Homework Prep
Prep is what was known as 'homework' or 'home learning.' At SWHS we call it prep because the purpose is to help every pupil be more prepared for learning in the classroom.
On this page you will find information about Homework Prep Club, useful homework prep links, Maths Monday, how SWHS ensures homework prep tasks are useful and recommended guidance.
Our intention is to provide the best possible opportunity for all pupils to consolidate and extend learning within and beyond the curriculum.
- Achievement Points will be awarded to pupils who complete each piece of 'prep' that they have been set.
- All prep tasks will be uploaded onto the Weduc online platform by your child's class teacher.
- Pupils will have their own log on for the Weduc app.
- Students will always be given one week to complete tasks set. For instance, MathsWatch tasks are set for the whole school by their teachers to be due in every Monday.
Subject Instructions
Computer Science
Computer Science prep focuses on revising key topics and keywords that will be crucial for our upcoming lessons. To excel, engage with the provided resources, and explore relevant online materials. Familiarizing yourself with these concepts will enhance your understanding and prepare you for our classroom assessments. The keywords will be sent out via WEDUC and also on Teams.
History
History students will be set prep work at regular intervals on Weduc. The tasks may include but are not exhaustive:
- Learning critical vocabulary
- Reading in advance of a lesson
- Comprehension
- Viewing documentaries and comprehension
- Active revision for a test (making cards, mind maps)
- Preparing for a timed essay question
At Key Stage 4 there will be an increased focus on regular revision for timed exam questions in class and mock examinations.
Maths
Maths prep for every student is on the PiXL Maths App and is due every Monday.
- PiXL ID: SW1139
- Username and passwords are available from your teacher and will be sent out on Weduc.
MFL
KS3 French
Students will be expected to learn vocabulary fortnightly, a reminder will be set on Weduc and the Knowledge Organiser is on the class Teams. Class teachers will instruct students each fortnight which VQ box they need to learn for the vocabulary test. Half the test will be translating English to French and half will be recognising vocabulary and translating French to English.
KS4 French
Students are expected to be part of the class Duolingo and spend 25 minutes a week learning vocabulary and revising grammar. They will be expected to learn 5 words a day (or 25 words a week) from words that they have struggled with in lessons - they have free choice on what words they choose to learn - over an academic year this will give students an extra 975 words to their French vocabulary.
Each fortnight, classroom teachers will distribute 20 topic words/phrases for students to learn for the vocabulary test. Half the test will be translating English to French and half will be recognising vocabulary and translating French to English.
Students may also be expected to write essays or do past paper questions at home when directed by their classroom teacher.
KS4 Spanish
Students are expected to be part of the class Duolingo and spend 25 minutes a week learning vocabulary and revising grammar. They will be expected to learn 5 words a day (or 25 words a week) from words that they have struggled with in lessons - they have free choice on what words they choose to learn - over an academic year this will give students an extra 975 words to their Spanish vocabulary.
Each fortnight, classroom teachers will distribute 20 topic words/phrases for students to learn for the vocabulary test. Half the test will be translating English to Spanish and half will be recognising vocabulary and translating Spanish to English.
Students may also be expected to write essays or do past paper questions at home when directed by their classroom teacher.
Science
Year 7 and 8
Science prep in year 7 and 8 will be set on a Monday. Every student will be given a knowledge organiser for the topic they are currently studying. The expectation is that 5 keywords will be set every week. On Thursday or Friday these keywords will be checked.
Year 9,10,11
Science prep in year 9, 10 and 11 will be set on a Monday. Students are expected to complete activities on Seneca, a link will be placed in their class Teams. If a student does not have access at home to online learning then a booklet of PEQ will be provided. Students have until Friday to complete the activities.
School Email
Instructions to access your emails or use 365 apps such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel:
- Type ‘Microsoft 365’ into a search engine (Google, Bing etc)
- Click on Sign in
- Type in your school email address (this should be your computer username followed by ‘@southwigston.lwlat.org.uk’)
- Type in your normal computer password
- Once logged in, you will see all apps available in the left side panel.
Weduc
Students can find their assigned Prep tasks on the Weduc App, under the Home Learning section. Students, your Weduc enrolment can be found on your Office 365 email.
How to access Weduc:
- On the web: https://app.weduc.co.uk/main/index/relogin
- Search 'Weduc' in your App Store and download.
Homework Prep Club
Homework Prep Links
- MathsWatch
- Seneca - homework and revision resources
- Quizlet - flashcards, learning tools and textbook solutions
- BBC Bitesize
Further Information
How do we ensure that prep tasks are useful to our pupils?
We base our prep provision on the Educational Endowment Foundations key principles of homework provision:
1. LINK TASKS TO LEARNING
Planned and focused activities are more beneficial than homework which is more regular but may be routine or not linked with what is being learned in class.
2. BE MOTIVATIONAL
The broader evidence suggests that homework should not be used as a punishment or penalty for poor performance.
3. BE ENGAGING
A variety of tasks with different levels of challenge is likely to be beneficial.
4. FEEDBACK
The broader evidence suggests that the quality of homework is more important than the quantity. Pupils should receive specific and timely feedback on homework.
5. MODELLING
The purpose of homework should be made clear to children (e.g. to increase a specific area of knowledge, or fluency in a particular area).
Guidance
We appreciate that some pupils may be susceptible to overloading themselves with work, causing harm to mental health or wellbeing. The table below provides recommended guidance on how long pupils should be spending on homework tasks each school day. The guidance is based upon recommendations from the Department of Education (2014) and research conducted by Oxford University and University College London. Pupils spending this amount of time on independent learning will benefit from consolidating and extending learning, and maximise their progress throughout their time at the school and help reduce exam stress in Year 11.
|
Year |
Minimum time spent on prep daily |
Maximum time spent on prep daily |
| 7 | 30 mins | 1 hour |
| 8 | 30 mins | 1 hour |
| 9 | 40 mins | 1 hour |
| 10 | 50 mins | 2 hours |
| 11 | 1 hour | 2 hours |
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