Home-learning at Roseburn 2017
Draft
At Roseburn we believe that home-learning should extend and support learning while providing an opportunity for personalisation and choice.
Weekly and monthly tasks are set with a balance between core must do tasks and a choice from a range of others. Our “Home-learning Walls” will be shared with you regularly.
Our revised approach to home-learning will provide children with an opportunity to share learning with their parents, promoting home / school partnership. Home-learning encourages independence and helps to develop habits of self-discipline and time management skills, essential for secondary school, further learning, work and life.
Home-learning should reinforce, extend and challenge knowledge and/or skills whilst providing an opportunity for pupils to demonstrate understanding through creative contexts. Pupils should have the opportunity to build on their strengths and have a say in how they demonstrate their ability or understanding.
Home-learning is intended to support and deepen learning but cannot be the only vehicle for experiencing or learning. All children have different abilities, needs and levels of available support. A one-size approach will not fit all. This policy is a flexible framework, which will fit different learning and teaching styles and adapt across the session.
Home-learning should be aimed to best meet needs of learners rather than suit staff or parents. A key element of Curriculum for Excellence is promoting wider achievement and planned opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. These opportunities, whilst having a greater emphasis on literacy and numeracy, must also incorporate aspects of the 6 other curricular subjects. Credence must also be taken of the excellent learning many of our pupils already undertake through extra-curricular clubs and activities. These require pupils to invest time, determination and commitment into achievement and this should be shared, celebrated and included under the umbrella of ‘home-learning’.
Our children work hard at school and we acknowledge that time to play outside school is vital for personal and social development and in this increasingly busy life we all lead, Home-learning should therefore play a proportionate role. Pupils, staff and parents will have the right to ‘opt out’ of home-learning where other demands are more pressing.
This policy aims to clarify the purpose of Home-learning policy at Roseburn which is based on the seven principles of CFE:
- Challenge and enjoyment
- Breadth
- Progression
- Depth
- Personalisation and choice
- Coherence
- Relevance
At Roseburn we expect that home learning tasks are:
- planned and purposeful whilst also fun and accessibleto all,
- linked to learning in school or world events,
- help develop key literacy and numeracy skills.
- Tasks will be variedand encourage pupils to show initiative and develop higher order skills for learning, life & work.
Clear communication is crucial. Pupils will continue to have a homework jotter. Pupils will be given a clear timescale with regular opportunities to bring on going home-learning tasks into class to discuss and share.
Timescales will allow families flexibility to fit into busy schedules. Younger pupils will still have daily reading and phonics activities to consolidate learning at home. Home learning will not be issued on a Monday for the Friday – Parents and pupils will have flexibility with time. Many staff are trying a ‘Home Learning Wall’ where pupils are provided with various ‘bricks’ to complete. These will vary according to age, stage and ability of pupils. Pupils can, if directed by teacher, chose to miss some bricks or be guided to compulsory tasks. There will also be opportunity for a child to record other learning they have undertaken outwith the classroom – clubs, activities, hobbies and interests. This ‘make’, ‘say’, ‘write and ‘do’ model follows National and Edinburgh Assessment framework guidelines. In line with council policy, pupils who are absent from school holidays during term time will not be provided with additional work. Learning at home, will, of course, be supported if long-term absence is on medical grounds
Reading home learning
- Pupils in Primary 1-3 will bring home reading books and additional reading or phonic activities as appropriate.
- Pupils in Primary 4-7 should be encouraged to read widely for enjoyment at home every day. Core reading books will be kept in school to allow pupils to explore and analyse texts in depth with their class teacher and their peers.
Process
- Home learning will be issued every four weeks.
- Pupils will have planned opportunities to share learning throughout the month.
- Pupils have some flexibility of when and how they complete activities.
- A variety of sharing methods will take place that are appropriate for the age and stage of the pupils.
- Pupils may bring in drawings, written tasks or photographs to share with the class. They may also describe or demonstrate what they have done.
- Not all activities will be written or result in something ‘being produced’. The importance is placed on the process of learning
- All classes have a home learning wall where pupil work may be displayed and shared.
- Pupils will be responsible for keeping any home learning they have done once they have had the opportunity to share it with the class and teacher.
Roseburn Primary School Home-Learning Overview
All home learning information, including grids, is available via the school website
P1-2 Reading and sounds/tricky word practised daily and a monthly grid of activities in two blocks
P3 Monthly grid of activities including spelling sounds, maths and daily reading. Activities to support you in helping your child to spell will be sent home.
P4 Monthly grid of activities including spelling sounds, maths and daily reading for enjoyment. Activities to support you in helping your child to spell will be sent home.
P5-7 Monthly grid of activities including spelling sounds, maths and daily reading for enjoyment. Activities to support you in helping your child to spell will be sent home.
