HOMEWORK TRIAL

Many parents over the years have contacted us to express views about homework – a roughly even split between those who think there is too much and those who think there is not enough or none for their child. Last year we started a project which considered some very basic questions about homework:

Why do teachers set homework?

What kind of homework is best?

How should it be set and managed?

Most recently we have been running a trial with KS3 classes and I wrote to Parents last term about what we were going to do; the main part of the experiment is as follows

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· Teachers will no longer give detentions To Key Stage 3 students if a deadline is missed. Homework is the student’s responsibility so a central record will be made of any missed homework. Letters will be sent to you, roughly in the middle of each half term, showing the homework record so that you do not have to wait for one parents’ evening or annual report to hear of any problems. In this way you can get involved in supporting your child’s home learning more quickly.

· Teachers will continue to experiment with the tasks they set to see what homework helps learning best.

We would like your views now. You are invited to a special parents’ meeting to allow you to discuss you views in more depth with the Headteacher and representatives of the Governing Body on

Wednesday 24^th March at 7pm in the Main Hall

Please take a moment to consider these questions to discuss at the meeting.

Have you received a letter about homework?

How useful did you find it?

Have you noticed any difference in your child’s attitude to homework?

Have they done more, less or about the same amount?

How can we best keep you informed about your child’s homework?

What do you think homework should be for?

Alternatively, you can email a response to equiries@rytoncs.co.uk - please mark the subject heading “homework.”