At Budmouth Academy, we recognise the positive benefits that completing regular, valuable homework can provide and are committed to extending the teaching of our subjects outside of the classroom.
Homework is important in raising student achievement and enhancing student learning opportunities. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) underlines in its research how the regular setting of meaningful homework tasks can result in additional progress for secondary students of up to +5 months. The EEF also states that ‘Effective homework is associated with short, focused tasks which relate directly to what is being taught and is built upon in school.’
Homework is an integral part of our curriculum because:
- It provides students with the opportunity to review and consolidate their learning to ensure it is not forgotten.
- It also provides students with the chance to extend and build upon their knowledge.
- It develops students’ independence; ability to organise and manage their time as well as a sense of responsibility and self-discipline.
- It supports a valuable learning link between home and school.
- It will allow students to practise the knowledge and skills they have already gained in school, so they are able to retrieve and process information.
We have implemented a carefully designed blend of online platforms, subject-specific deliberate practice, and structured revision, tailored to the needs of each key stage. This approach supports the learning that takes place every half term and is adapted to the personalised retrieval demands of each student’s knowledge and skills.
Online Platforms (Year 7 to 11)
Students in Year 7 to 11 complete weekly tasks set on Sparx Maths, Sparx Science and Sparx Reader online platforms.
Key Stage 3: Sparx homework is set at 8:00am every Monday and due at 8:00am the following Monday.
Key Stage 4: Sparx homework is set at 8:00am on Monday (Week 1) and due at 8:00am on Monday (Week 2).
Any device with internet access can be used. Students log into their google classrooms to access Sparx. They type in Budmouth Academy and use their student google login details that they use daily in school.
Students are expected to complete 100% of their Sparx Reader assigned tasks and earn a minimum of 300 Sparx Reader Points, and a minimum of 75% of their Sparx Maths and Sparx Science tasks.
Completion means fully engaging with all personalised tasks assigned, not necessarily answering all questions correctly.
If students have any questions or require support, they are encouraged to contact their teacher directly.
Subject Deliberate Practice (Year 10 and 11)
The Subject Deliberate Practice is a learning activity where Year 10 and 11 students apply what they have been studying in a specific subject. This practice includes exam-style preparation, giving students the chance to rehearse exam techniques, manage time effectively, develop skills and build confidence in showing their knowledge under assessment conditions.
Subjects set students deliberate practice tasks once per fortnight (approximately 30 minutes in total). Students have two weeks to complete each subject’s deliberate practice task. Students complete this in their bespoke homework exercise books (the same exercise book used for all subjects). It will be set in the first lesson of that subject in Week 1 and due in the first lesson of that subject the following Week 1. Students have two weeks to complete each subject’s deliberate practice. Clear success criteria and deadlines will always be provided and shared on Google Classroom.
Effective Revision
Key Stage 3
During periods of academy year group assessments (in line with the published assessment policy), students can choose to keep a revision log in their homework workbooks with two 2 full pages of evidence of techniques used in support of their Personalised Learning Checklists (PLCs) for each core subject.
Please see ‘Appendix 1: Effective Revision’ for more information.
Key Stage 4
During periods of academy year group assessments (in line with the published assessment policy), students replace the time spent completing deliberate practice homework tasks with multiple effective revision techniques, as outlined in their Personalised Learning Checklists (PLCs) for each subject.
This happens 2 weeks prior to the start of major assessments (Year 10) or mocks (Year 11). Students will need to keep a revision log in their homework workbooks with two pages of evidence of techniques used in support of this for each subject (or an appropriate alternative for example flash cards). Subject teachers will review this during lessons in line with deliberate practice expectations. Please see ‘Appendix 1: Effective Revision’ for more information.
Parents and Carers can best support at home by:
- Providing a quiet space and building a consistent routine.
- Encouraging their child to start early, so they can ask for help if needed in advance of deadlines.
- Students should speak to their teacher by the Thursday before the deadline if they require additional support.
- Being aware of the Sparx deadlines (Year 7-11) and deliberate practice deadlines (Year 10-11) set on subject google classroom pages.
- Allowing their child to work independently as Sparx adapts to their responses.
- Accessing useful instructional videos to help navigate the online platforms:
- Accessing the weekly Sparx email that includes a direct link to the Parent Portal showing a record of past tasks completed and celebration emails when a Sparx Reader book is completed.
- Let the academy know if any support is needed to complete homework tasks effectively.