Homework Policy

Rationale

At St Mary’s Primary School we believe that homework helps students by complementing and reinforcing classroom learning, fostering good lifelong learning and study habits and providing an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning. Homework provides an opportunity for parents to participate in their child’s education. Parents in partnership with the school should encourage children to establish good homework patterns from early primary school.

Aims

• To support and extend classroom learning
• To develop positive study habits
• To develop responsibility for self-learning
• To foster communication between home and school
• To nurture a love of reading

Implementation

• St Mary’s Homework Policy will be available to parents on the school website.
• Homework will not be set to be completed over a weekend or holiday period.
• Assessment tasks will not be given as homework.
• Teachers may request homework activities to be signed by a parent or caregiver.
• Homework should be appropriate to student’s skill level. Teachers are not required to individualise homework however should take into account the abilities of students with additional needs when setting tasks and may alter the task accordingly.
• Reading is an essential part of homework.
• Reading homework helps develop many other essential skills such as spelling, writing, comprehension, concentration and imagination.
• Early Stage 1 will not be expected to complete written homework activities, the students will be sent home ‘readers’ and/or sight words which require that their reading is listened to and practised each weeknight.
• Stage 1 students may on occasions be set some limited written work. However, most homework at this stage is primarily practising reading and spelling skills. The students will be sent home ‘readers’ and sight words, which require that their reading is listened to each weeknight.
• Stage 2 students are encouraged to read each weeknight. Other homework tasks could include spelling and times tables revision and incomplete class tasks.
• Stage 3 students are encouraged to read each weeknight. Other homework tasks could include spelling and times tables revision, continuation of classroom work, projects and/or research assignments.
• Each term one week will be designated as “Family Week” when no homework will be issued.
• No consequences will be given to children who cannot complete homework tasks.

Communication Policy Excerpt

Social Media – School Communication

Reminders about upcoming events are posted on Facebook, Instagram, Schoolzine and on our Skoolbag app. Instructions on how to access these social platforms are advertised in our newsletter and through our enrolment packs.

 Social Media – Staff-Parent Communication

Parents are asked not to use social media as a form of communicating with teachers or staff regarding matters pertaining to school.

Staff are asked not to ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ parents or students on social media. We realise that in a small community long-term friendships between staff and parents may exist so in this case we ask that staff do not ‘post’ or send ‘direct messages’ about matters relating to school on their personal accounts. If a staff member receives a message relating to school matters through social media they are to ask the parent to see or call them, at school during work hours.

Staff can only ‘post’, ‘share’ or ‘direct message’ personal items that support the Catholic Ethos and are in line with the Professional Code of Conduct.

Social Media – Parent Posts

Parents are asked not to post images or videos taken at school that show children, other than their own, without permission from the other parents. Parents are asked not to post-school reports on any social media platform.