Home Learning


Home learning helps your child to develop organisational and time-management skills, self-discipline, skills in using out-of-school resources and personal responsibility for learning as well as providing practice of essential learning skills to develop reading and writing in the early years.

 

Home learning is an opportunity for parents and children to work together to reinforce classroom learning, fostering lifelong learning habits, and providing an opportunity for students to be responsible for their own learning.

 

Parents, in partnership with the school, should encourage their children to establish good Home Learning patterns from early primary school.

 

It is a good idea to provide a quiet space for children to complete their home learning tasks, with no distractions such as TV.

 

Importantly, reading is the highest priority activity. All students should be reading every night. This can be a combination of reading out loud (even for older students this assists with fluency), reading silently and being read to. To create an interesting reading environment, it’s great to have a good supply of reading materials — newspapers, magazines, books, and catalogues. It doesn't matter if they're owned or borrowed, new or used. What's important is that reading materials are a natural part of your home and everyday life.

 
Samples of regular routines applicable at each level are set out below:
 
Prep and Year 1/2
No more than 15 minutes per day
  • Shared reading with parents or older family member
  • Quiet own choice reading
  • Word lists
  • Basic counting and number facts
  • Creative tasks which may include practising a musical instrument
  • Practising physical education skills

 

Year 3/4

To a maximum of 30 minutes per day

  • Shared reading with parents or older family member
  • Quiet own choice reading
  • Written work relating to gaining reading and number skills
  • Basic number facts and tables
  • Creative tasks which may include practising a musical instrument or illustrating
  • Practising physical education skills

 

Year 5/6

A maximum of 30-45 minutes per day

  • Shared reading with parents of older family member or quiet own choice reading

  • Written work relating to gaining reading and number skills

  • Number facts and tables

  • Extension of class work

  • Projects, assignments and research

  • Creative tasks which may include practising a musical instrument or illustrating

  • Practising physical education skills