Homework
Oak Wood School believes that homework is an integral part of the learning process of pupils and Sixth Form students. It also believes that it is a way in which pupils and Sixth Form students, staff and parents can work together to support pupil progress. The aim of homework at Oak Wood School is to progressively develop the independence of our pupils and Sixth form students.
For this to be achieved our homework should:
- Be planned with purpose – the learning that pupils and Sixth form students complete outside of the classroom complements their learning in the classroom.
- Be accessible to all – pupils and Sixth form students can complete the learning activities.
- Develop effective study habits – pupils and Sixth form students progressively take ownership of their own learning through the development of a study toolkit.
- Provide a short feedback loop – pupils and Sixth form students know how successful their study time has been and how they can improve.
- Promote student-parent-teacher communication – all three stakeholders in the learning of pupils and Sixth form students contribute to its success.
Knowledge is Key Sheets
A central component of our whole school approach to homework is the use of Knowledge is Key (KiK) Sheets. All subjects have created a set of questions and answers that connect with the curriculum plan in their subject, grouped into 5 week groups with up to 5 questions and answer per week. These can be found below:
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|
|
Year 12 & 13 - These are provided to students directly by teachers.
The purpose of the homework sheets is that pupils will engage in retrieval practice to develop knowledge recall, improving performance in lessons and assessments. The questions and answers are objective and easy to self-assess, and written with parents in mind. The homework sheets are published at the beginning of each half term, pupils and parents/carers know what the homework is for the whole half term. This approach allows students to focus on how to study, with spaced retrieval practice. Pupils will receive training on using different retrieval strategies.
The process
- KiK sheets published on the school website and shared with parents/carers
- All pupils receive KiK Booklets for the half term
- Weekly KiK low stakes quizzes in form time once per week & teachers use questions in lessons/Do Now (Weeks 2-5)
- Pupils will complete a KiK Quiz in subject areas during Week 6 (only KiK questions will be used)
- KiK Quiz scores collected & reported in report cycle
Look-Cover-Write-Check
See this step-by-step guide to using Look-Cover-Write-Check for KiK Homework:
lcwc explainer knowledge is key.pdf
Homework Expectations
All Year groups will have KiK homework sheets. However, there will be a gradual increase in study demands as pupils progress through the school, in order to prepare them for examinations and extended study.
|
Year 7 & 8 |
· 30 minutes a day of Knowledge is Key recall · 60 minutes Accelerated Reader (English) · 60 minutes Sparx Maths per week · 30 minutes Languagenut per week |
|
Year 9 |
· 30 minutes a day of Knowledge is Key recall · 60 minutes Accelerated Reader (English) · 60 minutes Sparx Maths per week · 30 minutes Languagenut per week · One subject specific task per subject, per half-term |
|
Year 10 |
· 30 minutes a day of Knowledge is Key recall · 60 minutes Reading (English) · 30 minutes Sparx Maths per week · 30 minutes Languagenut per week · One subject specific task per subject, per fortnight |
|
Year 11 |
· 30 minutes a day of Knowledge is Key recall · 60 minutes Reading (English) · 30 minutes Sparx Maths per week · 30 minutes Languagenut per week · One subject specific task per subject, per fortnight · Revision timetable in preparation for GCSE exams |
|
Sixth Form |
· 30 minutes a day of Knowledge is Key recall · One subject specific task per subject, per lesson · Revision timetable in preparation for A level/Level 3 exams · Students are expected to read around and beyond the specification, set own goals, seek out feedback and monitor their own progress |
Sparx Maths
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader is a powerful tool for monitoring and managing independent reading practice, motivating pupils to read for pleasure. Accelerated Reader guides pupils to books that are most likely to catch their interest. Every pupil has an individual reading difficulty range, helping them find a ‘just right’ balance between reading success and challenge. Upon finishing a book, pupils take a quiz during dedicated library lessons to monitor their comprehension. The quiz gives them instant feedback to help them progress and guidance on selecting their next book. Pupils should read their book for at least 60 minutes per week.
Languagenut
Subject Specific Tasks (Year 9-13)
These will be set by class teachers on Microsoft Teams, requiring them to complete work that will either consolidate their knowledge or give pupils the opportunity to practise applying knowledge. This could take the form of work set on an online platform such as Seneca or an extended writing task such as an exam style question. Pupils should complete the work in their exercise books unless directed otherwise by their teacher.
Microsoft Teams
At Oak Wood School we use ‘Teams’ to set, record and monitor homework activities and share resources with our pupils and Sixth Form students. It is a great resource that allows all homework to be tracked and communicated with parents, pupils and Sixth Form students. All homework set will be shared on this platform and parents will be notified of homework that is due via EduLink.
Each pupil and Sixth Form student have a login so they can see what work needs to be completed from any internet enabled device. The login details are the same as those needed to log in to the school’s network. Each subject class has their own Team, where assignments and quizzes can be set, and resources uploaded.