Homework Policy

Scoil Mhuire Junior,

Blakestown,

Dublin 15

Telephone/Fax: (01) 8216916 

Email: smjblakestown@gmail.com                           Website : www.scoilmhuirejunior.ie

Homework Policy

Homework is a valuable link between home and school as it allows the parents/guardians to see how their child is doing with their school work. It can be a helpful means of assessment and provides the opportunity for parents to be directly involved with their child’s education. Homework is given on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Homework sheets for the week are given out every Monday. Homework, along with schoolwork, teacher observation, teacher assessment, diagnostic and standardised tests all lay the foundation for providing an overall picture of a pupil’s progress and development as they move through our school.

Purpose of Homework

• To reinforce & consolidate what the child learns during the day.
• To provide a link between teacher and parent.
• To develop a child’s concentration skills and develop a work ethic.
• The class teacher prepares homework. Homework is meant to be achievable by a child, i.e. it provides an opportunity to practice work already done.
• Homework will provide opportunities for creativity.
• Teachers will differentiate homework for children with specific needs and will consult the SEN team in relation to this.
• Parents are free to consult the class teacher at any time in relation to their child’s homework.

Content of Homework

• Homework providing opportunities for creativity is essential here in this Junior School setting.
• Homework will comprise a mixture of reading tasks, learning tasks (spellings, tables) written/drawing tasks and mathematics.
• Time given to reading and learning is as important as time given to written work.

• Junior Infants: No written work. Counting/Oral work/Sound Book/Word Boxes/Drawing
• Senior Infants: Reading/Counting/Oral work/Drawing activity /letter formation/ writing words and simple sentences/ writing numbers/drawing shapes/ sets/addition
• 1^st Class : Reading/Spellings/Tables/ Creative writing, drawing, comprehension, cloze procedures. Mathematics : counting/computation/problem solving/other strands providing a link with the environment
• 2^nd Class: Reading/ Spellings/Tables/Creative writing, drawing, comprehension, cloze procedures. Mathematics : counting/computation/problem solving/other strands providing a link with the environment

The following are guidelines for time spent at homework

Junior Infants             up to 10 minutes maximum

Senior Infants             up to 15 minutes maximum

1^st Class                        up to 20 minutes maximum

2^nd Class                       up to 30 minutes maximum

Correction  of Homework by Teachers

• Homework is corrected using a variety of coloured pens.
• A dot is used instead of an x when marking something that is incorrect.
• Teachers will include encouraging comments at least once a week.

Parental Involvement

• Parents/Guardians are encouraged to supervise homework and ensure that it is the child’s own unaided effort and is done every night.
• Parents /Guardians must ensure their children respect and look after their homework folder and its contents and ensure it is in school every day.
• The children are encouraged to read for pleasure every day and the parents are encouraged to read to younger children every day.

Monitoring of Homework

Homework is checked and monitored by the class teacher.

This policy was reviewed 06/10/15

Signed : _______________                                                                             Date : _________