Homework
Homework Schedule
To aid parents in understanding how they can support their child's learning at home, each term we send out via ParentMail a homework handout. These can also be found below:
The handout includes daily tasks which children need to be completing to practise key skills and build their knowledge in essential areas. These vary by year group, with more time spent daily on homework the older children get.
It also offers extra opportunities for extending your child’s learning in different subjects. Children can record what they have learnt however they choose and bring it in to school to share with their class teacher.
Each term, we also ask families to discuss our school values at home. The leaflet details which values should be discussed and how children could share their learning with their teacher.
Reading - all years
Reading books are sent home weekly in your child’s bookbag along with their reading record. Children should be reading regularly at home aloud to an adult and discussing their book to develop their comprehension.
To help you support your child’s comprehension at home we have parent reading guides for each year group that can be found in your child's reading folder and at https://www.roecroftlower.co.uk/English/. These detail what your child is expected to be able to do when reading by the end of the year and questions to help them meet each objective.
We have also created new recommended reading guides for each year group which can be found at https://www.roecroftlower.co.uk/Curriculum/Recommended-Reading/ . The guides include a range of suggested texts handpicked by our year group teams that children could read throughout the year.
Phonics, Green and Red Word practise - Reception & Year 1
Reception
Please use the phonics booklets you have, depending on the set your child is currently learning, to practise their sounds both by sight and from memory. Green and Red words should be practised with your child regularly at home. Red words should be learnt by sight as they cannot be sounded out and green words can be blended to read. Children should also be learning how to spell their red words accurately, as well as writing their green words independently by sounding them out themselves without copying them. This helps to develop both reading and writing fluency, accuracy, and independence.
Year 1
In Year 1, the children continue to practise red words from Reception. It is important that the Year 1 children can confidently read and spell the common exception words in isolation and within sentences. Throughout the year, different sets of the words will be sent home for reading and writing practise. These are then regularly checked at school through reading and dictation activities.
Spelling - Years 3 & 4
Children in Years 3 and 4 are assigned spelling homework via the Spelling Shed platform. Children should aim to complete their assignment each week during term time by practising their words using the Spelling Shed games.
Doodle Maths and Tables
Children should be regularly using the Doodle app at home, aiming to complete the questions the app gives them each day. Children in reception should only be using the Doodle Maths app.
For more Doodle guidance please see the link below:
https://doodlelearning.com/parent-videos/
On our school website each year group has a Maths Glossary to help your child with mathematical concepts and terminology while using Doodle Maths. To access these guides, please follow the link https://www.roecroftlower.co.uk/Curriculum/Mathematics/ and scroll down to ‘Maths learning resources and workshops’.
We suggest these apps are used daily in quick bursts to reinforce the learning children are doing in school. Please contact your child’s class teacher if you need your child’s log in details for the Doodle apps.
Extra Guidance for Doodle Apps and Times Tables Rock Stars
Following some feedback from parent consultations we would like to clarify the below points:
- Children can take their time with each question, especially to understand the question and vocabulary.
- The speaker can be used to help with the understanding of the question.
- Children are free to use a pencil and paper to work out their answers.
- Children are free to use concrete/pictorial resources such as number lines, objects to help them with their working out or spelling/word mats.
Earning points is wonderful on the apps but please remember that it is about your child understanding the question and taking their time to answer the question in a way that suits their needs.
Times Tables Rock Stars
Times Tables are at the heart of mental arithmetic, which helps form the basis of a child’s understanding and ability when working with numbers. Once the children have learnt the times tables and related divisions by heart, they are able to work more confidently and efficiently. Please see the link below for information about Times Tables progression across the school. https://www.roecroftlower.co.uk/docs/Curriculum/Times_Tables_for_website.pdf
Children in Years 2, 3 & 4 should also be using Times Tables Rock Stars to practise their recall of the times tables. The programme is tailored to your child’s ability and the difficulty increases as they become more confident. Please contact your child’s class teacher if you need your child’s log in details for Times Table Rock Stars.
For more Times Tables Rock Stars guidance please see the link below.
https://ttrockstars.com/page/features
Homework Reward System
On a Friday, each class teacher will be checking to see how the children have been getting on that week with their homework. The children can receive ‘Homeworker of the Week’ in KS1 or be rewarded with house points for their efforts. Every child has the chance to have their homework efforts celebrated in class.