Home Learning

At Brian Clarke Academy we recognise that Home Learning is an important part of students’ education. It supports and extends learning beyond the classroom and enables students to develop habits of study and strategies for personal organisation and time management. We want students to relish the opportunities that Home Learning brings and for tasks to support their love for learning. As such, we have designed our curriculum to ensure that Home Learning is:  

• Impactful on student achievement, motivation and progress
• Meaningful (not just ‘busy work’) 
• Simple & manageable for students, staff and parents 
• Predictable & consistent 
• Achievable – students have the best opportunity to succeed and fully complete work to the expected standard and on time. 

Our students complete 1-hour of Home Learning every weekday, which includes Reading for Pleasure, Masters of Knowledge Recall (using Knowledge Organisers) and online learning (Sparx Maths/Languagenut).

Home Learning tasks at Key Stage 3 are focussed on retention and retrieval of core substantive knowledge in a range of subject disciplines. We want students to become “Masters of Knowledge” and their Home Learning will support them to embed knowledge into their long-term memories.

A video detailing how Home Learning works at BCA can be watched below:

Home Learning Timetable

Students complete 2 hours per week of reading, 1 hour per week of Sparx Maths, 30 minutes per week of English & Science recall, 30 minutes per fortnight of Languagenut (German) and 30 minutes per fortnight of History, Geography & RS recall.

Timetables for individual students will look different, depending on their school timetable (what day each subject is taught) and their personal preference on how to organise their time. Students will be told at the start of the school year which day each of their subject teachers will set their Home Learning and which day it will be due in. Students will also be supported in school to create personalised Home Learning timetables.

The suggested timetable below shows how Home Learning tasks could be organised over a 2-week period.

Support For Home Learning

Students can get support with all aspects of their Home Learning most days after school (see below). We offer quiet study spaces and help from a member of staff at Home Learning Clubs:

Computer rooms are also available for support with Sparx Maths and Languagenut where a specialist teacher will also be on hand. These online learning clubs take place Mon-Thu at 2:45pm in Room 125.

Click below for further information: