Homework Policy

​​Poli​​​cy

As a Catholic Christian community, we educate all to live the gos​pel of Jesus Christ as successful, creative and confident, active and informed learners; empowered to shape and enrich our world. To enact this, St Catherine’s School aims to improve literacy and numeracy standards and provide purposeful and meaningful opportunities for real - life learning in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Introd​​​uction

​​At St Catherine’s School (“the School”), homework may be set by a student’s individual teacher, specialist teacher, or collaboratively by the teachers for a given year level.

Homework may ​​be given to:

  • Assist stude​nts form effective study habits
  • Assist students to develop skills in time management and the meeting of deadlines
  • Teach students that learning can occur anywhere, not just in the classroom
  • Provide students with an opportunity to review and reinforce learning from within the classroom
  • Develop an understanding of how to use technology to access and utilise information
  • Allow parents and caregivers the opportunity to participate in the learning process by being directly involved with their child’s education and to demonstrate positive attitudes to learning 

Procedu​res

The School believes that reading and literacy should be a regular part of homework, as independent daily reading has been shown to​​​ greatly improve students’ learning outcomes.

The School acknowledges the need for the positive benefits of homework to be balanced with a student’s extracurricular, h​​ome and family life.

Homework may be giv​en to be completed overnight, within a week, fortnight or other timeframe that will be communicated to the student.

The following ta​ble provides a guide as to the potential nature of a student’s homework and the time it may take: 

Year Level
Time that may be spent on homework per nightExamples of homework content
Prep
10 minutes
Reading a variety of texts
Environmental tasks
Years 1&2
Up to 20 mi​​​nutes
Reading a variety of texts
Environmental tasks
Years 3&4
Up to 30 minutes
Reading a variety of texts
Drill; Environmental tasks
Years 5&6
Up to 45 minutes
Reading a variety of texts
Drill; Environmental tasks


​​​The School asks that different stakeholders fulfil particular roles and responsibilities so that positive benefits from homework may accrue. 

Responsibilities of Students

  • To take pride in and submit their best work
  • To try to be fully engaged with the homework task
  • To use technology responsibly
  • To bring completed work to school by the due date
  • To ask their teacher or parents if they are having difficulty understanding a task or need assistance

​Responsibilities of Teachers

  • To ensure that homework expectations are consistent with the school’s homework guidelines
  • To communicate homework tasks and expectations clearly to students;
  • To communicate homework tasks and expectations clearly to students;
  • To ensure that students understand when homework is due to be completed and brought to school
  • To affirm positive attitudes to homework
  • To affirm positive attitudes to homework
  • To provide feedback to parents where required

​Responsibilities of Parents and Caregivers 

  • To affirm positive attitudes towards homework
  • To read with or to their children and provide frequent opportunities for independent reading
  • To encourage their children to manage their time and meet homework deadlines
  • To celebrate their children’s learning successes
  • To provide access to technology to support student learning
  • To provide feedback to teachers where required

​​​Responsibilities of the Principal

  • To ensure that homework expectations are consistent with the school’s homework guidelines
  • To facilitate the communication process between school and home and support home/school partnerships in relation to homework
  • To facilitate review of the school’s homework guidelines​