Policy Statement

At St Joseph’s we believe that homework helps students by complementing and reinforcing classroom learning, fostering good lifelong learning and study habits and providing an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning. Homework provides an opportunity for parents to participate in their child’s education. Parents in partnership with the school should encourage children to establish good homework patterns from early primary school.

Aims

• To develop sound, self-disciplined study habits
• To practise skills taught at school which will consolidate learning

Implementation

• Teachers are to refer to the Catholic Education 2012 Homework Policy for general guidance
• Homework should be balanced with a range of recreational, family and cultural activities
• Teachers may request homework activities to be signed by a parent or caregiver
• St Joseph’s Homework Policy will be available to parents on the school website
• Teachers should be consistent when applying their homework routines.
• Homework will not be set to be completed over a weekend or holiday period
• Assessment tasks will not be given as homework.
• Homework should be appropriate to student’s skill level. Teachers are not required to individualise homework however should take into account the abilities of students with special needs when setting tasks and may alter the task accordingly.
• Early Stage 1 will not be expected to complete written homework activities, the students will be sent home ‘readers’ and/or sight words which require that their reading be listened to and practised each week night.
• Stage 1 students may on occasions be set some limited written work. However most homework at this stage is primarily practising reading and spelling skills. The students will be sent home ‘readers’, which require that their reading be listened to each weeknight.
• Week 7 each term will be designated as “Family Week”, when no homework will be issued.

Types of Effective Homework

Homework should pertain to one or more of the following categories:

• Practise and review of literacy and numeracy skills.
• Activities that help to establish study habits and learning skills
• Planning activities for tasks to be done in class

Suggested Time

Early Stage 1    10 - 15 minutes approximately    Monday - Thursday
Stage 1    10 - 15 minutes approximately    Monday - Thursday
Stage 2    20 minutes approximately    Monday - Thursday
Stage 3    30 minutes approximately    Monday- Thursday

Evaluation

The Homework Policy will be reviewed in 2020.