Home Learning
KS3 Homework – Years 7, 8 and 9
At Epping St John’s, homework is an important part of students’ learning. Our homework programme is designed to consolidate and extend classroom learning, develop students’ skills, encourage independence and provide opportunities for students to challenge themselves.
Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will receive a homework booklet each term which will be placed on Bromcom, containing a range of tasks from across the curriculum. Homework is carefully scheduled so that students complete tasks from different subjects throughout the term and allows them to manage their workload more effectively.
Bromcom and accessing homework
Bromcom is the main place for students and parents/carers to keep track of homework.
Students can use Bromcom to see:
- the homework they have been set
- instructions for completing the task
- when the homework was set
- the deadline for submission.
The full homework booklet will be uploaded to Bromcom each term. Individual teachers will then set the relevant task from the booklet on Bromcom when it is due to be completed.
Students should therefore check Bromcom regularly rather than attempting to work through the booklet in order. However, it is there if students wish to get ahead of their homework.
Students who need support accessing Bromcom or who do not know their login details should speak to their Form Tutor, who can support them with accessing their account.
Core Subjects
Alongside the homework booklet, students will receive regular homework from the three core subjects:
Maths – homework will be set through Sparks Maths. English – students will be set regular reading. Science – students will complete a project approximately once per fortnight.
Teachers will make clear how long students are expected to spend on each task. As a general guide, students should expect to spend approximately 30–60 minutes on each subject that has been allocated homework, although this will vary depending on the nature of the task.
The homework booklets also identify English, Maths and Science as separate core homework and explain that teachers may set additional learning or revision tasks through Bromcom.
Additional homework
Teachers may set additional homework where this will support students' classroom learning. This may include revision for an assessment, further exploration of a topic or historical event, completing extended writing, practising key knowledge or completing unfinished work.
Where additional homework is set, it is separate from the homework booklet and students are expected to complete it by the deadline given by their teacher.
Homework Passports and rewards
Students will receive a Homework Passport to help them keep track of their participation in the homework programme.
When a student hands in a booklet homework task, their teacher will sign the relevant section of the passport. At the end of each term, passports will be returned to Form Tutors so that students’ participation can be monitored.
Homework Passport completion will contribute towards determining eligibility for an end-of-year reward trip.
Students are responsible for looking after their Homework Passport carefully. If a passport is lost, teachers may not be able to retrospectively replace every signature collected before the replacement passport was issued. However, spares are available should they wish to have a replacement.
The back of the passport also contains an Extracurricular Club Participation Record. Students can ask a member of staff running an extracurricular activity to sign this when they attend, allowing their wider participation in school life to be recognised. The booklets themselves also link extracurricular participation with passport stamps.
Support with homework
We recognise that students may occasionally experience barriers to completing homework, for example because they do not have access to a laptop, computer, internet connection or particular materials at home.
If a student anticipates that they will be unable to complete a task, it is important that they speak to their teacher before the deadline. This allows us to identify the barrier and put appropriate support in place.
Students can also attend Homework Club after school, where they can access additional support and resources to complete their work. The homework booklets specifically direct students who need access to resources such as a computer to Homework Club.
What happens if homework is not completed?
We expect students to take responsibility for completing homework by the published deadline.
Where homework is not completed, students will be set a compulsory Homework Club detention. Students will be required to attend so that they have the time and support needed to complete the outstanding work.
Where there is a genuine reason that homework cannot be completed, students and/or parents/carers should contact the school before the deadline, rather than waiting until the work is overdue. This expectation is also set out within the homework booklets.
Homework Booklets
Parents/carers and students can view the current Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 Independent Homework Booklets below. Each booklet contains the homework rotation, deadlines, task instructions and success criteria for the term. The rotation pages show students when each subject's homework begins, when it should be handed in and when feedback will be provided.
Homework Booklet Year 7 Autumn Term
Homework Booklet Year 8 Autumn Term
Homework Booklet Year 9 Autumn Term