HOME LEARNING
Imagine that you’re in a big field filled with tall, overgrown grass. Your job is to get to the other side. The first time, crossing the field will be really difficult – you’ll have to fight your way through the big, tall grass. But if you keep trying, you’ll get there.
The next time, it’ll be a little easier. Every time you cross the field, it’ll get easier and easier. Eventually, you’ll create a new path in the grass from going over it again and again.
This is similar to what happens in your brain when learning. When you learn things, your brain sends messages from one neuron to another. If you do the same thing enough times, your brain eventually makes a connection (or path) between neurons. This makes activities easier, and you can do them better and better.
For this reason, we are basing our home learning at SIJS around short, regular activities in three key areas that will support children’s progress in school. These three key areas are reading, spelling and times tables. Hopefully, a short burst of daily practice in each area will make it more manageable for the children and adults at home while the regularity helps the brain to make stronger connections and aid recall and fluency.
Five times a week, we ask the children to:
- Read their school reading book for at least 10-15 minutes – recorded using the Boom Reader online diary.
- Practise spellings for 5-10 minutes – words will be sent home for each week (usually a half-term at a time) and tested each Friday.
- Practise times tables for 5 minutes – use Times Tables Rock Stars as it uses an algorithm to constantly analyse the children’s answers in order to provide individualised and progressive practice.
Starting next half term, we will also be sending home for pupils a list of 10 ‘Sticky Questions’ which will be key questions linked to their topic. These can then be shared, discussed and revisited regularly at home to help children know more and remember more.
We would recommend creating a regular routine if possible for completing this home learning, although this will understandably look different for different children and households.
Reading at home
We also expect adults at home to hear their children read, encouraging their child to read a variety of different texts which can be found in the Hive (school library) at school. Consolidating the key skills of spelling and number facts / times tables is also essential daily practice.
Communication
The most important aspect of home learning is that if a pupil is experiencing any difficulties, parents and carers communicate this to us quickly so that we address it, almost always helping others at the same time. Home learning is not meant to add stress and upset because pupils learn really effectively during the day and are tired when they get home, particularly if they take part in other clubs or sports outside school as well.
We would encourage any parent or carer with a concern to come in to school and discuss it with us so that we can help, explain and adapt things so that any problems can be overcome. The expectation is that home learning opportunities will be part of our educational provision and that all pupils take part.
‘Working together we can ensure your child learns successfully and happily’