Independent/Extended Learning policy

Aims: ensure all pupils receive outstanding opportunities to enhance their learning outside of the regular curriculum.

Examples of extended learning opportunities:

• Meaningful tasks i.e. extend learning from a lesson or prepare for future learning
• Not add on/low level e.g. word search
• Extended research project
• Attend extra-curricular/intervention
• Focused revision
• Exam papers
• Practise (music, sport, drama)
• Online e.g. My Maths
• Homework links through the website
• From time activity at least once per week
• Attend the Learning Resource Centre

Frequency of homework:

Frequency set out below is a minimum expected. Each task to require at least one-hour active engagement by the student

• Core subjects – once per week
• Non-core subjects – 3 per half term (6 per term) at KS3/ Once per week at KS4 

Rewards:

The focus should be to positively reward students for their effort and achievement rather than punish those that do not engage in extended learning opportunities

• Through house
• Whole school competition
• Homework passport (page in planners)
• SIMS points
• Faculty prizes
• Homework achievement board per department on the main corridor
• Marked and positive comments - Levelled if appropriate

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Parent to sign planners weekly and contact school if they feel their child is not having enough homework set
• Form tutor to monitor and sign planners at least one per week 
• SOW - include homework tasks 
• Faculty homework booklets for each year group with examples of project tasks set, support, completed and marked work - to be sampled by JM to create a best-practice booklet
• Faculty leader to record on matrix
• Teachers record that it is set OR teachers record completion/rewards 
• Students record in planner and record completion
• Student homework file kept in pupil work folder including tasks, completed work, and record of completion
• Homework board for each faculty to be updated every half-term
• Faculty leader to monitor within each faculty 
• Whole school scrutiny every term
• Feedback from Learner Voice