Home Learning

Home learning teaches students to work independently and develop self-discipline, as well as encouraging students to take initiative and responsibility for completing a task.

Home learning allows parents to have an active role in their child’s education and helps them to evaluate their child’s progress in close proximity.

Homework is a critical part of delivering the curriculum and needs to be treated as such. It is not an optional extra (for either staff or students!). Used effectively it can aid students’ understanding of a subject, allow students to explore certain aspects of the subject in a bit more depth, and develop students’ research skills.’ (SecEd, 2019)

Home Learning tasks will fall into one of the five following categories:

Lesson Preparation Task

Practice Task

Revision Task

Project-based task

Reading for Pleasure

All Home Learning will set on Class Charts which all Parents / Carers are issued a login for when their child joins RFSS. to View their Home Learning please click here: ClassCharts

Subject Provision
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 5 (Independent learning)
Art and Design
One homework is set per project (6 lessons) the homework set will be linked to the project title. Work will be set on ClassCharts and will be handed in to the teacher in person.
On going independent tasks set that links to the completion of their sketchbook. Work will be set on ClassCharts and check in class for completion. Set work will link with YouTube channel support.
On going independent tasks set that links to the completion of their sketchbook.
Biology
Reading and Comprehension task per topic Keywords and definitions task per topic. Termly project piece – students select from a biology; chemistry and physics projects provided each term and present the last week of the term.
All subjects Exam questions every 2 weeks to be completed in the back of exercise books.
Seneca online questioning Exam questions and exam question booklets Isaac Physics (Biology questions) Independent pre-reading Synoptic essays Required practical report writing and follow-up tasks
Chemistry
Reading and Comprehension task per topic Keywords and definitions task per topic. Termly project piece – students select from a biology; chemistry and physics projects provided each term and present the last week of the term.
All subjects Exam questions every 2 weeks to be completed in the back of exercise books.
Isaac Physics Online Seneca Online Exam Questions Independent work Required Practical planning and follow up
Criminology
No KS3 classes
N/A – No GCSE classes this year
Unit 1 and 3 (Sept- Dec and Jun onwards Y12) Write ups and rainbow marking weekly. Unit 2 and 4 (Jan- May) Question sheets to be completed, self-assessed and then checked by teacher. Outlined on homework calendar shared with students.
Drama
Tasks set termly to correspond with the scheme of learning being taught. Work set on ClassCharts and handed in on OneNote (TBC) on each student’s specific page.
Independent learning of lines which would be ongoing during practical assessment preparation. One 30-minute homework per fortnight – exam style questions
Fortnightly Revision/exam style questions Independent learning of lines which would be ongoing during practical assessment preparation.
English
A weekly Microsoft form quiz that recaps the skills currently being taught in the curriculum.
Individual teachers choose the topic pertinent to their groups’ needs that recap and revise the literature texts currently being taught. This learning is recapped and checked through SET for LEARNING tasks
Independent reading the text before a lesson.
Food & Nutrition
One 20-minute homework per fortnight linked to the learning during that fortnight. Combination of research tasks, video resources to watch and revision of key terms, tools and materials and developing organisational skills.
One 30-minute homework per fortnight – Independent NEA preparation tasks linked to whole class feedback on NEA which will then be used during the lesson to produce NEA work. Seneca revision tasks.
Combination of independent work on Unit 1-3, research tasks and exam preparation activities.
Geography
Reading and Comprehension tasks, spellings/Keywords and definitions task per topic. Independent research projects to deepen and widen the classroom curriculum.
Combination of SENECA, MS Forms quizzes, exam question practice.
Independent reading, presentations and Essay / exam practice supported with textbooks and revision materials to take home
Health & Social Care
No KS3 classes
1 30-minute piece of work a fortnight to link to coursework or exam component of the unit they are doing. This may also include them attending an after school ‘write up’ session with NEA units if needed.
L2 – Revision of the content they have been covering or research to link to upcoming content Communication project to link with the exam units they have Work experience within the SRP/ year 7 class – launched in October L3 – Exam units – further reading around a topic, reading ahead of what is to come – Exam question practice as the term progresses (4, 6, 10 markers or 6 or 8 markers depending on unit) Reading case studies to apply knowledge within lessons Coursework units – research required for coursework elements
History
Meanwhile Elsewhere independent learning – exploring key events and individuals from across the world corresponding to events being studied in the school curriculum
Combination of SENECA, MS FORMS QUIZZES, EXAM QUESTION PRACTICE
Independent reading, presentations and Essay / exam practice supported with textbooks and revision materials to take home
Mathematics
A weekly task set on the MyMaths website based on skills currently being taught/recently been taught
A weekly task set on the Dr Frost Maths website, or a written based task on skills currently being taught/recently been taught
Exercises set from core textbooks and on Dr Frost Maths website between lessons, as well as work to be completed from independent study booklet.
Modern Foreign Languages
Students will have to revise weekly the key words that will help them to develop the 4 skills. They will be tested every 3 lessons on this task.
GCSE students will have to follow doing the vocabulary revision + the grammar. Teachers will be able to check if students have been doing the setting work through the assessments. This should be complemented with GCSE papers in lessons.
N/A – No A level classes this year
Music
Tasks set termly to correspond with the scheme of learning being taught. Work set on ClassCharts and handed in on OneNote on each student’s specific page.
Weekly official practice set for their chosen instrument. However, for instrument practice to be of high-quality students should ideally practice daily, ideally 10 mins a day minimum, 20 mins a day ideally to establish quality tone, fluency and control.
N/A – No A level classes this year
Physics
Reading and Comprehension task per topic Keywords and definitions task per topic. Termly project piece – students select from a biology; chemistry and physics projects provided each term and present the last week of the term.
All subjects Exam questions every 2 weeks to be completed in the back of exercise books. Additional Physics – use of Isaac Physics t GCSE level
Isaac Physics online assignments Independent workbook Past paper exam questions Required practical planning and reports
Product Design
One 20-minute homework per fortnight linked to the learning during that fortnight. Combination of research tasks, video resources to watch and revision of key terms, tools and materials.
One 30-minute homework per fortnight – Independent NEA preparation tasks linked to whole class feedback on NEA which will then be used during the lesson to produce NEA work. Seneca revision tasks.
Combination of independent work on current projects and exam preparation activities.
Psychology
No KS3 classes
A weekly practise/revision task, alternating between a short exam question on recent/revision content to be marked in a SET activity and a Seneca assignment on recent content
A weekly practise/revision task, alternating between an exam question on recent content (short questions to be marked in a SET activity, essay questions to be marked by teacher) and a Seneca assignment on recent content. In addition, an independent study booklet to be completed by the end of the topic (broken down into suggested weekly activities)
RE
Independent research projects to deepen and widen the classroom curriculum – For example in year R.E – Research the background / significance of a symbol of faith, alongside opportunities to read articles / current affairs linked to R.E and worldviews
N/A – No GCSE classes this year
Independent reading, presentations and Essay / exam practice supported with textbooks and revision materials to take home
Sociology
No KS3 classes
Two-week rotation Week one – 4-mark questions set based on research methods or studies to recall previous learning (RM) and apply to context (recent learning). Week two – Create revision resource based on recent content. Self-assessment and whole class feedback. This is expected to take no more than 15 mins per week.
Independent Study booklet to be completed weekly- recommended one page per week so it is completed by the end of the topic. Teachers set 10, 20 or 30 mark questions every other week according to Sociology assessment calendar which they will give feedback using feedback sheets.
Sport & PE
KS3 Core PE- Watch their 4-week sport on YouTube. Look at key skills, tactics and rules.
GCSE PE – 30 minutes per week – 1 week exam questions 1 week revision PEP tasks during coursework to support completion of PEP [Personal Exercise Programme] Level 2 Sports Studies – revision tasks/exam questions when completing exam units. Independent tasks linked to completion of coursework when completing coursework units KS4 Core PE- Watch their 4-week sport on YouTube. Look at key skills, tactics and rules. KS4 more of a focus on strategies/evaluating performance/compare themselves to the perfect model
Level 3 Sports Studies – revision tasks/exam questions when completing exam units. Exam booklets to be completed independently during exam units in lead up to exam Independent tasks linked to completion of coursework when completing coursework units
Textiles
One 20-minute homework per fortnight linked to the learning during that fortnight. Combination of research tasks, video resources to watch and revision of key terms, tools and materials.
One 30-minute homework per fortnight – Independent NEA preparation tasks linked to whole class feedback on NEA which will then be used during the lesson to produce NEA work. Seneca revision tasks.
N/A – No A level classes this year

What is the purpose of home learning at RFSS?

  • Encourage students to develop the skills needed to learn independently

  • Develop self-discipline in work habits including working to deadlines

  • Consolidate, reinforce and extend the skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the classroom

  • Open up areas of study or sources of information that are not accessible in the classroom

  • Enable students to meet the demands of GCSE and other controlled assignments

  • Prepare students for school and public examinations

​​Our approach to home learning is based on research from the Education Endowment Foundation, which states that homework is:

  • Assisting students to develop skills and attitudes that they need for successful work place and lifelong learning

  • Supporting the development of: good organisation, time management and the confidence to think for oneself

  • Providing teachers with further evidence to ascertain how much of the work in class students have understood and can apply, so that they are better able to plan for progression

Home Learning FAQs

Home Learning FAQs

The format of home learning may include the following:

• Reinforcement of class work.

• Research topics and investigations.

• Preparation for topic/class work.

• Reviewing, redrafting or summarising a piece of work.

• Activities related to personal and social development.

• Preparation for a presentation.

• Activities to support learning vocabulary, concepts and key words.

• Preparation for topic test.

• Completion of classwork extension activities set within the classroom.

• Blended learning.

How can I support my Child’s learning at home?

  1. Timetabling: Get to know your child’s timetable and talk about what they have learned that day in the evening. Make this conversation a routine. If you are not familiar with a subject, get your child to teach you so that they are putting their new knowledge into practice.

  2. Here to Help: Help with homework, but don’t do it for them. Be there to help your child find answers to problems. If your child needs to research a particular subject, help them and guide them when they are looking.

  3. Use what’s around you: Choose programmes that are related to what your child is studying. Ask your child’s opinion about what they have watched. The History Channel and the National Geographic Channel are excellent for this type of content for Humanities subjects, for example.

  4. Equipment: Have a handy ‘toolbox’. Keep a box of pens, pencils, rubbers, and so on. Try to ensure it is as close to ‘real-life’ as possible.

  5. Get them there: Ensure they access the entire day. Any time off from school affects your child’s progress, and any time away from remote learning will also have the same consequences. Make sure your child virtually arrives on time, and give them healthy food to keep their concentration levels up.

  6. Curriculum Knowledge: Get to know the National Curriculum so that you know that your child will study every year. Visit: www.gov.uk/national-curriculum where you will find a section on the National Curriculum which explains which subjects your child will study. There is also a handy app that you can download.

  7. Balance: Learning from home does not need to be for 18 hours a day. Make sure your child has some ‘down time’ and that they aren’t constantly working. Too much work will lead to burnout.

  8. Praise them: We know that working from home can be more challenging than working in school, so reward any positives that arise.

Revision Strategies

Revision is also a key part of home learning, and is encouraged to take place from Year 7 onwards. ‘Studies indicate that there is an optimum amount of independent study of between one hour and two hours per evening, with effects diminishing beyond this point. The quality of the revision and independent study is more important than the absolute quality.’ (EEF)

There are several things that you can do to make revision more effective:

1. Get rid of any clutter

2. Keep distractions away

3. Be comfortable (but not too comfortable)

4. Let there be light

5. Set the noise levels

6. Personalise it

7. Make it easy to manage your time

8. Keep your supplies to hand

View our Home Learning Policy

View our values and strategies document for parents and carers.