Homework and Study Policy

Introduction

Old Bawn Community School recognises the value of Homework/Study as a means of reinforcing and embedding learning. Homework/Study may take a variety of forms, which can include written tasks, oral/aural work, memory work, etc. It should be noted the skills necessary to effectively do Home/Study need to be learned, practiced and developed.

Rationale

To support and encourage Homework/Study it is standard practice in Old Bawn Community School:

• That each student should have a Homework/Study timetable in his/her journal.
• That each student should enter a note of the Homework/Study to be done at the end of each lesson.
• That each student to the best of his/her ability completes his/her Homework/Study to the standard specified by the teacher.
• That each student understands that failure to deal responsibly with Homework/Study will be reported through the journal and dealt with appropriately.
• That students should follow the guidelines Presentation and Quality of work counts on page 16 of the School Journal.

Implementation

It is standard practice that:

• Each teacher will dictate the note to be entered by the student in his/her journal.
• Each teacher will take due account of the students’ Homework/Study timetable in setting the work to be done.
• Each teacher will ensure that the Homework/Study set is reasonable.
• Each teacher will have in place a means of checking, correcting and recording Homework/Study on a consistent and reasonable basis.
• Each teacher will use all available classroom sanctions/strategies to achieve and maintain expected standards in Homework/Study. The teacher will report students who fail to deal responsibly with Homework/Study through the school journal.
• Teachers should encourage students to follow the guidelines Presentation and Quality of work counts on page 16 of the School Journal.

Parents have an active role to play in a whole school approach to Homework/Study. It is expected that they:

• Be familiar with study guidelines and advice being promoted by the school through the School Journal (pages 14-17) and other means.
• Help students in organising and maintaining an effective Homework/Study timetable.
• Check the journal regularly and respond by encouragement and sanction as appropriate.
• Accept that students who fail to deal responsibly with Homework/Study will be reported through the school journal.

To further encourage Homework/Study among students:

• Old Bawn Community School will support the work of the Study Skills Officer.
• Provide after school study facilities for 3^rd and 6^th Year students, on an agreed basis.