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Homework

At Finchley Catholic High School, home learning is assigned to offer students the valuable experience of working independently, fostering self-reliance without immediate reliance on peers or teachers.

This practice serves to reinforce and expand upon the lessons initiated in the classroom, nurturing a habit of private and independent study.

Moreover, home learning provides several additional benefits:

  • Consolidation of Learning: It reinforces and solidifies the understanding of concepts covered during class time, helping to enhance retention and mastery of the subject matter.
  • Extended Practice: Home learning offers students the opportunity for extended practice, enabling them to deepen their skills and reinforce newly acquired knowledge.
  • Time Management Skills: Completing home learning assignments requires effective time management, a skill crucial for academic success and future endeavours.
  • Preparation for Assessments: Home learning serves as a valuable tool for exam preparation, allowing students to review and apply what they have learned independently.
  • Encourages Responsibility: Assigning and completing home learning tasks instils a sense of responsibility in students, promoting accountability for their own academic progress.

Acknowledging that certain students may encounter challenges stemming from learning difficulties or home-related issues, our teachers assign home learning with the expectation that students will earnestly strive to complete these tasks. The overarching objective is to instil a culture of independent learning, equipping students with the skills necessary to navigate the challenges of higher education and beyond.

To further support this objective, students are strongly encouraged to attend our Homework Club. This resource provides them with a conducive space and access to additional support, fostering an environment that facilitates successful completion of home learning assignments. Our commitment extends beyond the assignment of tasks; we are dedicated to ensuring that students have the resources and assistance they need to thrive in their academic pursuits.

Parental/Carer Involvement

We strongly encourage parents/carers to actively support their child in completing home learning successfully. In the event of any concerns or issues related to home learning, we urge parents to reach out to the subject teacher, Form Tutor, Pastoral Leader, or Curriculum Area Leader.

Conversely, if we identify persistent challenges that parents could potentially help resolve, we will initiate contact with them. Additionally, students are empowered to communicate any problems they encounter with their Tutor or subject teacher. Open lines of communication between parents/carers, students, and school staff are instrumental in creating a collaborative support system for students' academic progress.

Home Learning Platforms

At both Key Stage 3 (KS3) and Key Stage 4 (KS4), we harness the capabilities of Class Charts as our primary platform for assigning and monitoring homework. This versatile tool not only streamlines the process of homework assignment but also offers students the ability to record and track their completion of assigned tasks.

Benefits of classcharts.com include:

  1. Efficient Homework Management: The platform provides a centralised and efficient system for assigning, submitting, and tracking homework tasks, enhancing the overall management of academic responsibilities.
  2. Transparency and Accountability: Students can easily access and record their completed homework, fostering a sense of transparency and personal accountability for their academic commitments.
  3. Parental/Carer Engagement: Class Charts enables parents/carers to stay informed about their child's homework assignments, progress, and overall academic engagement, promoting effective communication between home and school.

For Key Stage 5 (KS5), we leverage the robust features of Microsoft Teams to support independent learning, providing advanced tools and resources tailored to the unique needs of students at this level of their academic journey.

Home Learning Support

We offer various avenues of support for students facing genuine challenges in completing home learning satisfactorily. These resources include Homework Club, the SEN Homework Club (by invitation only), as well as GCSE and A-level clinics conducted by different subject areas throughout the year.

In situations where a student is absent for one or two days, it becomes the student's responsibility, in consultation with their subject teacher, to make arrangements to catch up on home learning tasks. For more extended periods of absence, the Tutor and/or Pastoral Leader will engage with the student and/or liaise with parents to establish a timetable for the systematic completion of assignments. This proactive approach ensures that students, with the necessary support, can effectively manage and catch up on missed coursework.