Homework
At Brierley, we believe that children achieve most when school and home work together. Parents and carers play an important role in children's education. Regular reading, practising key skills and talking to children about their learning can make a real difference to their confidence, progress and enjoyment of school.
Homework at Brierley is intended to support and consolidate learning that has already taken place in school. It also gives families an opportunity to see some of what their child is learning and to celebrate their progress. We ask families to encourage children to complete homework regularly, try their best and take pride in their work. Homework should support children's learning without becoming a source of worry. If your child is finding something particularly difficult, please speak to their class teacher so that we can help.
Reading at Home
Reading is one of the most important ways families can support learning at home. We want our children to become confident, fluent readers who enjoy reading and can use reading to learn about the world around them. We ask families to spend at least five to ten minutes each day reading with their child and to record this in their reading diary.
Reading and re-reading aloud helps children develop:
fluency and accuracy
expression
confidence
vocabulary
understanding and comprehension
Reading together should also involve plenty of conversation. Ask your child about what they have read, talk about unfamiliar vocabulary, discuss characters and events and encourage them to explain their ideas. Most importantly, we want reading at home to be an enjoyable experience. Children also benefit enormously from hearing adults read to them, even when they are becoming confident readers themselves.
Please see our Top Tips for Reading at Home document at the bottom of this page for further guidance.
ReadTheory – Years 3 to 6
Children in Years 3 to 6 have access to ReadTheory.
ReadTheory provides online reading texts and comprehension activities that are matched to children's reading level and adapt as they progress. Children's login details can be found in the front of their reading diaries.
Homework Tasks
Alongside regular reading, children are given homework activities to provide additional opportunities to practise and consolidate learning from the classroom. Homework is adapted according to children's age and stage of development.
For children in Years 1 to 6, weekly homework will generally include activities linked to:
reading and comprehension
mathematics
handwriting
Teachers may occasionally set additional activities or one-off projects. Where this happens, families will be informed through the SchoolSpider app. We encourage children to complete their homework to the best of their ability and to take care with presentation. The aim is not simply to complete a task, but to help children remember, practise and become increasingly confident with what they have learned in school.
Times Tables
Secure knowledge of multiplication and division facts is an important foundation for children's mathematical learning. By the end of Year 4, children should be able to recall their multiplication tables and the related division facts quickly and confidently.
For example:
7 × 8 = 56
so children should also recognise that:
56 ÷ 7 = 8 and 56 ÷ 8 = 7
We want children to develop rapid recall rather than having to count through multiplication facts each time.
Children in Years 3 to 6 have access to Times Tables Rock Stars to help them practise regularly. Login details can be found in the front of children's reading diaries.
Short, regular practice at home can make a significant difference to children's confidence and fluency.
Reception
Homework in Reception is appropriate to children's age and stage of development and is designed to reinforce the learning taking place in school. Families are informed about the phonics sounds children are learning so that these can be practised at home. Children also take home their individual reading books. Regular reading at home helps children practise the phonics knowledge they have learned in school and develop confidence and fluency.
In addition, children receive a sharing book to enjoy with an adult. Sharing books are not intended for children to read independently. Instead, they provide an opportunity for families to enjoy a rich story together, introduce new vocabulary, talk about characters and events and develop children's enjoyment of books.
Reception homework may also include activities linked to:
phonics
letter formation
number formation
mathematics
reading
early writing
We encourage families to keep these experiences positive and enjoyable.
How You Can Help
You do not need to be a teacher at home.
Some of the most valuable things you can do are:
provide a quiet and comfortable place for homework where possible
establish a regular routine
encourage your child to have a go independently
talk about what they are learning
praise effort and perseverance
help them practise rather than completing work for them
read together regularly
play games involving numbers, words and problem-solving
contact school if your child is struggling or becoming worried about their homework
Learning at home can also happen through everyday experiences — cooking, shopping, reading signs, telling the time, playing games, visiting new places and simply having conversations all provide opportunities to develop children's knowledge and language.
We're Here to Help
Homework should strengthen the partnership between home and school. If you are unsure about a homework activity, would like advice about supporting your child or feel that your child is experiencing difficulty, please contact their class teacher. We would always rather work together to find the right support for your child.
For further ideas and resources to support learning at home, please visit the individual subject pages on our website.
Together, we can help children develop the confidence, independence and knowledge they need to continue to learn and achieve.
