Key Stage 4 Homework and Coursework - Information to Parents and Students

Coursework is a crucial part of your child’s education. As well as being an essential part of assessment for many courses, coursework also allows pupils to:

• practise their learning
• develop important organisational skills
• become an independent learner.

Coursework will be given by the class teacher and covers a range of activities. Teachers will arrange to complete coursework tasks depending on ability level and the sharing of resources.

An important list of deadlines for coursework and module examinations* follows. This is intended as a guide to help your child to be organised and meet all deadlines. Teachers place a lot of emphasis on deadlines. This is because examination boards also set schools deadlines, which we have to meet. It is also an essential part of preparing pupils for further study or work.

*Please make particular note of GCSE Science module exam dates.

Key Stage 4 Homework

Homework remains a crucial part of your child’s education at Key Stage 4. The Government directive is that pupils should be completing between 1.5 – 2.5 hours of homework a day, including ongoing coursework and project based work.

Homework will still be set weekly at the discretion of the class teacher and pupils need to use their school planner effectively. Homework covers a range of activities, which may include:

• completing coursework (planning, drafting, final copy)
• preparing work for study
• tasks related to class work, to deepen learning
• revising for tests or examinations
• preparing presentations

Pupils often need to be reminded that this work is still very important; in fact, even more so, as it all plays a part in preparing for the final examinations in May 2008.

Mrs S Moody (Assistant Headteacher)