Thread by @MrThorntonTeach

This week @MeolsCopHS is launching a new homework policy, something that’s been almost a year on a making.

A thread 🧵 on implementation

Firstly, as with effective implementation, we began to identify the ‘why’

This involves creating up a T&L Inquiry group - totally voluntary, made up of a range of staff who were keen to be involved

As an aside from this, we sought to hear from as many voices as possible - therefore we used our @TeacherTapp school surveys to gather views from parents and staff, alongside collecting pupil voice

It allowed us to identify some barriers & opportunities

We also sought to seek what other great practice there was out in schools. Luckily @InquisitiveTea2 knew a kind soul who led on homework and was able to give us w guided tour of their policy.

I’ll admit, it spun my head & we were so inspired by the brilliance we saw.

Using all our information, we began to focus on the next stage of implementation, identifying our active ingredients

Homework then was to look at the evidence & reading around homework - shouts to @Dr_Castelino ,@adamboxer1 @teacherhead & @HuntingtonYork here

Concurrently, our fab Head of Maths & AAHT @MissBKearns decided to do trial on homework for her Disciplined Inquiry. It showed our plan was the right one

This is her blog


We also got valuable feedback Science Dept who’d also been trialling new methodsmathsmisskearns.home.blog/2023/09/03/mot…

Unfortunately Ofsted got in the way of our next meeting, so we were a little adhoc until we managed to finally meet up to finalise our implementation plan.

This plan, alongside the evidence & guidance, allowed us to begin to create our ‘Homework Principles’ and draft policy.

These principles, like our feedback ones, aim to be tight but loose. Proving guidance

Obviously a one pager 😂

Essentially our homework policy is this, it’s nothing outlandish, but we feel will be impactful and workload friendly

It’s centralised in depts
Short, simple & focused tasks that embed the curriculum
All digital for KS3, with Classcharts to set it
A weekly schedule for KS3

Alongside our compulsory tasks, we still felt it was right to offer Mode B homework (thanks @teacherhead!)

So across KS3-4, there is optional homework for those who want to go beyond the curriculum - our simple guidance is that it must link to learning, recognised and rewarded

Knowing our cohort, we began to think about how we could reduce any barriers to students

Seeking feedback is essential before you even think about launch - so we drafted a plan & then shared the proposals with subject leaders (which led to further tweaks) and then to staff & some parents just before the summer break.

We were able to come to our final policy by July (we did the ‘why & outline before summer) and then officially launched at our INSET this week.

It in included the big picture alongside sone practical guidance around setting homework.

To accompany this, we have a staff booklet which provides all the support needed - including research, our principles, walkthroughs and exemplification

Our focus is building motivation, habits & success around homework.

We aren’t going to be sanctioning students, therefore we’ve looked at how we can nudge norms, secure success etc.

This is alongside reducing barriers etc

Thanks @PepsMccrea

This work also dovetails nicely with the Small Steps launch by our Year 11 team (@MissBKearns & @MchsMiss)

Each subject is giving students ‘steps’ on how to improve, each of them linked to homework they will complete at home. Success = points = prizes.

We also know that parental empowerment is crucial in an effective homework system.

Therefore we’ve produced a guide and videos for them

It includes the ‘why’, supporting students, ClassCharts guidance and tips on the science of learning. Obvs some bits on Atomic Habits

It’s important that we don’t just ‘train’ and pray, so after our INSET on Tuesday where we officially launched homework 2024-24, CPD won’t stop there.

We’ve got Breakfast Jams on designing homework & motivation, and later in the term we’ll be sharing best practice from depts

So tomorrow we’re into the delivery stage 🙌

Out go letters to parents and sessions for students in anticipation of homework going ‘live’ from the 18th September

This 2 weeks gap allows us to ensure teams are ready, Classcharts is all set up & parents/students are ready

@SaysMiss - you might like this, but excuse the length though 😅

@SaysMiss One of the key areas of delivery is about over-communication, so lots of social media messages (& other mediums) for parents to get updated on incoming new policy

Part of this idea around ‘Parental Empowerment’ - thanks @MissBKearns @marcrowland73

@SaysMiss @MissBKearns @marcrowland73 This week our Breakfast Jam was led by the brilliant @InquisitiveTea2, which gave sone further guidance for staff on homework.

One of the best sessions I’ve been too, and almost 20 @MeolsCopHS staff volunteering for more CPD 👏👏👏