At Cambourne Village College, we set homework. We do this because research suggests that homework, properly undertaken, is linked with success in outcomes. We also think that secondary school, and sixth form, study needs to prepare students to learn and work independently, both to achieve well here, and to do well in their next steps beyond school and sixth form.
Reasons for setting homework:
- It gives the opportunity to practise, reinforce and extend work that is taught in class
- It can help teachers to assess learning done in class
- It helps pupils to develop good study habits
- It fosters independent learning and responsible character traits including the ability to manage tasks
- It can increase motivation in school
- It gives parents and carers the opportunity to be more involved in their child’s education
Research shows that:
Across five separate studies, the average pupil who did homework had a higher unit test score than the pupils not doing homework
Homework is especially beneficial for secondary school students
Parents and carers report that helping their child with homework is an opportunity for them to talk and spend time together
The progress of ‘disadvantaged’ children is disproportionately enhanced by regular completion of judiciously-set homework
Features of good homework
In order for homework to be effective, Cambourne Village College staff will ensure that it is:
- Clearly set on the Satchel: One website, at KS3 and KS4, so that it can be accessed by students, parents/carers, and support staff. This should include a link to MS Teams, if relevant. For KS5 students, it is set on MS Teams.
- Clearly explained, with a detailed summary of the task shared with students
- Relevant, meaningful and designed to enhance and/or reinforce learning for students
- Accessible for all students
- Carefully planned and appropriately integrated with classwork
- Structured and manageable; this is especially true with larger, longer tasks
- Time-limited, with approximate times indicated
The amount of homework set
The exact time pupils are expected to spend on homework tasks may be influenced to some extent by the nature of the topic being studied, the group in which they are learning, and the proximity of tests or assessments.
Upon arrival in Year 7, students are given a settling-in period, during which there is initially no homework set, then small amounts of homework set in Core subjects. After this, the below applies.
The following subjects set an average of 30 minutes’ homework every week; this may represent one piece of work, or the total of more than one shorter task:
- English – Pupils are also expected to read for five sessions of 20 minutes each week
- Maths
- Spanish, French and German
- Science
The following subjects set homework more occasionally, but on average at least once per half term. These are usually extended tasks which are set over several weeks. These tasks will take, on average, less than one hour to complete:
- Art
- Computer Science
- Drama
- DT
- Geography
- History
- Music
- RPE
Departments will also suggest extension activities which pupils may choose to undertake independently, in addition to routine homework tasks, in order to enhance their knowledge and understanding. Suggestions for these can be found in the Curriculum area of the website.
The following subjects set an average of 40 minutes’ homework every week; this may represent one piece of work, or the total of more than one shorter task:
- English – Pupils are also expected to read for five sessions of 20 minutes each week
- Maths
- Spanish, French and German
- Science
The following subjects set homework more occasionally, but on average at least once per half term. These are usually extended tasks which are set over several weeks. These tasks will take, on average, 1 hour to complete:
- Art
- Computer Science
- Drama
- DT
- Geography
- History
- Music
- RPE
Departments will also suggest extension activities which pupils may choose to undertake independently, in addition to routine homework tasks, in order to enhance their knowledge and understanding. These can be found in the Curriculum area of the website.
Each GCSE subject sets an average weekly homework of one hour. Double Awards (e.g. Science) may accordingly set greater amounts of homework. Homework for BTEC and other vocational subjects will be appropriate to the nature of the subject and qualification. The amount of homework in any subject is likely to be higher in the lead-up to assessments and exams.
Each KS5 subject sets independent learning tasks which equate to about 50% of taught time. This will include specific tasks, and revision / overlearning of taught material.
The school does not impose a homework timetable on each day of the week. Homework is set on the day that is most appropriate. Homework is therefore never set for the next day: all homework set has a deadline of at least two days.
All pupils in Key Stage 3 are taught Information Literacy: a tool to help finding information using search engines, identifying fake news, referencing, etc. Plagiarism is also discussed. This is taught through a series of library lessons and forms an ongoing process throughout their studies.
The College seeks to work positively in partnership with all parents and carers to help to support the learning of all pupils. Parents and carers can help to ensure that homework is as effective as possible in various ways, for example if they:
- Provide a reasonably peaceful and suitable place in which pupils can do their homework
- Make it clear to their children that they value homework and believe that it can help their children to make good progress
- Encourage their children in their homework tasks
- Expect deadlines to be met and check that they are
- Check homework regularly
IT is playing an increasing role in homework. All homework is set on the Satchel:One website/app. Pupils should read the homework description carefully to see how their teacher wishes them to complete and submit the homework task. Some homework tasks are completed on paper, in their exercise books or electronically using a specified website/software.
Most students should be able to complete their homework using their school iPad at home. For those not in this position, students can access IT on the school site in the following areas at various times outside lessons:
- School library
- Rooms within an IT suite, as advertised.
Given the increasing availability of AI, as well as online answers and tools such as translators, students must be aware of the importance of submitting work that is fully their own, and acknowledging sources that they have accessed.
The Library is open every afternoon after school. All students are able to attend, and staff are present to support pupils. IT facilities are also available, as well as a weekly extended session for Year 11 students only, subject to demand. We recommend that students take advantage of these facilities in order to complete their homework.
Students may email staff to ask for support with homework. Any such requests must be:
- Polite and formally worded
- Sent at least two days before the homework is due in, in order to allow the teacher time to respond during the working day
When homework is not handed in on time, or is not completed to an acceptable standard, the College operates a process to ensure that a) students are supported to complete the work; b) students understand the importance of meeting deadlines, and are encouraged to develop habits to this end; c) work is submitted so that teachers are able to make judgments and give feedback in order to further students’ learning.
As part of the College Admissions process, all parents are asked to give permission for their child to stay after school to complete homework in accordance with this approach.
If a pupil fails to complete homework to an acceptable standard or does not bring it to the lesson by the deadline, the class teacher will record ‘Incomplete Homework’ for that subject on BromCom. A text message will be sent to the nominated parent or carer to inform them that their child will be expected to complete the work in Homework Support for that subject.
We operate a timetable of Homework Support Sessions (HSS) according to subject. BromCom will display the relevant session for the subject on the student’s timetable.
If the missing homework is done prior to the HSS, to an acceptable standard, the student should submit it to the teacher, who will remove them from the HSS register. Likewise if the student arrives to the HSS with the homework fully completed, they will not be expected to stay. Otherwise, they will stay for a maximum of 40 minutes until the work is completed, with subject-specialist support on hand.
Students’ attendance at Homework Support will be monitored and where there appears to be a persistent difficulty, further steps will be taken, either through the student’s Year Team or by staff with a responsibility for homework or curriculum areas.
The College is aware that for some pupils, organising themselves and completing homework tasks can be very challenging. We will always try to ensure that homework is manageable and that it does not cause stress at home. Reasonable adjustment will be made for pupils with SEND, and parents and carers are urged to contact the College, in the first instance via the Form Tutor, if homework is ever causing distress, or if a pupil is spending time much in excess of that outlined above.
We are always willing to discuss special arrangements for individual pupils, for example:
- Where a pupil has extensive sporting / drama / music commitments outside of school
- Where a pupil might benefit from support from an organisation / time-management mentor
- Where a pupil might benefit from a programme of completing homework under supervision, on site in form time
- Where a pupil is a Young Carer
We are particularly keen that parents let us know immediately if students in Years 10 and 11 appear to be struggling with the workload of their examination courses, so that the situation can be monitored and managed.
We cannot guarantee that problems with homework will never arise, but we will always try to work with students and parents/carers to find a solution