At Strawberry Fields, we believe the most important homework you can do with your child is reading - hearing them read to you, but also, especially for younger children - you reading to them. Anything we can do to encourage a love of books and reading will support your child's learning right across the curriculum. All children in F2 and Key Stage 1 will have a school reading book based on their current learning in relation to our school phonics scheme, Sounds-Write. It is imperative that children are heard read their books as regularly as possible. Reading the same book more than once can help develop a child's confidence as a reader.

Many children in Key Stage 2 will also have a school reading book. These children should still be heard read regularly. Others in Key Stage 2 may have moved on to being a 'free-reader'. Please encourage your child to read as widely and as often as possible.

Practising time tables is also vital. By the end of Year 2, children should know their 2x, 5x and 10x tables. In Year 3, they will learn their 3x, 4x and 8x tables. By the end of Year 4, children should know all tables up to 12 x 12. Support at home to learn these tables can really help. All children in Key Stage 2 should also have a Times Table Rockstar account they can log on to from home. If your child does not know their log-in details, please speak to their class teacher.

In terms of 'official' homework, from years 1-5 we use a format which reinforces basic skills (such as sentence punctuation), revises key learning from the week in class, and also revisits past learning the children will have covered earlier in the term or year. Some of the tasks may be practical or can be done verbally. It is not necessarily an expectation that every child will complete every task. If you are interested in which tasks should be prioritised for your child, speak to their class teacher. An example of this format for a Year 1 class is attached.

In Year 6, homework is slightly different, and is comprised of short activities designed to revise their learning across Key Stage 2 in preparation for the SATs test they will undertake at the end of the year, as well as familiarising them with the format of the tests and the ways the test questions might be presented.

Finally, we firmly believe that wider experiences - playing a board game, baking with a parent or sibling, going for a walk in the woods or taking part in music lessons or playing for a sports club - can massively enrich a child's life and support their self-esteem, learning and development as an individual. Whilst not technically homework, we recognise the incredible value such activities can have for a child, and would encourage any child to get involved in doing more of the things they love, with the people they love!