Learning at Home

We recognise that learning doesn't stop and that homework is a key element to our provision as it allows children to practise key skills that are vital to their achievement. To this end, we focus on the following;

• Early Years and Year 1 – Phonics, reading and number bonds / basic number
• Year 2, 3 and 4 - Reading, times tables and spellings
• Year 5 and 6 – Times tables, reading and spelling

Further ways parents can support learning include;

Reading

• Listening to your child read can take many forms.
• Focus on developing an enjoyment and love of reading.
• Enjoy stories together – reading stories to your child at KS1 and KS2 is equally as important as listening to your child read.
• Read a little at a time but often, rather than rarely but for long periods of time!
• Talk about the story before, during and afterwards – discuss the plot, the characters, their feelings and actions, how it makes you feel, predict what will happen and encourage your child to have their own opinions.
• Look up definitions of words together – you could use a dictionary, the Internet or an app on a phone or tablet.
• All reading is valuable – it doesn’t have to be just stories. Reading can involve anything: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, newspapers, magazines, football programmes and TV guides
• Visit the local library - it’s free!

Writing

• Practise and learn weekly spelling lists – make it fun by having them “teach you’’.
• Encourage opportunities for writing such as letters to family or friends, shopping lists, notes or reminders, stories and poems.
• Write together – be a good role model for writing.
• Practise handwriting together and discuss the importance of legibility.
• Encourage use of a dictionary to check spelling and a thesaurus to expand vocabulary.
• Allow your child to use a computer for word processing, which will allow for editing and correcting of errors without lots of crossing out.
• Remember that good readers become good writers! Identify good writing features when reading (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structure and punctuation).

Maths

• Practise and learn weekly spelling lists – make it fun by having them “teach you’’.
• Encourage opportunities for writing such as letters to family or friends, shopping lists, notes or reminders, stories and poems.
• Write together – be a good role model for writing.
• Practise handwriting together and discuss the importance of legibility.
• Encourage use of a dictionary to check spelling and a thesaurus to expand vocabulary.
• Allow your child to use a computer for word processing, which will allow for editing and correcting of errors without lots of crossing out.
• Remember that good readers become good writers! Identify good writing features when reading (e.g. vocabulary, sentence structure and punctuation).