Homework is an essential part of the teaching and learning process and supports students’ progress. Homework is significant because it teaches responsibility and helps students develop good study habits. In addition, homework helps to improve students’ long-term memory and better prepares them for the demands of public examinations.
Parents have the facility to log into our homework system. Log in details are given to students by their tutor. If you require any assistance please contact the school on adminoffice@iscaexeter.co.uk
Parents can log in here: www.classcharts.com/parent/login
Knowledge Organisers
Each student is given a ‘Knowledge Organiser Book’ that contains the core knowledge for every subject they study. Students will be asked by their subject teacher to focus on specific information each week and commit that knowledge to memory. The front of their Knowledge Organiser contains some strategies to help them do this. Students are then tested by their teacher at the start of each lesson as part of our Do Now Activities to see how much they can accurately remember.
Building Long-term Memory
Your memory is split into two parts: the working-memory and the long-term memory. Everybody’s working-memory is limited, and can therefore become easily overwhelmed. Your long-term memory, on the other hand, is effectively limitless.
You can support your working memory by storing key facts and processes in long-term memory. These facts and processes can then be retrieved to stop your working memory becoming overloaded.
Knowledge Organisers are a key way to help you learn. Each Knowledge Organisers has the key information that needs to be memorised to help you master your subject and be successful in lessons. We have also introduced a new section entitled ‘Enquiry Tasks’ to ensure you are able to apply this new knowledge in a variety of contexts.
There is strong scientific evidence from cognitive psychology that shows the benefits of self-quizzing in promoting retrieval strength. This is your ability to quickly recall key facts related to your subject or topic.
Setting of homework
The homework schedules are printed in the front of the homework booklets.
Students with additional needs
We have a ‘Concessions System’ this is to enable us to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to both the volume and nature of homework set for students with additional learning needs.
All homework concessions will be agreed by the Inclusion Team and will be clearly explained to your child. A copy of the concession will also be stuck to the inside of their homework booklet.
Homework Sanctions
We want all our students to see the value of homework and therefore place a great emphasis on the completion of all homework tasks. It is also really important that students learn to meet deadlines so with this in mind we have reviewed and simplified the sanctions for homework.
If students have not completed their homework on time and to the required standard, they will attend a same day after-school detention. Parents will receive a text message to inform them if this is the case. If a student has been unable to complete the work set, we would ask that families contact the tutor in the first instance (see email list in homework booklet or on the website).
Support with Homework
The Academy recognises that there are sometimes circumstances where students are unable to complete their studies/homework. Therefore the library opening hours are extended beyond the normal Academy day (3.10-4.00 from Monday to Thursday), providing students with the support they may need.
Students will require access to a portable device to complete some of their homework (Languages, Maths and Science). If they do not have access to a portable device, please contact your child’s Head of Year in the first instance.
Our Homework Policy can be read HERE.
Logging into Online Homework Platforms
1) Logging into Sparx: click here.
2) Logging into Quizlet: click here.
3) Logging into Educake: click here
Homework Support Videos
For help with your homework, have a look at our videos which staff and students have made to help demonstrate some of the common apps and ways of working that we hope students will find useful.
Look, Cover, Write, Check
Sparx
Quizlet