sample homework policy

Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose

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We have all had time-consuming, monotonous, meaningless homework assigned to us at some point in our life. These assignments often lead to frustration and boredom and students learn virtually nothing from them. Teachers and schools must reevaluate how and why they assign homework to their students. Any assigned homework should have a purpose.

Assigning homework with a purpose means that through completing the assignment, the student will be able to obtain new knowledge, a new skill, or have a new experience that they may not otherwise have. Homework should not consist of a rudimentary task that is being assigned simply for the sake of assigning something. Homework should be meaningful. It should be viewed as an opportunity to allow students to make real-life connections to the content that they are learning in the classroom. It should be given only as an opportunity to help increase their content knowledge in an area.

Differentiate Learning for All Students

Furthermore, teachers can utilize homework as an opportunity to differentiate learning for all students. Homework should rarely be given with a blanket "one size fits all" approach. Homework provides teachers with a significant opportunity to meet each student where they are and truly extend learning. A teacher can give their higher-level students more challenging assignments while also filling gaps for those students who may have fallen behind. Teachers who use homework as an opportunity to differentiate we not only see increased growth in their students, but they will also find they have more time in class to dedicate to whole group instruction .

See Student Participation Increase

Creating authentic and differentiated homework assignments can take more time for teachers to put together. As often is the case, extra effort is rewarded. Teachers who assign meaningful, differentiated, connected homework assignments not only see student participation increase, they also see an increase in student engagement. These rewards are worth the extra investment in time needed to construct these types of assignments.

Schools must recognize the value in this approach. They should provide their teachers with professional development that gives them the tools to be successful in transitioning to assign homework that is differentiated with meaning and purpose. A school's homework policy should reflect this philosophy; ultimately guiding teachers to give their students reasonable, meaningful, purposeful homework assignments.

Sample School Homework Policy

Homework is defined as the time students spend outside the classroom in assigned learning activities. Anywhere Schools believes the purpose of homework should be to practice, reinforce, or apply acquired skills and knowledge. We also believe as research supports that moderate assignments completed and done well are more effective than lengthy or difficult ones done poorly.

Homework serves to develop regular study skills and the ability to complete assignments independently. Anywhere Schools further believes completing homework is the responsibility of the student, and as students mature they are more able to work independently. Therefore, parents play a supportive role in monitoring completion of assignments, encouraging students’ efforts and providing a conducive environment for learning.

Individualized Instruction

Homework is an opportunity for teachers to provide individualized instruction geared specifically to an individual student. Anywhere Schools embraces the idea that each student is different and as such, each student has their own individual needs. We see homework as an opportunity to tailor lessons specifically for an individual student meeting them where they are and bringing them to where we want them to be. 

Homework contributes toward building responsibility, self-discipline, and lifelong learning habits. It is the intention of the Anywhere School staff to assign relevant, challenging, meaningful, and purposeful homework assignments that reinforce classroom learning objectives. Homework should provide students with the opportunity to apply and extend the information they have learned complete unfinished class assignments, and develop independence.

The actual time required to complete assignments will vary with each student’s study habits, academic skills, and selected course load. If your child is spending an inordinate amount of time doing homework, you should contact your child’s teachers.

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Homework Policy

We’re all aware of how students dread homework. They don’t like the idea of doing schoolwork at home after spending a whole day in school. We know how that feels. We’ve all been there during our elementary , high school , and college years. Although laziness is among the reasons, there are credible justifications for why students hate homework. That’s why some schools have imposed policies to regulate homework. Too much homework can be counterproductive. So as a school admin, if you see that your teachers are overworking students with homework, make your move to control it. You can start by downloading our Homework Policy Examples !

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What Is a Homework Policy?

A school homework policy is a set of guidelines on how often teachers should give homework or what type of homework they should give. Its main function is to protect students from being overworked and ensure that their homework is beneficial to their learning .

Homework policies are an important aspect of classroom management . It’s crucial not to drown students with school work. They need time to breathe from doing study activities . Other than that, some teachers might be giving homework that contributes nothing to their studies. Homeworks that are irrelevant only serves to waste the students’ time and energy. But with a homework policy elementary school, high school, or college, that won’t happen.

The Purpose of Homework in Schools

At the start of this blog, we’ve been shedding a bad light on homework inadvertently. Giving a home assignment to a student has some benefits. After all, homework wouldn’t exist in the first place if it doesn’t have a real purpose.

One purpose of homework is to push students to immerse themselves more with their studies. That helps them to absorb what they’ve learned during classes more effectively. It keeps their learning process consistent outside of the classroom . And also, homework teaches students to be responsible and professional, especially when it comes to meeting deadlines.

Another function of homework is that it can be a way for parents to be more involved in their children’s education. They can monitor what lessons their kids are studying by seeing what sort of schoolwork they’re doing at home.

How to Create a Homework Policy

Among the first steps you must take to protect students from too much and irrelevant homework is creating a homework policy. To get you started, we’ll show you our short 4-step guide below.

Step 1: Conduct a Survey

In general, conducting a survey is the first step in formulating policies. In this case, you need to survey the students regarding their homework duties. Your survey form must ask the right questions, such as how homework affects them mentally and how useful it is in the lesson plan . Find out how functional the students’ homework is to see its pros and cons.

Step 2: Communicate with Faculty

Imposing a homework policy is a drastic change in your school’s teaching process. That said, you should communicate about it with your faculty staff . Based on the findings of your survey, let your teachers know what specific regulations you’ll impose in terms of giving homework. You may also ask if they have suggestions or objections about your proposed policy . If there are, you can make some adjustments if you see them fit.

Step 3: Write Down the Regulations

After you make adjustments and finalize everything, write the homework regulations in a document or memo . Make sure to explain each of them in detail. Justify how each regulation is helpful for the students’ learning and well being. For instance, if one regulation is a No Homework on Fridays, you can justify it by saying students need the weekends to spend more time with friends and family. And that it gives them a chance to refresh their minds from school pressure.

Step 4: Add the Homework Policy to the Student and Teacher Handbook

To make the homework policy an official school policy, integrate it into the teacher and student handbook. In doing so, both faculty and students will be more aware of it. That way, the homework policy will slowly but surely become a norm in your school. The teachers, especially, will follow it strictly.

What is the 10-minute rule in homework?

The 10-minute homework rule, as its name implies, suggests that teachers should only give homework that students can finish in under 10 minutes. However, this rule mostly only applies to first graders.

What type of homework is considered meaningful?

The type of homework that’s meaningful are those that are in-line with the curriculum and beneficial to the learning process. Meaningful homework complements the lesson plan significantly. And they’re doable depending on the students’ current level of capability. A homework that adds nothing to the students’ progress is merely a to-do task .

Is it too much to give two hours of homework?

According to the Stanford Graduate School of Education , beyond two hours of homework is too much. Having more than two hours of homework to do has three negative effects on students. These are:

• Increase in stress levels, affecting productivity
• Health risks, such as sleep deprivation, severe weight loss, and exhaustion
• Less time with friends and family, which can lead to depression and neglect of schoolwork

Homework is an integral part of your school’s teaching methods. It is an extension of your school’s guidance for the students outside the classroom. But there have to be limitations. So start making a homework policy now. And don’t forget to download our Homework Policy Template.

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Homework policy: examples

See examples of homework policies from primary, secondary and special schools to help you write your own. also, adapt our sample clause for handling the impact of ai tools on homework., primary school, secondary school, special school, multi-academy trust, sample ai clause.

Shadwell Primary School in Leeds has a homework policy that covers:

• When pupils take books home for reading
• How long they should spend reading at home
• English and maths homework
• Spelling and times tables expectations
• Additional half-termly homework tasks, such as a learning log and key instant recall facts
• Instances when pupils may receive additional homework
• How homework will be recorded
• Rewards and sanctions

Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex has a school-wide homework policy setting out:

• The importance of homework
• Types of homework that could be set
• How much time different year groups should spend on homework

North Ridge High School in Manchester has a homework policy that explains:

• How homework may differ in form, expectations and outcomes
• How long the school recommends pupils spend on homework
• The roles of the class teacher, leadership team and governing board, and parents and carers
• The homework that different Key Stages and learners will get
• Marking, feedback and pupil absence

The policy also includes a homework timetable.

STEP Academy Trust has homework policies set for its schools that are agreed by the board of trustees. Each policy has been adapted slightly for each school.

To find the homework policies , scroll down in the 'Policy' search box in the top-right corner, and select 'STEP homework policy' – you'll see a list with links to homework policies for each of the trust's schools.

The DfE has advised that you may wish to review your homework policy to consider the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT and Google Bard) on homework and unsupervised work. 

Adapt our example text below to suit your school's context and approach to AI.

Primary schools

Secondary schools.

We're working on some practical guidance to help you get to grips with AI - select 'save for later' in the top right-hand corner of this page to be updated when it's ready. 

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How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy

Author: Naimish Gohil

Posted: 10 May 2017

Estimated time to read: 4 mins

Homework is an integral part to the learning process and as such, each school should have a clear homework policy readily available to teachers, students and parents that sets out your expectations when it comes to home-learning .

A clear and effective homework policy will mean that quality and quantity of homework can be easily tracked and all stakeholders are on the same page. We've created our own Homework Policy that you can adapt for use in your school or use as an outline when creating your own policy:

1‭. ‬Introduction

This is the school’s policy for the provision of homework to pupils and has been drawn up in accordance with guidance from the DFE and Sutton Education Trust‭.‬ It must be recognised that parents play a vital role in the education of their child‭, ‬therefore it is important and valuable to‭ ‬have a good home-school partnership‭, ‬of which a homework policy must address‭.‬

2‭. ‬Homework‭ - ‬A definition

Homework is defined as any work or activity that students are asked to undertake outside of lesson time‭, ‬either on their own or‭ ‬with the aid of parents and carers‭. ‬Homework doesn’t necessarily have to be completed at home but can be completed in free periods and after-school homework clubs‭. ‬We see work completed outside of lesson time as a valuable part of a student’s learning‭.‬

3‭. ‬The purpose of homework‭ ‬

The school regards the purpose of homework as being to‭:‬

• ‭ Provide learners with the opportunity to work on an activity that is relevant to learning outcomes‭, ‬or that contributes to gaining qualifications/accreditations‭.‬
• Develop an effective partnership between the school‭, ‬parents and carers in pursuing the academic aims of the school and the development of their child‭.‬
• Consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding prior to the following lesson‭, ‬particularly in English and Mathematics‭.‬
• Extend learning across the curriculum‭, ‬for example through additional reading‭.‬
• Encourage pupils as they get older to develop the confidence‭, ‬self-discipline and independence to develop organisational skills‭.‬

As a school‭, ‬we encourage children to pursue out-of-school activities‭. ‬Homework should be used to effectively reinforce and/or extend what is learned in school‭. ‬We hope that children will feel a sense of personal satisfaction in a task completed well and that their efforts will be recognised and praised both at home and at school‭. ‬

Homework tasks should be undertaken to the best of‭ ‬their ability‭. ‬We hope that parents and carers will be willing and able to give their active support to ensure that work completed at home is done so conscientiously and in the best possible conditions‭.‬

4‭. ‬Current practice‭ ‬

At the beginning of the academic year‭, ‬each year group will be informed about what is expected of them with regards to homework‭.‬

5‭. ‬Time to be spent completing homework

Based on current good practice‭, ‬we ask pupils to spend the following amount of time on homework‭:‬

Years 7‭ ‬to 9‭:                   ‬1‭ - ‬2‭ ‬hours per day

Years 10‭ ‬&‭ ‬11‭:                ‬1‭ - ‬3‭ ‬hours per day‭ ‬

Pupils may be expected to undertake a variety of homework activities‭. ‬These activities will differ depending on the teacher and‭ ‬subject‭. ‬Examples include‭: ‬Reading tasks‭, ‬numeracy tests‭, ‬spelling tests‭, ‬quizzes‭, ‬project work‭, ‬classwork extensions‭, ‬coursework‭, ‬essays and research activities‭.‬ As a general rule‭, ‬teachers will not usually set substantial homework tasks to be completed for the next day‭, ‬pupils will have at least two days to complete any work set‭.‬

6‭. ‬Pupil feedback

The school recognises the importance of providing prompt and actionable feedback to pupils‭, ‬parents and carers‭. ‬Feedback will include how well homework tasks have been tackled‭, ‬and the knowledge‭, ‬skills and understanding developed‭.

‬A variety of methods will be used to provide feedback‭, ‬such as an appropriate comment of praise‭, ‬appreciation or area for improvement‭. ‬Any given feedback will vary according to the age of the pupil‭.‬

7‭. ‬Where to access the school homework policy

The school will use newsletters to inform parents and carers about the school’s homework policy and secure their involvement‭. ‬The homework policy‭, ‬as well as useful information for parents in supporting their child’s learning‭, ‬is displayed on the school website‭. ‬

Parents’‭ ‬Evenings and New Intake Evenings will be used to promote this partnership and obtain feedback‭ (‬e.g‭. ‬English and Mathematics workshops‭). ‬Homework questionnaires will be used where appropriate to ascertain parent views‭. ‬Parents will be consulted about any significant changes to the policy that are being considered by the governing body‭.‬

8‭. ‬Reviewing the policy

The homework policy will be reviewed every year‭. ‬Where significant changes to the policy are felt to be required‭, ‬proposals will‭ ‬be presented to the governing body and parents consulted‭.‬

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Getting students to work on their homework assignments is not always a simple task. Teachers need to take the initiative to create homework policies that encourage students to work hard to improve their achievement in the classroom setting. Educational leadership starts with making a policy that helps students learn and achieve while competing with extracurricular activities and the interests of students.

Set high standards

Homework policies need to have high standards to encourage students to work hard on achieving the best possible results. Student achievement in school improves when teachers set high standards and tell students that they are expected to meet the standards set in the classroom.

By setting high standards for the homework policy, teachers are ensuring that the students will be more willing to work on getting assignments done. The policies for homework that teachers and parents create can help improve student understanding of materials and result in better grades and scores on standardized tests.

Focus on study skills

Teaching students in their early education is a complicated task. Teachers need to balance the age of the students with the expected school, state and federal educational standards. Although the temptation to create a homework policy that focuses on repetition and traditional assignments can make the policy easy to create, it also removes the focus from establishing strong study skills and habits to engage students in education.

Creating a homework policy for younger students in the elementary grades should avoid traditional assignments and focus on building study skills and encouraging learning. Older students after elementary school are ready to take on written assignments rather than using technology and other tools.

Putting more focus on study skills will set a stronger foundation for homework in the future. As students get into higher grades, the type of assignments will focus on writing with a pen or pencil. The age of the student must be considered and the goal is to create a strong foundation for the future.

Involve the parents

Getting parents involved in the homework policy will encourage students to study and complete the assigned tasks. Asking parents to get involved to facilitate assignments will ensure students are learning without the parents completing the assignment for their child.

The goal of involving the parents in the homework policy is getting the family to take an interest in ensuring the assignments are completed. The best assignments will allow the student to manage the work without seeking answers from a parent. That allows parents to supervise and encourage their child without giving the answers.

Give consequences for incomplete assignments

Homework is an important part of providing educational leadership in the classroom. Although parental involvement and high standards can help encourage students to study, it is also important to clearly state the consequences if assignments are incomplete or not turned in on time.

A clear homework policy will lay out the possible consequences of avoiding assignments or turning in incomplete work. Consequences can vary based on the student grade level and age, but can include lowering the grades on a report card or taking away classroom privileges.

Although it is important to provide details about the consequences of avoiding the assignments, teachers can also use a reward system to motivate students to complete their work. Rewards can focus on the entire class or on individual rewards, depending on the situation. For example, teachers can give a small candy when students complete five assignments in a row.

Consequences and rewards can serve as a motivating factor when it comes to the homework policy. By clearly stating the potential downsides and the benefits to the student, it is easier for students to focus on the work.

Creating homework policies is part of educational leadership in the classroom. Although homework must focus on helping students achieve, it also needs to clearly state the expectations and give details about the benefits and consequences of different actions. By giving a clear policy from the first day of school, the students will know what to expect and can gain motivation to work on achieving the best results.

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The power of a good homework policy

Published 18th March 2019 by Frog Education

With the homework debate continuing to rage and be fuelled by all parties involved, could publishing a robust homework policy help take some of the headache out of home learning?

What is a homework policy.

The idea of a homework policy is for the school to officially document and communicate their process for homework. The policy should outline what is expected of teachers when setting homework and from students in completing home learning tasks. It is a constructive document through which the school can communicate to parents, teachers, governors and students the learning objectives for homework.

Do schools have to have a homework policy?

It is a common misconception that schools are required by the government to set homework. Historically the government provided guidelines on the amount of time students should spend on home learning. This was withdrawn in 2012 and autonomy was handed to headteachers and school leaders to determine what and how much homework is set. Therefore, schools are not required by Ofsted or the DfE to have a homework policy in place.

The removal of official guidelines, however, does not give pupils the freedom to decide if they complete homework or not. Damian Hinds , Education Secretary, clarified that although schools are not obliged to set homework, when they do, children need to complete it in line with their school’s homework policy; “we trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set.”

The majority of primary and secondary schools do set homework. Regardless of the different views on the topic, the schools that do incorporate homework into their learning processes, must see value in it.

Clearly communicating that value will demonstrate clarity and create alliance for everyone involved – both in and outside of school. This is where the publication of a good homework policy can help. 5 Benefits of publishing a good homework policy

#1 Manages students' workload

Studies have shown a correlation between student anxiety and demanding amounts of homework. One study found that in more affluent areas, school children are spending three hours per evening on homework. This is excessive. Secondary school students’ study between eight and ten subjects, which means they will have day-to-day contact with a number of teachers. If there is no clear homework policy to provide a guide, it would be feasible for an excessive amount of homework to be set.

A homework policy that sets out the expected amount of time students should spend on homework will help prevent an overload. This makes it more realistic for children to complete homework tasks and minimise the detrimental effect it could have on family time, out-of-school activities or students’ overall health and well-being.

#2 Creates opportunity for feedback and review

The simple act of having an official document in place will instigate opportunities for regular reviews. We often consider the impact of homework on students but teachers are also working out-of-hours and often work overtime . One reason is the need to set quality homework tasks, mark them and provide valuable feedback. No-one, therefore, wants home learning to become about setting homework for homework’s sake.

A regular review of the policy will invite feedback which the school can use to make appropriate changes and ensure the policy is working for both teachers and students, and serves the school’s homework learning objectives.

#3 Connects parents with education

Parents’ engagement in children’s education has a beneficial impact on a child’s success in school. Homework provides a great way for parents to become involved and have visibility of learning topics, offer support where needed and understand their child’s progress.

A good homework policy creates transparency for parents. It helps them to understand the value the school places on homework and what the learning objectives are. If parents understand this, it will help set a foundation for them to be engaged in their child’s education.

#4 Gives students a routine and creates good habits

Whether children are going into the workplace or furthering their education at university, many aspects of a student’s future life will require, at times, work to be completed outside of traditional 9-5 hours as well as independently. This is expected at university (students do not research and write essays in the lecture theatre or their seminars) and will perhaps become more important in the future workplace with the growth of the gig economy (freelancing) and the rise of remote working .

A homework policy encourages a consistency for out-of-school learning and helps students develop productive working practices and habits for continued learning and independent working.

#5 Helps students retain information they have learned

A carefully considered and well-constructed home learning policy will help teachers set homework that is most effective for reinforcing what has been taught.

A good homework policy will indicate how to set productive homework tasks and should limit the risk of less effective homework being set, such as just finishing-off work from a lesson and repetition or memorisation tasks. What makes a good homework policy?

A good homework policy will determine how much homework is appropriate and what type is most effective for achieving a school’s learning objectives. Publishing the homework policy – although it might not unify everyone’s views on the matter – fosters good communication across the school, sets out expectations for teachers and pupils, and makes that significant connection between parents and their children’s education. But most importantly, if the policy is regularly reviewed and evaluated, it can ensure home learning remains beneficial to pupils’ progress, is of value to teachers and, ultimately, is worth the time and effort that everyone puts into it.

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FREE 10+ Homework Policy Samples & Templates in MS Word | Pages | PDF

Homework is instructional and educational strategic planning that involves opportunities in which students can deepen, strengthen, and practice their capabilities to understand various content that has been provided to them. Giving homework with a set purpose means that by completing it, a student will be able to acquire new knowledge, skill, or experience that they can not learn anywhere else. Homework schedules should not be assigned to a student just to have something to assign them, but should be meaningful and allows the student to create a real-life connection to its content as they learn.

Homework Policy

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A homework policy is a set of rules provided by the school that contains guidelines on how often instructors or teachers should assign homework or what types of assignments they will be giving to their students. This policy aims to prevent students from overworking while also making sure that they benefit from the homework they are working with. It is part of a classroom management plan that ensures students can have enough time to rest from performing their tasks according to their study plans .

The school policy for distributing homework provides an outline of the methods to be used by teachers and followed by students when accomplishing their assignments. A homework policy is a document that provides and enables the communication between the school and the parents, teachers, students, and government about the learning goals and objectives of the homework with the use of a learning activity planning sheet . One of these goals is to encourage students to immerse themselves in their learning tasks or studies.

A school survey is an initial step in creating homework policies. In this process, you will be able to determine relevant information about the duties that students perform when accomplishing their homework assignments. The student survey template you will use must contain appropriate questions such as how assignments affect them mentally and the reason why they must be included in the teacher lesson plans.

Before implementing changes in the homework policy, make sure that you communicated and consulted your faculty staff. Inform your teachers of the specific rules and regulations you want to impose when assigning homework to the students. You can also ask for their opinions and suggestions about your proposed policy and procedure.

After making adjustments and finalizing, write down the homework guidelines or regulations in a document or memo template. Make sure that you provide enough detailed information on each of them as well as justify their use for the student’s learning.

To enforce the finalized homework policy as an official school policy, incorporate it into your school’s teacher and student handbook. This will inform both teachers and students of the new policy which will eventually become a norm in your institution.

Some of the basic rules for giving students homework include setting activities or assignments they can complete on their own, relevant to the grade level or subject matter curriculum, connected to the class instruction, engaging and purposeful, and quality over quantity must be considered.

Homework can contain simple reinforcement tasks with classroom activities, collecting of additional learning materials or information, reading high-frequency works, and spelling high-frequency words.

The different types of homework provide students with practice exercises such as accomplishing consolidation exercises for math, practicing spelling words, reading for pleasure, essay writing, practicing musical instruments, practicing skills in physical education, and preparing for projects or assignments.

Homework is a strategy or tool used by instructors and teachers to give students the opportunity to practice and hone their skills and understanding of a certain subject matter presented to them. A homework policy is a list of guidelines that teachers must follow when setting or giving homework to their students. It prevents the students from overworking and ensures that they can obtain valuable lessons from this learning activity and experience.

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Homework Policy (2023)

Click here to download this policy

Aims of the policy

Through implementation of this policy, we aim to:

• Give pupils the opportunity to extend their learning in areas of personal interest
• Ensure a consistent approach throughout the school
• To encourage children to develop the confidence, independence, self-discipline and motivation needed to study on their own and prepare them for the next phase of education
• To make set homework relevant and meaningful for the child linked to work done at school
• Make expectations about homework clear to children, parents and other carers
• Provide opportunities for parents and children to work together, thereby, fostering an effective partnership between home and school

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Teaching excellence & educational innovation, the syllabus: course policies / expectations, policies concerning attendance, participation, tardiness, academic integrity, missing homework, missed exams, recording classroom activities, food in class, laptop use, etc..

Describe your expectations for student behavior (e.g., respectful consideration of one another’s perspectives, open-mindedness, creative risk-taking). Let students know what they can expect from you (e.g., your availability for meetings or e-mail communication).

Examples for and from Carnegie Mellon Syllabi:

Course expectations.

• Attendance and Participation Policy ex. 1 (.doc)
• Participation in Class Discussions (.doc)
• Attendance and Participation Policy ex. 2 (.doc)
• General Course Expectations (.doc)
• Use of Mobile Devices (.docx)
• Students' Recording of Classes (.docx)

Supporting Student Learning

• A Model of Study Tips (.doc)
• How to Get Course Help (.doc)

Academic Integrity

• Zero Tolerance of Cheating and Plagiarism (.doc)
• Acceptable and Unacceptable Collaboration (.doc)
• Departmental Policy on Academic Integrity (.doc)
• Guidelines for Use of Turnitin (.pdf)
• University Policy and Procedures for Cheating and Plagiarism
• Ethics for Taking an Exam Late (.doc)

Homework Policy

At Campbell Primary School we believe that homework is a valuable part of schooling. It provides opportunities to practise skills, review content and deepen understanding of concepts learned. Homework can also assist students to develop self-regulation processes, such as goal-setting, time management and study skills. Homework also supports school-home relationships through connecting families with the learning of their children.

We believe that the setting of homework needs to take into consideration the need for students to have a balanced lifestyle. This includes sufficient time for family, sport and recreation and cultural pursuits.

For the purpose of this policy document, it is important to note that at Campbell Primary School we expect that regular home reading will form part of students’ daily routine and is considered an essential home activity.

Homework should:

• only be used to facilitate the achievement of learning outcomes;
• complement and reinforce classroom learning and teaching programmes and be appropriate to the needs of the students;
• support the development of the student’s independence as a learner;
• further the partnership between school and home;
• avoid dependence on unreasonable levels of parental assistance or resources that are not readily available to the student;
• be set without impinging on reasonable time for family, recreational, cultural and employment pursuits relevant to the student’s age, development and educational aspirations;
• be balanced across learning areas so as to avoid stress and overload;
• be consistently applied, monitored and assessed in a whole-school approach that is responsive to individual needs and learning area requirements;
• form part of a developmental learning program that is responsive to individual needs, clearly relevant, supported by classroom practice and, where appropriate, developed in collaboration with students;
• linked with prompt, marking and feedback; and
• be disassociated from any form of punishing students or means of securing discipline.

Responsibilities of Teachers

• be aware of the school’s homework policy and ensure it is implemented and followed;
• ensure parents/carers are aware of the school’s homework policy;
• clearly communicate their expectations for homework to parents and students at the beginning of each year;
• ensure homework that is set is understood and is able to be completed by the student;
• if required liaise with English as an Additional Language or Dialect support staff in order to develop suitable homework tasks;
• refrain from setting tasks for homework that will be used for assessment;
• ensure that students are given enough time to complete set homework;
• provide opportunities for students to discuss any difficulties they are experiencing with homework;
• monitor the homework practices of their students;
• help students to develop organisational and time-management skills;
• mark homework and provide timely and practical feedback and support;
• contact parents/caregivers to discuss any concerns regarding homework;
• be mindful of circumstances that may prevent a child from completing homework tasks;
• seek feedback from students about set homework tasks, including frustration levels;
• setting homework that is varied, challenging, meaningful and directly related to class work and appropriate to students’ learning needs; and
• provide flexible options for students to cater for varied access to resources and technology.

Teachers are not required to set homework over holiday periods or at times where students are taken on in-term vacation breaks.

Responsibilities of Students

• be aware of the school’s homework policy;
• write homework tasks into their diary (if provided) and track progress and completion of tasks;
• demonstrate responsibility by caring for materials required to complete homework, such as books, pens and pencils.
• submit any completed homework, according to the instructions of the teacher, when expected;
• discuss any difficulties they are experiencing with homework with their teacher/s; and
• follow up on comments made by their teacher.

Responsibilities of Parents

• be aware of and support the school’s homework policy;
• encourage their child to complete homework and check their daily diary;
• discuss homework activities and expectations with their children in their first language, if English is not the main language spoken at home, and linking it to previous experiences;
• providing a work area (with resources e.g. pens, pencils, ruler, eraser etc.) and a supportive environment (e.g. free from major distractions), together with a routine that fits with the family;
• supervising ‘eLearning’, including ICT tools and usage;
• support your child to develop an age appropriate level of independence in completing homework;
• encourage, praise and provide guidance and support as is required; and
• contact the relevant teacher/s to discuss any concerns about homework.

Where students are continually out of class for additional programs (e.g. PEAC and IMMS ), students and / or parents should negotiate with the teacher what work needs to be completed.

  Homework can be completed daily or over a weekly or fortnightly period.  The table below provides suggested time to be allocated to homework.

For the purpose of this policy document, it is important to note that at Campbell Primary School we expect that regular home reading will form part of students’ daily routine and is considered an essential home activity. 

Homework options in Kindergarten to Year 2 may include the following:

• Sight words
• News preparation
• Oral language
• Basic number skills and facts

Homework options in Year 3 to Year 6 may include the following:

•   Phonics/Spelling
• Maths fluency and problem solving
• Research Projects
• Novel Studies
• Oral language reports
• Specialist Area Tasks

The above lists are not exhaustive.

Staff Review: May 2022

Ratified by School Board: June 2022

Next Review: 2024

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Table of Contents

Policy template bundle, 10+ homework policy templates in pdf | doc, 1. middle school homework policy template, 2. homework policy sample in pdf, 3. high school homework policy template, 4. homework policy format, 5. academy homework policy template, 6. fourth grade homework policy example, 7. student homework policy template, 8. math homework policy in doc, 9. homework policy template, 10. simple middle school homework policy, 11. basic homework policy and procedure, how to create a homework policy, what is the purpose of a homework policy, important advice on creating homework policies, policy templates.

Homework and assignments are a crucial part of a school or any educational organization and getting the students to work on their homework assignments is not always a simple task. Therefore teachers need to take the initiative to create homework policies that will help in encouraging the students to work hard. It helps the students in improving their achievement in the classroom setting.

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Step 1: Purpose

Step 2: definition, step 3: time, step 4: missing work policy, step 5: responsibilities, set some high standards, focus on skills, involve the parents, set consequences for incomplete assignments, more in policy templates, printable homework planner template, basic homework planner template, homework tracker template, editable homework planner template, sample homework planner template, school homework planner template, project homework planner template, weekly homework planner template, monthly homework planner template.

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