Home Learning

Home Learning

Learning at home is an essential part of a broad and balanced education. Regular homework is important as it gives pupils the opportunity to practise and consolidate at home, learning that has been carried out in class. It provides opportunity for children to undertake more detailed research and to further develop specific skills. It also helps pupils to become confident, independent learners, building skills they will need throughout their time at school and into adult life. The foundations of effective homework practices are established early on, develop progressively across the key stages and support effective transition to the secondary phase, where homework is mandatory.

A Working Partnership

Parents and children are obliged to take responsibility for the completion of homework. In order to ensure that parents are able to actively participate with their child, the Governing Body requires The School to facilitate parents’ understanding of the methodology and strategies applied to learning in the key subject areas in achieving their objectives. To this end, the school will provide information to the parents via written material and open meetings or workshops as appropriate.

What parents are expected to do to help children learn:

1. Give the child confidence through lots of praise and encouragement.
   • Parents have tremendous power to strengthen children’s confidence – and confidence is vital to learning.
   • Provide specific praise that focuses on a particular aspect of their work. Comments such as “I like the way you have…” is more effective than “You’re clever”.
2. Read to, and with their child as much as possible.
   • ‘Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body’
3. Encourage their child to observe and talk about what they see, feel, think etc.
   • Even young children can be helped to read notices and signs, for example, and understand what they mean.
4. Make use of their local library.
   • Look out for special events and services for children.

Please find below, useful websites which can support home learning and supplement the work set by class teachers.  If you click on a link, it should take you straight to that website.  If it doesn’t, copy the link and paste it into the search bar.

You can also call the ‘National Home Learning Support Line’, also known as StarLine.  This line is open 6 days a week and is staffed by teachers and Ofsted Inspectors, providing advice and support with regards to home learning. The helpline is designed to help parents and carers access resources, create regular routines and study habits including:

• support with a specific topic
• advice on how to structure the day
• deal with difficult behaviour
• manage the learning of several children

The number to call is: 0333 313 9162 (all calls are charged a local rate)

Keeping your child safe online

• Department for Education – Keeping your Child Safe Online
• Think you know (advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online)
• https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Support-tools/presentations-for-parents/ (has some short videos to support staying safe online)
• https://beinternetlegends.withgoogle.com/ (helping children be safe and confident explorers of the online world.)
• Internet Matters (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online)
• Net Aware (support for parents and carers from the NSPCC)

 Wellbeing

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19?utm_source=cab989cd-0d5a-4ac7-9145-6445159c785f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate (support for parents with children that may need extra support with their well-being.)
• https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/well-being (a great resource for mental well-being)
• https://nosycrowcoronavirus.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Coronavirus_ABookForChildren.pdf  (this is a lovely illustrated book which helps explain the Coronavirus for children)

General websites /other areas of the curriculum

• https://www.thenational.academy New government backed learning website
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons New BBC online learning resources in all subjects
• https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/ downloadable activities for you and your child
• https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ are offering free home learning packs linked to all subjects and ages
• https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/advice-for-parents/fun-ideas-learning-at-home/ have some ideas for activities which could be carried out at home for all ages, including online story tellers reading some favourite stories
• https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/#3 has some useful apps and advice for Early Years children – particularly ‘Navigo’, ‘Phonics Hero’ and ‘Fonetti’.  I believe they are all free or have free trials
• https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours Take a virtual tour of The National Gallery in London and explore some of the paintings in their collection
• https://firstsite.uk/art-is-where-the-home-is/  Firstsite in Colchester is launching ‘Art is where the home is’ – Artist created activity packs to get creative at home
• https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/03/kids-nature-activities-self-isolation/ The Woodland Trust has some nice nature inspired activities to try with your families
• https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/support-resources-to-share-with-parents/ The Education Endowment Foundation has some useful resources to help support learning at home

Maths

• https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/ White Rose Maths are creating a large range of online material, including examples and videos to support your child with maths.  They will have an online team available to answer questions and share work with every day between 10am and 11am.
• https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button an excellent maths game to practise quick recall of key facts for all ages
• https://ttrockstars.com/ children have a log in for this
• https://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk/blog/learning-home-packs/  Free Maths and English activities for up to a month.
• https://nrich.maths.org/ Maths activities including lots on practical maths and highly challenging problem solving.
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/help-your-child-with-maths BBC resource to help younger children with maths.

English 
As always, we recommend lots of reading and sharing stories for all children!

• https://stories.audible.com/start-listen Audible from Amazon – Free to access audio books whilst schools are closed.
• https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/ The World of David Walliams – free audio book reading each day at 11.
• https://www.literacyshed.com  has lots of film clips and questions/ideas linked to these to support literacy for all ages 
• https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/letters-and-sounds games to support phonics, spelling and grammar for all ages
• https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/activities/ David Walliams has lots of activities on his website plus audio stories to listen to (live at 11am every day, but you can listen any time)

Science

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary BBC resource on science activities
• https://www.stem.org.uk/primary-science STEM activities to support science learning at home
• https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/ A great website with lots of activities, games, quizzes and information about all sorts!
• https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-at-home-for-kids-and-families Activities and information linked to space
• https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html more space themed activities and games
• https://www.ase.org.uk/coronavirus-hub-primary-directory has collated a large selection of websites with various activities and learning to try at home, including links to organisations, societies and zoos.

P.E.

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mvsc Boogie Beebies – BBC website for younger children
• https://www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up/shake-ups NHS activities website to support children to be active for up to 60mins per day.
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers BBC website aimed at the older child to get them moving about
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ Don’t forget P.E. with Joe Wicks live every weekday at 9am (you can watch it any time)
• https://www.gonoodle.com/ Full of fun, engaging videos to get children moving.