Home Learning

This is an often discussed area of school life – we have conducted extensive research and talked to experts, parents, teachers and students: this is a summary of our findings and an outline of our decisions and guidelines around homework at Clevedon School.

Research on homework/ home learning

Generic findings/conclusions:

1. Homework policies should be based on firm foundations, integrated into the whole learning process and tailored to the learner's needs and curriculum requirements.

2. The relationship between time spent on homework and pupil achievement remains ambiguous, as there is no reliable evidence that it leads to improved achievement. 
3. Pupils' attitudes to homework are highly diverse and are related to pupils' age, gender and cultural background.
4. There is scant research evidence available in relation to the impact of different types of homework assignments and how the process is managed. However, interventions have shown that procedures such as timetabling, setting, collecting, marking, recording need to be clearly stated.
5. Homework is to be perceived as a collaborative venture involving teacher, pupil and parents. The latter play an important role in creating appropriate conditions for learning and in encouraging children to complete their homework assignments.  However, the extent to which parents engage in this process cannot be controlled by schools.
6. A good, well-managed homework programme helps children and young people to develop the skills and attitudes they will need for successful lifelong learning. Homework also supports the development of independent learning skills and provides parents with an opportunity to take part in their children's education.

Effective homework 
Learning at home is an essential part of good education. Regular homework is important as it gives pupils the opportunity to practice at home the tasks covered in class, and helps the pupils work towards improving important skills. It also helps children and young people to become confident and independent in their learning, which will help throughout their time at school and in adult life.

In primary schools, the focus of homework should be on the important skills of literacy and numeracy. Regular reading at home, especially reading with parents, should be encouraged. 

Older pupils in primary schools should be given other tasks such as finding out and preparing information as well as traditional writing tasks. This helps to ease the transfer to secondary schools. 

From: teachernet.gov.uk

Schools should ensure that homework is an integral part of the curriculum and is planned and prepared alongside all other programmes of learning.

Pupils will record and ensure their understanding of the homework tasks and demonstrate a commitment to spending an allocated time doing the tasks set and handing the work back on time.

Parents and carers will encourage and monitor homework and inform the school if an issue arises.

July 2007

Homework: Its uses and abuses

Homework has a long and controversial history (Gordon, 1980). Since the mid-nineteenth century it has been used to supplement the curriculum and has been more or less fashionable depending on political, economic, social and educational factors. When there is concern to raise educational standards the amount of homework set by schools tends to increase. As the pressure on children and family life becomes increasingly intolerable parents and those professionals concerned with the well being of children campaign against it. A reduction in homework follows until such time as the whole cycle begins again (Cooper et al., 1998).

There are advantages and disadvantages to homework (Cowan and Hallam, 1999; Hallam, 2004).

•  Increase the amount of time spent studying

• Providing opportunities for practice, preparation and extension

• Assisting in development of intellectual skills

Homework can assist in the development of generic skills by

• Providing opportunities for individualised work

• Fostering initiative and independence

• Developing skills in using libraries and other learning resources

• Training students in planning and organising time

• Developing good habits and self discipline

• Encouraging ownership and responsibility for learning

Homework can be beneficial to school through

• Easing time constraints on the curriculum

• Allowing assessment of progress and mastery of work

• Exploiting resources not available in school

• Fulfilling the expectations of parents, pupils, politicians and the public

• Enabling accountability to external inspection agencies

Homework can promote home school liaison by

• Encouraging the involvement of parents
• Developing links and opportunities for dialogue between parents and the school

• Promoting family communication, encouraging parents and children to work together

• It increases negative attitudes

• It reduces the opportunities for students to develop academic skills from the involvement in every day life

• Parents pressure children too much

• Parents create confusion in explaining material

• Parents have different approaches to teaching from the school

• Parents do homework for their children or contribute excessively

• The differences between high and low achievers are increased

Homework can have a negative impact on the family when it

• Disrupts family life
• Causes friction within the family

Homework can be detrimental to the individual when it

• Causes anxiety

• Reduces motivation to learn

• Creates boredom, fatigue and emotional exhaustion

• Reduces time for leisure activities

Homework can have a negative impact on society when

• Reduces time for involvement community activities

• Polarises the opportunities for children from different economic circumstances because some have better facilities and resources than others

   

Where now?

The evidence suggests that generally, pupils, parents and teachers see homework as actually, or potentially, useful in contributing to learning. While there is not a simple relationship between time spent doing homework and achievement, where homework is valued and serves to motivate pupils it is likely to make a valuable contribution.

The pupils in the study by MacBeath and Turner (1990) expressed the view that:

* homework should be clearly related to ongoing classroom work;

* there should be a clear pattern to class work and homework;

* homework should be varied;

* homework should be manageable;

* homework should be challenging but not too difficult;

* homework should allow for individual initiative and creativity;

* homework should promote self confidence and understanding;

* there should be recognition or reward for work done;

* there should be guidance and support.

These are sensible and reasonable demands. The challenge for educators is to find ways of satisfying them.

Summarising research, teaching staff and parent’s thoughts:

HOMEWORK:

• Expectations should be clear and regular (for Parents and students)

• Should be consistent across teams and the school

• Should be linked to or extending classwork

• Should build self-confidence and understanding

• Should encourage creativity in thinking and presentation

• Should be challenging, but not too hard

• Should  be followed up and feedback given

• Will avoid the use of drill/skill workbooks/sheets due to the following factors:

   

  • Cannot insist on purchase

  • Not necessarily related to classwork

  • Hard to follow-up unless whole class completes

  • Are readily available at stationery stores for Parents who wish to use them

   

The following extract may help

SIX OF THE BEST WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN ACHIEVE AT SCHOOL

(Professor John Hattie University of Auckland)

• Do whatever you can to ensure your children go to and stay at school for as long as possible

• Listen to your children when they talk about what they are learning and encourage them to talk to you by showing you enjoy those discussions

• Ask “What did your teacher say to you about your schoolwork today?”

• Value effort, sticking to a task, and learning the basics.  Evidence shows children from families who value effort and stickability have a head start

• Enjoy being involved with your children in challenging tasks in a fun way.  Dealing with a challenge is a powerful learning strategy

• Build your children’s confidence that they can do difficult things.

I hope that this assists in clarifying the homework expectations at Clevedon School, within the context of research, opinion and best practice.