Homework
Azhar Academy Girls School believes that continuing learning at home is an essential part of all pupils’ overall learning. Home-learning tasks will be set regularly and pupils will be encouraged to establish good study habits from the beginning of their studies at Azhar Academy Girls School.
Home-learning tasks are necessary because:
- They allow practice and consolidation of learning taken place in class.
- They allow assessment of pupil’s progress.
- They encourage pupils to develop good study habits and to organise their study time.
- They provide opportunities for individualised work.
- They encourage ownership and responsibility for learning.
- They help students become independent learners.
The type and length of home-learning tasks will vary according to the age of the pupil and the subject; however it is important that home-learning forms a coherent part for a particular subject. Each teacher is responsible for monitoring and implementing the home-learning policy within her subject area.
Home-learning tasks may take a variety of forms. These include:
- Learning tasks
- Research assignments
- Practical assignments
- Coursework (for GCSE and GCE pupils)
Home-learning tasks that depend on pupils having extensive use of reference books and other equipment at home to be avoided, as access to such materials will vary widely amongst the pupils.
Adequate time should be given for pupils to note down their home-learning tasks and subject teachers should check that pupils have understood the instructions before they leave the lesson.
Students are allocated around two hours of learning tasks each evening in Key Stage 3 and three hours in Key Stage 4. These will be made up of three tasks from the National Curriculum subjects and one from Alimah, Islamic Studies or Hifz depending on the student’s chosen pathway.
| Allocation of Home-learning tasks | |||||
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | |
| Daily Task Allocation | 4 x 30 mins | 4 x 30 mins | 4 x 30 mins | 4 x 45 mins | 4 x 45 mins |
| Weekly Subject Breakdown | |||||
| Weekly Allocation | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 |
| Alimah/Islamic/Hifz | 5 x 30 mins | 5 x 30 mins | 5 x 30 mins | 5 x 45 mins | 5 x 45 mins |
| English | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 3 x 45 mins | 3 x 45 mins |
| Mathematics | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 45 mins | 3 x 45 mins |
| Science | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 3 x 30 mins | 3 x 45 mins | 3 x 45 mins |
| History | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 45 mins | 1 x 45 mins |
| ICT | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 45 mins | 1 x 45 mins |
| Art (if studied) | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 45 mins | 1 x 45 mins |
| RE | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 45 mins | 1 x 45 mins |
| Arabic | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 2 x 30 mins | 2 x 45 mins | 2 x 45 mins |
| Citizenship | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 45 mins | |
| French (if studied) | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | |||
| Learn 2 Learn | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | |||
| Reflection Time | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | 1 x 30 mins | ||
Monitoring home-learning tasks
Each pupil will be issued with a pre-printed student diary. Form tutors are responsible for checking the diaries once a week and need also to ensure that parent/guardian signatures are present alongside their own.
Subject teachers should always ensure that home-learning tasks are set according to the home-learning timetable and pupils enter the details of the tasks in their diaries. Subject teachers/tutors can make comments in the diaries to communicate with parents about an individual.
Home-learning tasks to be marked regularly in line with AAGS marking and assessment policies.
Sanctions for the non-completion of home-learning tasks
There is a need for a consistent approach regarding sanctions for non-completion of home-learning tasks; however it is important that the sanctions are staged. The following is a recommended route with regards to sanctions:
- Always enquire as to why the set task has not been completed.
- On the first occasion, a reminder is all that should be necessary, plus a note to parents via the student diary.
- If the home-learning tasks are on a number of occasions incomplete or have not been handed in and the teacher is satisfied that the reason is not justified then Form tutors need to be consulted and procedures from the AAGS discipline policy need to be put into action.
The Role of Parents/Guardians
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to discuss home-learning tasks with their children and to help them plan completion on time. They are also asked to sign the student diary weekly, and a space is provided for any comments that they wish to make.
Wherever possible, parents are encouraged to provide a suitable location, away from distraction, for their child to complete home-learning tasks. It is best, on most occasions that the tasks are completed at a desk or table. Parents might be able to support what is being learnt by:
- Testing their knowledge in preparation for a test.
- Checking presentation and neatness.
- Directing the child to a suitable reference book or other information.
- If the child is genuinely having difficulty, parents can provide some guidance sufficient to overcome the problem rather than giving the direct answer.
- Discussing and helping their child set weekly learning goals in the student diary.
- Encourage their child to use the allocated reflection time to reflect on learning and progress.
