Our Approach to Home Learning
At Skirlaugh CE Primary School, we value the important role parents and carers play in supporting their children’s learning at home. We believe that when school and home work in partnership, children make the best possible progress and develop a real love of learning.
Home learning provides valuable opportunities for children to practise and apply the skills they have learned in school, as well as to share their achievements with their families. However, we also recognise the importance of balance. We aim to set a manageable amount of home learning so that children have plenty of time to relax, pursue their own interests, and take part in the many wider experiences that help them grow into happy, well-rounded individuals.
Reading at Home
Reading regularly is essential for developing fluency and confidence. Frequent practice helps children read automatically and with understanding, building their enjoyment and independence.
While learning phonics, children bring home two books each week that are carefully matched to the sounds they know. These should be read aloud to an adult. They will also bring home a reading for pleasure book to share and enjoy together — an adult may read this to the child and discuss the story.
Once children have completed the phonics programme, they choose their own books from school. These should continue to be read regularly with an adult to support comprehension and a love of reading.
We ask parents and carers to read with their child at least three times per week and record this in their reading diary. Working together in this way makes a real difference to children’s progress.
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Reading for Pleasure - Parent Workshop | [pdf 872KB] |
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Spellings
From the earliest stages of phonics, children are given a group of spellings to practise each week. These are carefully chosen to reflect a particular sound or spelling rule, depending on each child’s age and stage of learning.
As children move through the school — from Key Stage 1 to Lower and Upper Key Stage 2 — spellings become progressively more challenging, building on previous knowledge and supporting accurate, confident writing.
Each week, children are introduced to their new spellings during a taught session in school and are expected to practise them at home. Children in Key Stage 2 may also choose to use Spelling Shed, an engaging online app that provides fun, interactive ways to consolidate their learning.
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KS2 Spelling Workshop for Parents | [pdf 1020KB] |
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Supporting with spellings poster | [pdf 220KB] |
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Times Tables
Quick and accurate recall of times tables is a vital foundation for many areas of mathematics. Knowing these facts confidently supports children in problem-solving, mental arithmetic, and more complex calculations as they move through school.
From Year 2 onwards, children are tested each week on the times table they are currently learning. Once they achieve a score of 18 out of 20 or more for two consecutive weeks, they move on to their next table.
Children should practise their times tables regularly at home, both in and out of order, to build fluency and confidence. Many children enjoy using Times Table Rockstars, an online app that provides a fun and interactive way to rehearse and improve their speed and accuracy. Each week, children are set a homework challenge on the 'garage' section of Times Table Rockstars which should take 21 minutes to complete; this can be completed at once or split into shorter sessions over the week.
Every Friday, in our celebration worship, we announce the winners on the Times Table Rockstars Leaderboard.
Remote Learning in Exceptional Circumstances
As a school, it is our policy not to set remote learning for pupils who are absent due to illness or family holidays. We believe it is important that children have time to rest and recover when unwell. While we understand that family holidays can provide valuable experiences, missed learning cannot be replicated outside of the classroom, and regular attendance is essential to ensure steady progress.
In exceptional circumstances, such as during a pandemic or national lockdown, the school will continue to provide home learning through our online platform, Google Classroom. During these times, teachers will set activities that follow the National Curriculum, ensuring that learning can continue safely and effectively at home.
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Google Classroom Guide for Parents | [pdf 595KB] |
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