Home Learning

Home Learning 

After much deliberation and consultation with staff, students and the community, the Senior Leadership Team decided to scale back our homework programme across the school in 2020. 

Current research has shown that for primary school aged students most homework tasks do not improve academic outcomes (Kohn, 2006; Cooper, 2006; Blazer, 2009; Farrow, Tymms & Henderson, 2013) and do not help young children develop study or time management skills (Hattie, 2009). The only homework activity that has consistently been shown to improve outcomes across a range of measures for primary students is reading (Allyn & Bacon, 2005). 

Harakeke (Year 0-2)  students  have tasks to support literacy most weekdays, Kowhai (Year 3-4) and Kahikatea (Year 4-6) students are  asked to read independently for at least 10 to 20 minutes each evening. If sustaining independent reading is a struggle for your child then reading with or to them each evening is also hugely beneficial. There may be times throughout the year that students will be asked to complete some additional homework for a special project. 

We encourage families to use the time that would otherwise be spent on doing homework to do activities that research has shown improves student outcomes: spending time outdoors, preparing and eating dinner as a family, playing board games, reading together, reducing screen time and getting to bed early!