Homework Policy

• To support and extend classroom learning.
• To develop positive study habits.
• To develop a responsibility for self-learning.

• The school’s homework policy will be distributed to parents and students via the College Website and newsletter.
• All students will be allocated homework diaries.
• Classroom teachers will set daily homework appropriate to each child’s skill level and age.
• Homework activities should be interesting, challenging and where appropriate, open-ended.
• Each set task must be purposeful, meaningful and relevant to the current classroom curriculum. Drill and practice activities are to be avoided.
• All homework activities must be assessed with feedback and support provided by teachers.
• The school’s website will detail homework expectations, will include additional open ended challenges that are appropriate to students of a variety of ages, which students may choose to embrace, and will provide opportunities for students to submit homework tasks electronically.
• The school provides a Homework Club as an opportunity for students to complete their homework with teacher support.

Homework will consist mainly of:

• Independent reading on a daily basis
• Tasks such as continuation of classroom work, projects and assignments, essays and research
• Homework will generally be between 45 and 90 minutes per day, must be coordinated between teachers to avoid excessive workload, and may be set during weekends and school holidays.

Homework will consist mainly of:

• Reading, research, assignments, assessments tasks and independent projects.
• Homework schedules will be discussed with each student individually, with opportunities being made for parents to discuss homework issues with the school.
• Students will be provided with formal opportunities to build organisation and planning skills.
• Homework will generally increase from 90 minutes to 3 hours per weeknight with up to 6 hours on weekends during peak VCE periods.
• We will provide a supervised after school hours homework and study centre to assist students complete set tasks.
• It is commonplace for teachers to assign unfinished classroom activities as homework tasks.

Evaluation:

• This policy will be reviewed as part of the school’s three-year review cycle.

This policy was last ratified by School Council in August 2012

The enforcement of the Homework Policy relies heavily on the responsibilities that each individual plays in supporting the Homework Policy. These responsibilities have been divided into the following three categories:

Student Responsibilities

Students can help by:

• Being aware of the importance of homework
• Ensuring homework is of a high standard
• Maintaining a diary to record homework tasks in
• Following up on comments made by teachers
• Discussing with their parents or caregivers homework expectations
• Seeking assistance from teachers and parents or caregivers when difficulties arise showing their homework to their parents or caregivers (this is more vital in junior school years)
• Accepting responsibility for the completion of homework tasks within set time frames
• Organising their time to manage home obligations, participation in physical activity and sports, recreational and cultural activities and part-time employment
• Being aware of the school’s Homework Policy

Teacher Responsibilities
Teachers can help by:

• Explaining to students and their parents or caregivers the purpose and benefits of homework
• Ensuring students and parents or caregivers are aware of the school’s homework policy
• Providing quality homework activities related to classwork
• Setting a suitable amount of relevant homework which is appropriate to the ability of each student
• Giving students sufficient time to complete their homework, taking into account, as far as possible, competing home obligations and extracurricular activities and homework set by other teachers
• Checking and assessing homework promptly and appropriately, maintaining homework records and providing feedback to students and parents or caregivers
• Ensuring their school’s Homework Policy is implemented
• Setting homework at regular intervals as determined by the teacher
• Clearly communicating the purpose, benefits and expectations of all homework, including how their work will be assessed
• Using homework that is varied, challenging and directly related to class work and appropriate to students’ learning needs
• Explicitly teaching strategies to develop organisational and time-management skills and providing opportunities to practice these strategies through homework
• Discussing with parents and caregivers any developing problems concerning their child’s homework and suggesting strategies to assist with their homework

Parent / Caregiver Responsibilities
Parents and caregivers can help by:

• Taking an active interest in homework and asking to be shown it
• Ensuring that students record their homework in their school diaries
• Ensuring that there is time set aside for homework
• Encouraging and supporting students to complete homework
• Providing, where possible, a dedicated place and desk for homework and study encouraging their children to read and take an interest in current events
• Assisting teachers to monitor homework by signing completed work if requested and being aware of the amount of homework set
• Communicating with teachers any concerns about homework and their children’s approach to the homework
• Alerting the school to any domestic or extracurricular activities which may need to be taken into consideration regarding homework
• Helping them to complete tasks by discussing key questions or directing them to resources
• Encouraging them to organise their time and take responsibility for their learning
• Encouraging them to read and to take an interest in and discuss current local, national and international events
• Helping them to balance the amount of time spent completing homework, watching television, playing computer games, playing sport and paid work commitments
• Contacting the relevant teacher to discuss any concerns about the nature of homework and their children’s approach to the homework

Failure to complete homework
Failure to complete homework on a regular basis may result in one of the following:

• Letter or phone call to parent/caregiver
• Note made on Student Management System
• Parent/student/teacher meeting
• Referral to Neighbourhood / Community Leader
• Completion at Lunchtime

This will be determined by the teacher depending on the type of homework required.