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.
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
Maths Monday
Every student in the school will have MathsWatch prep due every Monday.
Log in details:
- Your username is the three-letter code given to you, followed by @southwigston
- Your password is southwigston
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 |