certain words a writer chooses to use. AF6: Writers ’ purposes and viewpoint – overall effect on the reader. I can tell an adult what I like about a story. AF7: Social, cultural and historical links. I can tell an adult what usually happens to a bad character in a story. AF1: Learning to Read: Using phonics, decoding, recognising punctuation.

16. Level 1c Level 1c In some reading usually with support: AF1: Use a range of strategies to read for meaning. I can read simple words by breaking down the words and blending the sounds together e.g. cat. I can recognise some high frequency words. I can recognise a full stop in writing. AF2: Understanding and selection information. Quotation use. When a story has been read aloud to me, I can tell an adult what happened in it, in the right order. I can tell an adult about the main character when the story is read aloud to me. AF3: Infer, deduce and interpret from texts. I can guess what my new book might be about using the title and pictures to help me. I am beginning to talk about the meaning of parts of a story. AF4: Structure and organisation of a text. I can understand that stories have pictures to help you understand what a story is about and I can talk about them to an adult. AF5: Use of language – word and sentence level. I am beginning to notice rhymes and certain words a writer chooses to use. AF6: Writers ’ purposes and viewpoint – overall effect on the reader. I can tell an adult what I like about a story. AF7: Social, cultural and historical links. I can tell an adult what usually happens to a bad character in a story. AF2 – 7 Comprehension skills: Thinking about how characters feel; making predictions; finding clues left by the author

17. During the reading of the book: Tell me what is happening in the pictures. What has happened so far? Is it what you expected to happen? What might happen next? How do you think the story might end? What sort of character is….? Is he/she friendly/ mean/nice…? At the end of the book: What was the most interesting/ exciting part of the book? Can you find it? What sort of character is….? Why did that character do … ? (give a situation/ event from the story) Who are the main characters in the story? What character would you like to be? Did you like this book? Why? (Encourage children to develop their opinion about books by encouraging them to explain their reasons) Some Example Questions

18. Reading to Your Child It is also very beneficial if you read to your child, perhaps at bedtime, as this allows them to access texts that they would not be able to read alone. Children need to be exposed to as many different genres of text as possible. Please read the following types of texts as much as you can in addition to the school reading scheme. Library books Non-fiction books Poems Newspapers Comics Picture books

19. In Key Stage 2 we would like children to read for 20 minutes per evening. As a minimum all children in Key Stage 2 should read to an adult for 20 minutes 3 times per week at home. Key Stage 2 (Years 3,4,5 and 6)

20. Extending Reading In the Key Stage 2 Reading Journals there are suggested activities to help your children develop their skills in AF2 – 7. There is also a Powerpoint presentation on the website from our inference and deduction evening with ideas about how to help your children with these skills. Please encourage your child to read as wide a variety of books as possible – they need to hone their reading skills across a wide range of genres and text types.

21. Reading Journals Please use the journals to record all reading that your child undertakes, including reading library books, poems, comics etc. Please try and write a comment about what you have discussed with your child so that the teacher can build upon this. It is not helpful to just put ‘Good reading’. There is a bank of suggested comments at the back of the journal. Please sign your child’s journal when they have read to you, we are finding some children signing themselves and then do not know whether they have read to an adult or not.

22. Phonics Reception and Key Stage 1 We follow the Government scheme ‘Letters and Sounds’ Children pass through six phases of teaching They learn the full range of common letter/sound correspondences They are taught to hear the separate sounds within words When ready children will begin blending sounds together

23. Phonic Homework (Years 1 and 2) Each week the children are given a piece of homework based upon the sounds that they have been learning in their phonics group Encourage your child to tell you about the sounds they have been learning and to look for them in their own reading experiences (road signs, shopping lists, library books)

24. Spelling at Key Stage 2 In Key Stage 2 we follow the Government scheme ‘Support for Spelling’, which follows on from ‘Letters and Sounds’ The children learn about the history of our language, about root words and common prefixes, suffixes and spelling patterns We do not encourage the learning by rote of spelling lists as all research indicates that this does not enable children to become fluent spellers

25. Spelling Homework Homework will be given out every fortnight on a Monday This will explore the rules or patterns that your child has been learning about Your child will be encouraged to investigate these rules and patterns in the activities given At the end of every unit the children will be given an informal spelling test At the end of a term we will give the children a formal spelling test and this will be sent home for your information

26. Mental Maths The aims for Mental Maths Homework For the children to feel more confident with their Maths ability in solving problems To be able to consolidate their mental Maths strategies and identify any gaps in learning To become more familiar with the test questions and conditions For parents to be able to ‘engage’ with their child’s maths learning

27. Mental Maths CGP Mental Workout Books for individual year groups in KS1 and KS2 are purchased by the school. The Book number corresponds with the year group, ie. Book 4 would correspond to Year 4. If the book is too challenging, children work from a lower grade book, ie. Book 3.

28. Mental Maths If the book is too easy, children would be encouraged to complete it and then move to the year above, ie. Book 5 For Year 6 we are looking to challenge them with Level 6 Maths work using CGP KS3 Numeracy Strategy Book 2

29. Mental Maths Set on Fridays and due back on following Friday Children are encouraged to complete one (A), two (A &B) or all three parts (A,B &C) Rewarded with team points and stickers Homework is marked at home with an adult Teachers take feedback from children, note incorrect answers or more challenging questions Answers are discussed and explained by the teachers during ‘Mental Friday’ Maths lesson

30. Motivating Your Child Tired of arguing, nagging and struggling with your child to get them to do homework? Are you discovering that bribing, threatening, and punishing don't yield positive results?

31. The Three Laws of Homework 1) Most children do not like to do homework. Children do not enjoy sitting and studying. At least, not after having spent a long school day comprised mostly of sitting and studying. So give up your desire to have them like it. Instead, focus on getting them to do it.

32. The Three Laws of Homework 2) You cannot make anyone do it. You can not make your child learn. You cannot make them hold a certain attitude. You cannot make them move their pencil. However, while you can not insist, you can assist.

33. The Three Laws of Homework 3) It's their Problem. Too many parents see homework as the parent's problem, creating ultimatums, bribing, scolding, and withholding privileges. Have you noticed that most of these tactics do not work?

34. Your responsibility as parents is to provide your children with an opportunity to do their homework. Your job is to provide structure, a supportive environment and to create the system. Your child's job is to use the system.

35. Tips for Assisting with Homework Eliminate the word homework from your vocabulary. Replace it with the word study.

36. Tips for Assisting with Homework Establish a study routine. This needs to be the same time every day.

37. Tips for Assisting with Homework Be realistic about the length of study time.

38. Tips for Assisting with Homework Keep the routine predictable and simple.

39. Tips for Assisting with Homework Help without over-functioning. Only help if your child asks for it. Do not do problems or assignments for children.

40. Tips for Assisting with Homework Turn your child's activity into a game.

41. Tips for Assisting with Homework Replace monetary and external rewards with encouraging verbal responses. This style of bribery has only short term gains and does little to encourage children to develop a lifetime love of learning.

42. Tips for Assisting with Homework Always praise the process of learning, not the end result. http://www.highlightsparents.com/parenting_perspectives/inter view_with_dr_carol_dweck_developing_a_growth_mindset

43. Tips for Assisting with Homework Use study time to get some of your own ‘jobs’ done. Do the dishes, do the ironing, or do your daily Suduko. Keep the TV off! If you engage in fun or noisy activities during study time your child will naturally be distracted. Study time is a family commitment. If you won't commit to it, don't expect that you children will.

44. Tips for Assisting with Homework Remember the third law of homework. It's their Problem If you have done everything you can to ensure that your child has a structured and supportive environment in which to study and they still choose not to, there will be consequences.

45. ‘As Educators we have a huge responsibility to support our students in developing a growth mindset which engenders a lifelong love of learning, not a short-term obsession with performance.’ Carol Dweck

46. Learning Logs! Build on existing skills and talents Foster a feeling of success Allow for individualism and creativity Encourage the children to learn from each other in a different way from ‘the norm’ Unveil hidden interests, and sometimes talents, which can be used to motivate learning in school Allow children to record their learning in the way in a personalised way

47. Creative Thinking using imagination experimenting with alternatives being original expanding on what you know or say exercising your judgement generating questions, ideas and outcomes

48. Now it’s your turn! As you have seen, a wide range of techniques, approaches and media can be used when completing a Learning Log task. When the children share their work they have an opportunity to see how other people and have tackled the task.

49. Now it’s your turn! This summer term the whole school will be undertaking work centred around the theme of ‘The World Around Us’. As a start to this work we will be setting a whole school Learning Log task.

50. The Task! Brainstorm ways in which you could approach this task... How could you improve your local environment?

51. Additional Help/Reading http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents /

52. Additional Help/Reading http://www.teachingthinking.net/thinking/web%2 0resources/robert_fisher_expandingminds.htm http://www.chiddingstone.kent.sch.uk/homework/ http://www.primarytimes.net/parent_times_educa tion_homework_tips_parents.php

53. Thank you all for attending our evening and supporting learning at The Downley School.