Homework
The importance of homework lies in two areas. On one hand it enables students to develop the capacity to learn independently, reinforcing work begun at school. Secondly, it allows parents to be involved in supporting, appropriately, their children's work. All Academy students, from Form 1 (Year 7) onwards will develop skills in this area. Ultimately, their capacity to be "self-starters" will dictate the extent to which they will realise their own potential and make a success of their ambitions.
Forms 1 - 5 (Years 7 - 11) students should use the Student Planner conscientiously to record work and tables. In each year, students should expect to dedicate the following time to homework:
- Form 1 (Year 7): 60 minutes x 5 nights each week in term
- Form 2 (Year 8): 90 minutes x 5 nights each week in term
- Form 3 (Year 9): 90 minutes x 5 nights each week in term
- Form 4 (Year 10): 120 minutes x 5 nights each week in term
- Form 5 (Year 11): 120 minutes x 5 nights each week in term
Some work may be organised at weekends; some holiday time should be directed to organisation, revision and personal project work.
Sixth Form
The particular courses for which a Sixth Form student is preparing and consolidating work will make varying demands. The real need of a student is to be organised - a planner may still be of use - and regular habits of good quality work outside of school need to be established.
On average, an AS or A Level course will require a working weekly pattern which looks like this:
- checking, understanding and consolidating classwork - 1 hour
- research, investigation, note-making, reading around subject - 3 hours
- preparation of independent project/essay writing/problem-solving - 3 hours
This means that a full AS curriculum of four subjects will require 28 (yes, twenty-eight) ADDITIONAL hours' work over and above taught time each week.