Homework

At Leigh Academy Hugh Christie, independent home learning serves several essential purposes: reinforcing and consolidating classroom instruction, fostering independent learning skills, and preparing students for their examinations and future careers.

This practice not only deepens students’ understanding of the curriculum but also strengthens their ability to organise and prioritise tasks—skills that are crucial for academic achievement and lifelong success. Furthermore, ongoing assessment of students’ comprehension through home learning enables us to refine our teaching strategies, ensuring tailored support for each individual’s learning journey.

If students are absent from school, they are still responsible for completing home learning tasks. Upon their return, they should catch up on any missed work.

how is homework set?

Home learning is assigned through the subject or class Google Classroom as an ‘assignment,’ making it accessible to students via their Google login and visible to parents and carers through notifications, provided they have opted in. Homework may be presented in various formats, including the use of online platforms.

They will then be issued with:

  • A reward point for “Homework” for students who meet their expectations.
  • A negative for “Failed Homework” for the students who fail to meet their expectations. 

what homework will my child receive?

  • Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)
    A minimum of one piece of home learning is required per subject per week
  • Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)
    A minimum of one piece of home learning is required per week per subject. 
  • Key Stage 5 (Years 12-13)
    Students are expected to undertake an additional four hours of study per subject per week outside of lessons.
  • SPARX Reader (English Department)
    Set every Monday and due the following Monday
  • SPARX Maths (Maths Department)
    Set every Wednesday and due the following Wednesday
  • SPARX Science (Science Department)
    Set every Friday and due the following Friday

student expectations

Students are expected to:

  1. Check their subject Google Classrooms and school emails for notifications daily (before school & after school).
  2. Attempt their homework well before the due date to allow time to seek assistance if needed.
  3. Complete their homework to meet, and possibly exceed, the expectations of the subject teacher.
  4. Make use of Homework Support before the due date if necessary. This includes speaking to their teachers and following their advice on removing the barriers they face.
  5. Attend their Homework Detention when directed by their teacher. 

independent learning

It is important that pupils develop a culture of independent learning. This is where they become less dependent on the teacher telling them what to do and they take ownership of their own learning.

Examples include: 

  • doing extra research or reading related to a subject they have recently studied.
  • going over work they learnt last month or last term or last year and revisiting it to see how much they can recall.
  • using websites (such as BBC Bitesize) or applications (such as SPARX and Seneca) to research topics they have not yet studied so as to familiarise themselves with new content.

Students will also be issued subject-specific Knowledge Organisers which will also be available on their subject specific Google Classroom. These have been created to help our students learn a wide range of knowledge, which in turn will allow them to connect different ideas and apply higher-order skills in their lessons. It will also prepare our pupils for the new style, more rigorous and challenging, GCSEs that they will sit in the future.

Pupils’ subject teachers will then quiz your child on the essential knowledge and skills from the knowledge organisers that they are expected to learn.

parent summary emails

Google Classroom Parent Summary Emails are automated email updates sent to parents or guardians about their child’s progress in Google Classroom. These summaries provide insights into the student’s activities, including classwork, upcoming assignments, and any missing work. The goal is to help parents stay informed about their child’s education without having to log into Google Classroom themselves.

Key features of summary emails:

  1. Class Activity Updates
    Parents get a snapshot of recently posted assignments, class announcements, and questions from teachers.
  2. Missing Work
    Any assignments that the student has not submitted by the due date will be listed.
  3. Upcoming Work
    Information about upcoming assignments, projects, or tests that are due in the coming days or weeks.
  4. Frequency
    Parents can choose to receive these summaries daily or weekly, depending on the settings configured by the teacher or the parent.
  5. No Direct Access to Classroom
    Parents can’t interact directly with Google Classroom but can stay updated on their child’s assignments through these summaries.

Teachers need to invite parents or guardians to the system, and once a parent accepts the invitation, they can start receiving these email summaries.

click here for a guide to parent email summaries

Google Classroom guides

'to do' lists

completing assignments

submitting work

using knowledge organisers

Please click on the image below to view it as a PDF.

using knowledge organisers

Please click on the image below to view it as a PDF.