Home learning and revision
Did you know that students who do purposeful home learning every evening perform better when it comes to their subject exams? It is a no brainer!
At Cardinal Wiseman we have very high expectations of our students’ home learning. Our aim is to instil excellent home learning habits from Year 7. We aim to create independent learners at Key Stage 3 so that these are embedded in preparation for GCSE.
Pupils at Cardinal Wiseman who consistently complete home learning on time and to an excellent standard are:
Curious and active - delivering and participating in an exciting and innovative curriculum, both inside and independently outside the classroom, to instil a life-long passion for learning in all
Intentional and Prophetic - Aiming for success and aspiring to be the very best that we can be
At Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School we aim:
- To establish the attitudes and independent study habits needed for post 16 education.
- To prepare our learners effectively for all examinations.
- To develop, extend and apply knowledge and understanding relevant to curriculum subjects.
- To actively engage parents and carers in home learning.
- To build a shared sense of identity and common purpose.
- To be guided by the Wiseman Virtues to enable them to be successful in their home learning activities.
- To enable students to see the importance of revision and how to effectively revise for their qualifications.
• Moderate/Mild Learning Difficulties, which involve learning at a slower pace than others, difficulty with memory and/or processing, and includes Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, or issues with literacy or numeracy.
• Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs
• Speech Language and Communication Needs, which are often an issue for our pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders
• Physical Difficulties, which include sensory impairments, like visual or auditory impairments; and issues which might affect a student’s mobility. (N.B. The school’s accessibility plan continually strives to improve our anticipatory capacity; however, we currently do not have disabled access to upper floors or the swimming pool, and the suitability of rooms for visual/auditory impairments is variable.)
The focus is not on labelling children, but rather on finding the right provision for them, and if that provision needs to be special or additional then they will be included in our Special Educational Needs provision.
Furthermore, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are identified at Cardinal Wiseman using the following:
• Information from primary schools, including prior attainment
• Baseline tests in Year 7 (in English and Maths)
• Specialist agencies to test for indicators of SEND
• Concerns raised by school staff, pupils, and parents
• Medical diagnoses
• Persistent lack of progress in tracking assessments
• Tests administered by the SENCO to establish whether access arrangements are needed.
• Teachers deliver a high quality of lessons, which aim to differentiate to meet the needs of all students, giving access to a broad and balanced curriculum on which they can make progress in their learning.
• Teachers consider the learning environment and seating arrangements as a routine part of their teaching; and adapt tasks, outcomes or resources as necessary to suit the learning needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs.
• Teachers’ awareness of students with SEND is established through a Provision Map, which lists all the students who we for whom we have identified SEND, and through Learning Support Plans which give them a one-page profile for each student.
• The one-page profile recommends strategies with which teachers can support students in the classroom, and many of these are developed in consultation with students and/or parents, and are phrased in the student’s own words when possible.
• Teachers adapt tasks, outcomes or resources as necessary to suit the learning needs of pupils with SEND; as part of their Quality First Teaching (strong whole class teaching) they also consider the appropriateness of the learning environment and seating arrangements for all pupils, including those identified as SEND.
• The work of the SEN team is complemented by that of other initiatives within the school, such as the ‘Becoming Wise’ curriculum which develops students’ literacy and assessment.
• When necessary, booster sessions are provided in the Learning Support Centre to help with literacy and numeracy.
• Social Skills and Resilience sessions are provided when necessary for pupils with Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs.
• One-to-one mentoring is provided when necessary pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, and Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs.
All booster sessions run for set time-frames and are monitored and evaluated to ensure their impact on student outcomes. This enables the SEN Department to adapt and introduce new interventions to support students when required.
• Quality First Teaching Strategies
• How to plan precisely for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• Ways to support pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders
• How to use teaching strategies recommended by Specialist assessors.
The SENCO is a qualified SENCO, and is trained in testing to establish eligibility for access arrangements.
Learning Support staff receive training from the Educational Psychologist to ensure the quality of the support they provide.
• Pupil Support Services focus mainly on difficulties with Learning, and also advise on general SEND policy and practice;
• The Educational Psychologist focuses mainly on Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs, and supports in applications for Education and Health Care Plans if and when these become necessary;
• The Communication and Autism Team focus mainly on individual pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, and also advise on overall training and strategy for supporting pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders;
• The Physical Difficulties Support Service, focus on individual students with Physical Difficulties and also advise on the school’s accessibility in general.
• Data from tracking assessments, on progress and attainment, (termly);
• Behaviour logs;
• Lesson observations;
• Scrutiny of students’ books and work;
• Consultation with external agencies;
• Feedback from students and parents;
• Baseline tests to inform interventions;
• Transition information from Primary schools and in-year admissions;
• Individual diagnostic assessments, including specialist assessments for eligibility for access arrangements, (particularly in Year 9);
• Strategic review activities.
• SEND reviews are conducted regularly, where parents and pupils are invited to meet with the SEND team to discuss their Learning Support Plan and progress across the curriculum.
• A selection of pupils and parents help to review this SEN Information Report, annually.
• Pupils with Special Educational Needs are admitted to the school in line with the school’s admissions policy.
• Access arrangements for exams take account of pupils’ physical needs where necessary.
• Every effort is made to ensure pupils with disabilities are able to participate in all types of school activity, including school trips and PE lessons. For example, wheelchairs have been arranged to enable the participation of a student with mobility issues.
• The entire student cohort is educated about Special Educational Needs as part of PSHE and Citizenship, (in assemblies and tutor time). This has helped promote acceptance of SEN within the culture of the school, as part of its Catholic values.
• To support pupils in post-16 transition, the school provides support in application, and a personalised programme for helping pupils make the right choices for their development and progressions. For example, a student with Moderate Learning Difficulties who would have found mainstream post-16 provision problematic was supported in gaining a place at a special school with post-16 provision.
• The school create links with employers, Further Education institutions, and external service providers to be able to provide pupils with current information to assist their decision-making.
• During transition from Primary school, Cardinal Wiseman staff are proactive and rigorous in compiling information about the SEN of prospective students. This is done by fostering positive relationships with Primary schools, and maintaining regular communication.
• During transition from Primary school, students whose SEN is likely to make the transition a worrying experience are given the opportunity to visit the school as many times as they need to help them acclimatise to the change and feel secure.
• The SENCO is responsible for coordinating the provision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, to ensure that pupils with SEND are able to make progress on the curriculum and can participate fully in the school community.
• Provision for SEND is monitored by the Education Life committee and the SEN Governor: Dr. P. Manford. The governing body challenges the school and its members to secure necessary provision for any pupil identified as having special educational needs.
How can parents/carers support their children?
1. Set up a homework-friendly area. Make sure they have a well-lit place, quiet place to complete homework.
2. Schedule a regular study time. Some children work best in the afternoon, following a snack; others may prefer to wait until after dinner.
3. Keep distractions to a minimum. This means no TV, loud music, or phone calls. (Occasionally, though, a phone call to a classmate about an assignment can be helpful.)
4. Be a motivator and monitor. Ask about assignments, quizzes, and tests. Give encouragement, check completed homework.
5. Praise their work and efforts. Praise for effort. Mention academic achievements to relatives.
6. If there are continuing problems with homework, get help. Contact your child’s head of year or their subject teacher.
“Home learning is very clear at Cardinal Wiseman. All the pupils have a timetable which tells them what home learning is set on which day. It helps them to prepare for the world of work when they leave school.” (Year 10 parent)
“Home learning helps me to find out what I didn’t understand from my lessons that day.” (Year 9 pupil)
All pupils have received a home learning timetable which is available here:
KS3 Home learning timetable
KS4 Home learning timetable
