Rondebosch East Primary School

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Homework Policy

The Homework Policy is designed to:

  • Ensure consistency of approach throughout the school.
  • Ensure progression towards independence and individual responsibility.
  • Ensure parents have a clear understanding about expectations for themselves and the learners.
  • To provide opportunities for parents and pupils to work in partnership and enjoy learning experiences.

Purpose & Philosophy

Homework is an integral part of the learning process and includes opportunities for learners to reinforce, synthesize, extend classroom learning and assists in developing time management skills.

Homework should be meaningful and engaging and should support the curriculum, helping learners to develop responsibility and good work habits.

Homework is a natural extension of the school day and an important part of the learner’s educational experience.

Homework should be designed to be completed independently.

The three homework types generally are:

  • Practice:  – This homework reinforces newly acquired skills taught in the class.
  • Preparation: – This homework helps the learners prepare for upcoming lessons, activities or tests.
  • Extension: – This homework provides challenging, often longer term opportunities for enrichment and extension that parallels class work.

Time Allocations

It is recommended that learners will spend the following times on average on homework activities:

Homework will be concentrated on Monday to Thursday. The weekend should be left free or for the completion of larger projects and research.

Will not give homework as punishment.

Will provide a range of homework activities and tasks to consolidate and extend learning in class.

Will ensure that learners clearly understand the task and have a common understanding of the high expectations held of them individually, according to their ability.

Will communicate with parents and keep them informed of their child’s progress, projects and topics to be studied.

Will vary homework assignments: short term and long term, practice of new skills, written or oral reports, preparation for upcoming lessons, enrichment exercises, etc.

Will make sure that learners have access to any materials needed to complete an assignment.

Will give prompt feedback on checking homework, correcting errors and reviewing important concepts.

Guidelines for learners and parents

Must write down all the day’s homework in their homework diaries.

Must organise and take home all materials necessary to complete the homework tasks.

Must set aside a regular time to study each evening.

Must have a quiet well lit place to study.

Must complete all assignments on your own and to the best of your ability.

Must complete and hand in assignments on their due date.

Must talk to your teacher when you do not understand the work or any other circumstances that you may face.

Should put in place a good routine for homework and study. This should not be interrupted by family plans, television, etc.

Should help your child organize themselves so that they can be effective in their study time.

Should be supportive when your child becomes discouraged or frustrated, particularly with difficult assignments.

Should be actively involved in the homework of younger children.

Should sign and date your child’s homework when completed and of an acceptable standard.

Should provide educational opportunities that broaden your child’s interests, such as visits to the museum, the zoo and places of historical significance.

Feedback for learners, parents & teachers

Feedback must be given as quickly as possible. Teachers are interested in knowing how the homework activities were performed. Was it too easy, too difficult, interesting, etc. The homework diary is the ideal communication from home to school and visa versa. As with all school activities, parents are invited to discuss any queries with their child’s teacher.

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Homework Policy (2023)

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Aims of the policy

Through implementation of this policy, we aim to:

  • Give pupils the opportunity to extend their learning in areas of personal interest
  • Ensure a consistent approach throughout the school
  • To encourage children to develop the confidence, independence, self-discipline and motivation needed to study on their own and prepare them for the next phase of education
  • To make set homework relevant and meaningful for the child linked to work done at school
  • Make expectations about homework clear to children, parents and other carers
  • Provide opportunities for parents and children to work together, thereby, fostering an effective partnership between home and school

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Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose

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We have all had time-consuming, monotonous, meaningless homework assigned to us at some point in our life. These assignments often lead to frustration and boredom and students learn virtually nothing from them. Teachers and schools must reevaluate how and why they assign homework to their students. Any assigned homework should have a purpose.

Assigning homework with a purpose means that through completing the assignment, the student will be able to obtain new knowledge, a new skill, or have a new experience that they may not otherwise have. Homework should not consist of a rudimentary task that is being assigned simply for the sake of assigning something. Homework should be meaningful. It should be viewed as an opportunity to allow students to make real-life connections to the content that they are learning in the classroom. It should be given only as an opportunity to help increase their content knowledge in an area.

Differentiate Learning for All Students

Furthermore, teachers can utilize homework as an opportunity to differentiate learning for all students. Homework should rarely be given with a blanket "one size fits all" approach. Homework provides teachers with a significant opportunity to meet each student where they are and truly extend learning. A teacher can give their higher-level students more challenging assignments while also filling gaps for those students who may have fallen behind. Teachers who use homework as an opportunity to differentiate we not only see increased growth in their students, but they will also find they have more time in class to dedicate to whole group instruction .

See Student Participation Increase

Creating authentic and differentiated homework assignments can take more time for teachers to put together. As often is the case, extra effort is rewarded. Teachers who assign meaningful, differentiated, connected homework assignments not only see student participation increase, they also see an increase in student engagement. These rewards are worth the extra investment in time needed to construct these types of assignments.

Schools must recognize the value in this approach. They should provide their teachers with professional development that gives them the tools to be successful in transitioning to assign homework that is differentiated with meaning and purpose. A school's homework policy should reflect this philosophy; ultimately guiding teachers to give their students reasonable, meaningful, purposeful homework assignments.

Sample School Homework Policy

Homework is defined as the time students spend outside the classroom in assigned learning activities. Anywhere Schools believes the purpose of homework should be to practice, reinforce, or apply acquired skills and knowledge. We also believe as research supports that moderate assignments completed and done well are more effective than lengthy or difficult ones done poorly.

Homework serves to develop regular study skills and the ability to complete assignments independently. Anywhere Schools further believes completing homework is the responsibility of the student, and as students mature they are more able to work independently. Therefore, parents play a supportive role in monitoring completion of assignments, encouraging students’ efforts and providing a conducive environment for learning.

Individualized Instruction

Homework is an opportunity for teachers to provide individualized instruction geared specifically to an individual student. Anywhere Schools embraces the idea that each student is different and as such, each student has their own individual needs. We see homework as an opportunity to tailor lessons specifically for an individual student meeting them where they are and bringing them to where we want them to be. 

Homework contributes toward building responsibility, self-discipline, and lifelong learning habits. It is the intention of the Anywhere School staff to assign relevant, challenging, meaningful, and purposeful homework assignments that reinforce classroom learning objectives. Homework should provide students with the opportunity to apply and extend the information they have learned complete unfinished class assignments, and develop independence.

The actual time required to complete assignments will vary with each student’s study habits, academic skills, and selected course load. If your child is spending an inordinate amount of time doing homework, you should contact your child’s teachers.

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homework policy post primary school

The power of a good homework policy

Published 18th March 2019 by Frog Education

With the homework debate continuing to rage and be fuelled by all parties involved, could publishing a robust homework policy help take some of the headache out of home learning?

What is a homework policy.

The idea of a homework policy is for the school to officially document and communicate their process for homework. The policy should outline what is expected of teachers when setting homework and from students in completing home learning tasks. It is a constructive document through which the school can communicate to parents, teachers, governors and students the learning objectives for homework.

Do schools have to have a homework policy?

It is a common misconception that schools are required by the government to set homework. Historically the government provided guidelines on the amount of time students should spend on home learning. This was withdrawn in 2012 and autonomy was handed to headteachers and school leaders to determine what and how much homework is set. Therefore, schools are not required by Ofsted or the DfE to have a homework policy in place.

The removal of official guidelines, however, does not give pupils the freedom to decide if they complete homework or not. Damian Hinds , Education Secretary, clarified that although schools are not obliged to set homework, when they do, children need to complete it in line with their school’s homework policy; “we trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set.”

The majority of primary and secondary schools do set homework. Regardless of the different views on the topic, the schools that do incorporate homework into their learning processes, must see value in it.

Clearly communicating that value will demonstrate clarity and create alliance for everyone involved – both in and outside of school. This is where the publication of a good homework policy can help. 5 Benefits of publishing a good homework policy

#1 Manages students' workload

Studies have shown a correlation between student anxiety and demanding amounts of homework. One study found that in more affluent areas, school children are spending three hours per evening on homework. This is excessive. Secondary school students’ study between eight and ten subjects, which means they will have day-to-day contact with a number of teachers. If there is no clear homework policy to provide a guide, it would be feasible for an excessive amount of homework to be set.

A homework policy that sets out the expected amount of time students should spend on homework will help prevent an overload. This makes it more realistic for children to complete homework tasks and minimise the detrimental effect it could have on family time, out-of-school activities or students’ overall health and well-being.

#2 Creates opportunity for feedback and review

The simple act of having an official document in place will instigate opportunities for regular reviews. We often consider the impact of homework on students but teachers are also working out-of-hours and often work overtime . One reason is the need to set quality homework tasks, mark them and provide valuable feedback. No-one, therefore, wants home learning to become about setting homework for homework’s sake.

A regular review of the policy will invite feedback which the school can use to make appropriate changes and ensure the policy is working for both teachers and students, and serves the school’s homework learning objectives.

#3 Connects parents with education

Parents’ engagement in children’s education has a beneficial impact on a child’s success in school. Homework provides a great way for parents to become involved and have visibility of learning topics, offer support where needed and understand their child’s progress.

A good homework policy creates transparency for parents. It helps them to understand the value the school places on homework and what the learning objectives are. If parents understand this, it will help set a foundation for them to be engaged in their child’s education.

#4 Gives students a routine and creates good habits

Whether children are going into the workplace or furthering their education at university, many aspects of a student’s future life will require, at times, work to be completed outside of traditional 9-5 hours as well as independently. This is expected at university (students do not research and write essays in the lecture theatre or their seminars) and will perhaps become more important in the future workplace with the growth of the gig economy (freelancing) and the rise of remote working .

A homework policy encourages a consistency for out-of-school learning and helps students develop productive working practices and habits for continued learning and independent working.

#5 Helps students retain information they have learned

A carefully considered and well-constructed home learning policy will help teachers set homework that is most effective for reinforcing what has been taught.

A good homework policy will indicate how to set productive homework tasks and should limit the risk of less effective homework being set, such as just finishing-off work from a lesson and repetition or memorisation tasks. What makes a good homework policy?

A good homework policy will determine how much homework is appropriate and what type is most effective for achieving a school’s learning objectives. Publishing the homework policy – although it might not unify everyone’s views on the matter – fosters good communication across the school, sets out expectations for teachers and pupils, and makes that significant connection between parents and their children’s education. But most importantly, if the policy is regularly reviewed and evaluated, it can ensure home learning remains beneficial to pupils’ progress, is of value to teachers and, ultimately, is worth the time and effort that everyone puts into it.

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How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy

Author: Naimish Gohil

Posted: 10 May 2017

Estimated time to read: 4 mins

Homework is an integral part to the learning process and as such, each school should have a clear homework policy readily available to teachers, students and parents that sets out your expectations when it comes to home-learning .

how to write the perfect homework policy

A clear and effective homework policy will mean that quality and quantity of homework can be easily tracked and all stakeholders are on the same page. We've created our own Homework Policy that you can adapt for use in your school or use as an outline when creating your own policy:

1‭. ‬Introduction

This is the school’s policy for the provision of homework to pupils and has been drawn up in accordance with guidance from the DFE and Sutton Education Trust‭.‬ It must be recognised that parents play a vital role in the education of their child‭, ‬therefore it is important and valuable to‭ ‬have a good home-school partnership‭, ‬of which a homework policy must address‭.‬

2‭. ‬Homework‭ - ‬A definition

Homework is defined as any work or activity that students are asked to undertake outside of lesson time‭, ‬either on their own or‭ ‬with the aid of parents and carers‭. ‬Homework doesn’t necessarily have to be completed at home but can be completed in free periods and after-school homework clubs‭. ‬We see work completed outside of lesson time as a valuable part of a student’s learning‭.‬

3‭. ‬The purpose of homework‭ ‬

The school regards the purpose of homework as being to‭:‬

  • ‭ Provide learners with the opportunity to work on an activity that is relevant to learning outcomes‭, ‬or that contributes to gaining qualifications/accreditations‭.‬
  • Develop an effective partnership between the school‭, ‬parents and carers in pursuing the academic aims of the school and the development of their child‭.‬
  • Consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding prior to the following lesson‭, ‬particularly in English and Mathematics‭.‬
  • Extend learning across the curriculum‭, ‬for example through additional reading‭.‬
  • Encourage pupils as they get older to develop the confidence‭, ‬self-discipline and independence to develop organisational skills‭.‬

As a school‭, ‬we encourage children to pursue out-of-school activities‭. ‬Homework should be used to effectively reinforce and/or extend what is learned in school‭. ‬We hope that children will feel a sense of personal satisfaction in a task completed well and that their efforts will be recognised and praised both at home and at school‭. ‬

Homework tasks should be undertaken to the best of‭ ‬their ability‭. ‬We hope that parents and carers will be willing and able to give their active support to ensure that work completed at home is done so conscientiously and in the best possible conditions‭.‬

4‭. ‬Current practice‭ ‬

At the beginning of the academic year‭, ‬each year group will be informed about what is expected of them with regards to homework‭.‬

5‭. ‬Time to be spent completing homework

Based on current good practice‭, ‬we ask pupils to spend the following amount of time on homework‭:‬

Years 7‭ ‬to 9‭:                   ‬1‭ - ‬2‭ ‬hours per day

Years 10‭ ‬&‭ ‬11‭:                ‬1‭ - ‬3‭ ‬hours per day‭ ‬

Pupils may be expected to undertake a variety of homework activities‭. ‬These activities will differ depending on the teacher and‭ ‬subject‭. ‬Examples include‭: ‬Reading tasks‭, ‬numeracy tests‭, ‬spelling tests‭, ‬quizzes‭, ‬project work‭, ‬classwork extensions‭, ‬coursework‭, ‬essays and research activities‭.‬ As a general rule‭, ‬teachers will not usually set substantial homework tasks to be completed for the next day‭, ‬pupils will have at least two days to complete any work set‭.‬

6‭. ‬Pupil feedback

The school recognises the importance of providing prompt and actionable feedback to pupils‭, ‬parents and carers‭. ‬Feedback will include how well homework tasks have been tackled‭, ‬and the knowledge‭, ‬skills and understanding developed‭.

‬A variety of methods will be used to provide feedback‭, ‬such as an appropriate comment of praise‭, ‬appreciation or area for improvement‭. ‬Any given feedback will vary according to the age of the pupil‭.‬

7‭. ‬Where to access the school homework policy

The school will use newsletters to inform parents and carers about the school’s homework policy and secure their involvement‭. ‬The homework policy‭, ‬as well as useful information for parents in supporting their child’s learning‭, ‬is displayed on the school website‭. ‬

Parents’‭ ‬Evenings and New Intake Evenings will be used to promote this partnership and obtain feedback‭ (‬e.g‭. ‬English and Mathematics workshops‭). ‬Homework questionnaires will be used where appropriate to ascertain parent views‭. ‬Parents will be consulted about any significant changes to the policy that are being considered by the governing body‭.‬

8‭. ‬Reviewing the policy

The homework policy will be reviewed every year‭. ‬Where significant changes to the policy are felt to be required‭, ‬proposals will‭ ‬be presented to the governing body and parents consulted‭.‬

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Homework policy: examples

See examples of homework policies from primary, secondary and special schools to help you write your own. also, adapt our sample clause for handling the impact of ai tools on homework., primary school, secondary school, special school, multi-academy trust, sample ai clause.

Shadwell Primary School in Leeds has a homework policy that covers:

  • When pupils take books home for reading
  • How long they should spend reading at home
  • English and maths homework
  • Spelling and times tables expectations
  • Additional half-termly homework tasks, such as a learning log and key instant recall facts
  • Instances when pupils may receive additional homework
  • How homework will be recorded
  • Rewards and sanctions

Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex has a school-wide homework policy setting out:

  • The importance of homework
  • Types of homework that could be set
  • How much time different year groups should spend on homework

North Ridge High School in Manchester has a homework policy that explains:

  • How homework may differ in form, expectations and outcomes
  • How long the school recommends pupils spend on homework
  • The roles of the class teacher, leadership team and governing board, and parents and carers
  • The homework that different Key Stages and learners will get
  • Marking, feedback and pupil absence

The policy also includes a homework timetable.

STEP Academy Trust has homework policies set for its schools that are agreed by the board of trustees. Each policy has been adapted slightly for each school.

To find the homework policies , scroll down in the 'Policy' search box in the top-right corner, and select 'STEP homework policy' – you'll see a list with links to homework policies for each of the trust's schools.

The DfE has advised that you may wish to review your homework policy to consider the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT and Google Bard) on homework and unsupervised work. 

Adapt our example text below to suit your school's context and approach to AI.

Primary schools

Secondary schools.

We're working on some practical guidance to help you get to grips with AI - select 'save for later' in the top right-hand corner of this page to be updated when it's ready. 

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Advice on Creating Homework Policies

Getting students to work on their homework assignments is not always a simple task. Teachers need to take the initiative to create homework policies that encourage students to work hard to improve their achievement in the classroom setting. Educational leadership starts with making a policy that helps students learn and achieve while competing with extracurricular activities and the interests of students.

Set high standards

Homework policies need to have high standards to encourage students to work hard on achieving the best possible results. Student achievement in school improves when teachers set high standards and tell students that they are expected to meet the standards set in the classroom.

By setting high standards for the homework policy, teachers are ensuring that the students will be more willing to work on getting assignments done. The policies for homework that teachers and parents create can help improve student understanding of materials and result in better grades and scores on standardized tests.

Focus on study skills

Teaching students in their early education is a complicated task. Teachers need to balance the age of the students with the expected school, state and federal educational standards. Although the temptation to create a homework policy that focuses on repetition and traditional assignments can make the policy easy to create, it also removes the focus from establishing strong study skills and habits to engage students in education.

Creating a homework policy for younger students in the elementary grades should avoid traditional assignments and focus on building study skills and encouraging learning. Older students after elementary school are ready to take on written assignments rather than using technology and other tools.

Putting more focus on study skills will set a stronger foundation for homework in the future. As students get into higher grades, the type of assignments will focus on writing with a pen or pencil. The age of the student must be considered and the goal is to create a strong foundation for the future.

Involve the parents

Getting parents involved in the homework policy will encourage students to study and complete the assigned tasks. Asking parents to get involved to facilitate assignments will ensure students are learning without the parents completing the assignment for their child.

The goal of involving the parents in the homework policy is getting the family to take an interest in ensuring the assignments are completed. The best assignments will allow the student to manage the work without seeking answers from a parent. That allows parents to supervise and encourage their child without giving the answers.

Give consequences for incomplete assignments

Homework is an important part of providing educational leadership in the classroom. Although parental involvement and high standards can help encourage students to study, it is also important to clearly state the consequences if assignments are incomplete or not turned in on time.

A clear homework policy will lay out the possible consequences of avoiding assignments or turning in incomplete work. Consequences can vary based on the student grade level and age, but can include lowering the grades on a report card or taking away classroom privileges.

Although it is important to provide details about the consequences of avoiding the assignments, teachers can also use a reward system to motivate students to complete their work. Rewards can focus on the entire class or on individual rewards, depending on the situation. For example, teachers can give a small candy when students complete five assignments in a row.

Consequences and rewards can serve as a motivating factor when it comes to the homework policy. By clearly stating the potential downsides and the benefits to the student, it is easier for students to focus on the work.

Creating homework policies is part of educational leadership in the classroom. Although homework must focus on helping students achieve, it also needs to clearly state the expectations and give details about the benefits and consequences of different actions. By giving a clear policy from the first day of school, the students will know what to expect and can gain motivation to work on achieving the best results.

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St. Patrick’s National School, Glencullen

Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí

Homework Policy

St. Patrick’s N.S. School Policy on Homework.

This policy was devised in 2011. It has since been reviewed in 2015 & 2017.

It can also be downloaded from the following link: Homework Policy

Homework is given as a means of revising and consolidating the work done in school. We would advise you to check your child’s work and remain in regular contact with the child’s teacher by signing homework as necessary.

We believe the purpose of homework to be the following;

  • To reinforce, review and practise skills & content knowledge covered in the classroom
  • To give the child confidence in completing tasks that use newly acquired skills in the classroom and develop their own learning decisions
  • To develop skills of independent learning, problem solving, time management, organisation, task completion, study skills, responsibility & resilience in our students
  • To allow parents to be an active partner in their child’s homework and to offer one to one support where necessary. Parents can follow how their child is progressing and spend time discussing their personal learning.
  • To allow teachers to assess a pupil’s progress when working independently of class support
  • To encourage creativity, research skills and differentiated learning experiences through project work
  • Reading is acknowledged as a very important aspect of all learning. Reading regularly at home from the early years cultivates a time for discussion, for sharing ideas, for improving fluency as well as deepening vocabulary & comprehension skills and developing children’s opinions.

The following points should also be noted with regards to homework.

  • Set aside a quiet regular time for homework.
  • The child should be sitting comfortably at the table.
  • Encourage your child to keep books and copies clean and tidy.
  • If your child is working independently, be available to help and show interest in what is being done. Praise your child’s efforts at every opportunity.
  • If your child is persistently having problems with homework, contact the class teacher and discuss the difficulties.
  • Homework Journals should be signed each night by parent or guardian. If for any reason homework cannot be done, let the class teacher know by writing a short note.
  • Do not allow children to watch T.V while doing homework.
  • If when working with your child you feel yourself becoming impatient, stop. Take a break. Homework should not be stressful for either parent or child.

While homework is given with the average child in the class in mind, obviously some children will get it completed more quickly than others. Remember that work completed quickly and carelessly is not work completed properly.

When considering the amount of time spent on homework, one must not include time spent on doing another unrelated activity e.g. wandering off to play. Time spent depends on the child’s concentration, ability and application.

Here follows the recommended homework times which should operate in normal circumstances and keeping the above guidelines in mind.

  • Junior & Senior infants – 15 mins max
  • 1 st & 2 nd Class – up to 25 min max
  • 3 rd & 4 th Class – up to 35 mins max
  • 5 th & 6 th Class – up to 45 mins max

Please stop when your child reaches the maximum time limit and record in journal for his/her teacher to see.

2017 Whole School Homework review

Following an extensive review of our homework practices in 2017 with feedback from pupils, parents and staff, a number of changes were brought about including the following;

  • Homework will be delivered weekly.
  • Quantity of homework was reduced in all classes.
  • Homework will be reduced in December and June to facilitate busy lives and good weather.
  • Senior class Projects will not be given parallel to regular homework. Instead written work will be removed during project/research homework. Again nightly reading should continue especially with older pupils.
  • Parental requests for parental support with Gaeilge and senior Maths will be provided

A copy of the final outcome letter is included in Appendix A. A copy of all data from all surveys conducted during this extensive review is kept on file.

We have a policy of giving homework from Monday – Thursday. Weekends are homework free provided homework has been completed on Monday to Thursday.

Ratified By: ______________                       Date:___________________

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How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School?

How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School

  • by Team Varthana
  • Posted on January 12, 2024
  • in School Assignment , School Homework Management

Homework, for us, brings to mind endless writing without a clear reason, often leading to missing out on evening games. We didn’t enjoy it in school and never really questioned why. 

Since homework is an integral part of the educational experience, providing students with opportunities to reinforce learning, develop essential skills, and cultivate a sense of responsibility is the criteria. However, creating an effective homework policy requires careful consideration, especially in the diverse and dynamic educational landscape of India.

A homework policy is a set of guidelines, rules, and principles established by educational institutions to govern the assigning, completion, and evaluation of homework assignments. This policy outlines the expectations and responsibilities of students, teachers, and parents regarding homework. 

It serves as a framework to ensure that homework is purposeful, relevant, and contributes to the overall learning objectives of the educational institution.

What are the Key Components of a Homework Policy in School?

1. purpose of homework and the educational philosophy:.

This includes reinforcing classroom learning, developing independent study skills, and fostering a sense of responsibility.

2. Guidelines for Homework Assignment:

Such as complexity, relevance to the curriculum, and differentiation to accommodate varying student abilities.

3. Time Allocation:

Specifies the recommended time students should spend on homework each day, including extracurricular activities and rest.

4. Parental Involvement:

Supporting their children with homework, communication channels between teachers and parents, and a conducive environment for learning at home.

5. Feedback and Evaluation:

Providing timely and constructive feedback on homework assignments, emphasizing feedback as a tool for improvement.

6. Technology Integration:

Guidelines for the use of digital tools and ensuring accessibility for all students.

7. Flexibility and Accommodations:

Considering the diverse needs and circumstances, include allowing for alternative assignments or extended deadlines when necessary.

8. Collaborative Learning:

Through group projects, peer reviews, or other cooperative activities that foster teamwork and communication skills .

Also Read: 7 techniques to boost communication skills for teachers and administrators

9. Alignment with Curriculum:

Ensures that homework assignments align with the broader curriculum goals and contribute to the mastery of key concepts and skills.

10. Cultural Sensitivity:

Acknowledges cultural diversity and ensures that homework assignments are culturally sensitive and inclusive.

How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School

Also Read: Leveraging Tech: 5-Step Guide for Teachers & Parents to Support Students with Special Needs

Homework Policies for Each Phase of School Education

Homework policy for kindergarten:, 1. purposeful play and exploration:.

Homework in kindergarten should emphasize purposeful play and exploration. Activities may involve simple art projects, interactive games, or reading together with parents to foster a love for learning.

2. Limited Duration:

Keep homework sessions short, typically not exceeding 10-15 minutes. Kindergarten students have short attention spans, and the emphasis should be on enjoyable and age-appropriate learning experiences.

3. Parental Engagement:

Encourage parents to engage with their child during homework time, making it a positive and bonding experience. Homework may involve activities that promote fine motor skills, creativity, and basic literacy.

Homework Policy for Elementary School:

1. balanced subjects:.

Assign homework that covers a range of subjects, supporting a well-rounded education. This can include math problems, reading assignments, science experiments, and simple research projects.

2. Development of Basic Skills:

Homework should focus on developing foundational skills, such as reading comprehension, basic math operations, and written expression. It provides opportunities for independent practice and reinforces what is taught in class.

3. Parental Support:

Encourage parents to provide support as needed, fostering a positive home-learning environment. Homework can serve as a communication tool between teachers and parents, keeping them informed about what is happening in the classroom.

Homework Policy for Primary School:

1. subject-specific assignments:.

As students move into primary school, homework may become more subject-specific. Assignments can include math exercises, reading comprehension tasks, science projects, and social studies research.

2. Preparation for Higher Grades:

Homework serves as preparation for higher grades by introducing students to more structured assignments. It encourages time management and responsibility while reinforcing the importance of daily practice.

3. Feedback and Assessment:

Use homework for formative assessment , providing constructive feedback to guide students’ progress. This feedback loop helps identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.

Also Read: 5 formative assessment techniques for real time feedback

Homework Policy for Secondary School:

1. diverse subjects and specializations:.

Homework in secondary school becomes more diverse as students take on different subjects and potentially specialize in certain areas. Assignments may include essays, research projects, and problem-solving tasks.

2. Preparation for Exams:

Homework plays a crucial role in preparing students for exams. It reinforces learning, allows for deeper exploration of topics, and helps students develop study strategies for upcoming assessments.

3. Independent Learning:

Encourage independent learning skills. Secondary school students should be capable of managing their workload, researching independently, and applying critical thinking skills to their assignments.

Homework Policy for High School:

1. advanced academic rigor:.

High school homework involves advanced academic rigor, often requiring critical analysis, research, and synthesis of information. Assignments may be more extensive and may contribute to overall course grades.

2. College and Career Preparation:

Homework in high school prepares students for college or vocational pursuits. It emphasizes skills such as research, time management, and effective communication, essential for success in higher education and future careers.

3. Balance and Well-Being:

Acknowledge the increased academic demands and extracurricular commitments in high school. Strive for a balance that promotes student well-being, considering the importance of mental health and a holistic educational experience.

Homework Policy for Pre-University College (PUC):

1. academic specialization:.

Homework in PUC is often more specialized, focusing on subjects relevant to the chosen course of study. Assignments may be research-intensive, requiring students to delve deeply into their chosen field.

2. Critical Thinking and Research:

Emphasize critical thinking and research skills. PUC homework should challenge students to think analytically, apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, and engage in independent scholarly inquiry.

3. Transition to Higher Education:

Homework in PUC serves as a bridge to higher education. It helps students adapt to the expectations of college-level coursework, where independent research and self-directed learning become increasingly important.

4. Preparation for Examinations:

PUC homework is closely tied to exam preparation, helping students develop effective study habits, time management skills, and a comprehensive understanding of the subjects they are studying.

Tips for Creating an Effective Homework Policy for Students

1. understanding cultural dynamics:.

A homework policy should be sensitive to the diversities, acknowledging that students may come from varied socio-economic backgrounds and have different levels of support at home. Tailoring homework assignments to be inclusive and culturally relevant ensures that all students can engage meaningfully with the material.

2. Balancing Academic Rigor and Well-being:

While academic excellence is a priority, it’s essential to strike a balance between challenging students and safeguarding their mental health. The pressure-cooker environment of education can be overwhelming, so a well-crafted homework policy should consider the recommended guidelines for the amount of homework assigned, ensuring it aligns with developmental needs and does not contribute to excessive stress.

3. Clear Communication with Parents:

Transparent communication with parents is crucial for the success of any homework policy. Schools should clearly articulate the purpose of homework, its role in the learning process, and the expected level of parental involvement . Regular updates and parent-teacher meetings can facilitate a collaborative approach, fostering a supportive learning environment at home.

Also Read: 5 formative assessment techniques for real-time feedback

4. Differentiated Homework Assignments:

Recognizing the diverse learning styles and abilities of students, teachers should design homework that allows for differentiation. Tailoring assignments to cater to varying levels of proficiency ensures that each student is appropriately challenged and has the opportunity to succeed .

Also Read: Tips for Parents to help their children succeed in school

5. Aligning Homework with Curriculum Goals:

The homework policy should be closely aligned with the broader curriculum goals of the school. Assignments should reinforce classroom learning, providing students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts. This alignment ensures that homework serves as a meaningful extension of the educational experience rather than a disconnected task.

6. Promoting Self-directed Learning:

A well-designed homework policy encourages self-directed learning and critical thinking. Assignments that prompt students to explore topics independently, ask questions, and connect learning across subjects foster a sense of curiosity and intellectual engagement.

7. Incorporating Technology Thoughtfully:

In the digital age, incorporating technology into homework assignments can enhance the learning experience. However, it’s essential to do so thoughtfully, considering accessibility issues and ensuring that technology complements the learning objectives rather than becoming a distraction.

8. Providing Timely and Constructive Feedback:

Feedback is a crucial component of the learning process. Teachers should establish a system for providing timely and constructive feedback on homework assignments. This not only helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement but also fosters a culture of continuous learning.

9. Encouraging Collaborative Learning:

Homework assignments that encourage collaboration can be beneficial in schools. Group projects, peer reviews, and cooperative learning activities promote teamwork, communication skills, and a sense of shared responsibility.

10. Flexibility and Adaptability:

Recognizing that students may face unforeseen challenges at home or in their personal lives, a flexible and adaptable homework policy allows for accommodations when needed. Teachers should be understanding and responsive to individual student needs, ensuring that the policy is a tool for support rather than a source of additional stress.

Also Read: How can school leaders help parents get to know the school staff better?

A well-designed homework policy is a valuable tool for creating a positive and effective learning environment. In all phases of school education, it’s essential to consider the developmental needs of students, provide clear communication between teachers and parents, and maintain a balance that promotes both academic success and overall well-being. 

Homework should be purposeful, aligned with educational goals, and conducive to the development of lifelong learning skills. Additionally, an effective homework policy contributes to the overall well-being of students by striking a balance between academic rigor and the importance of a holistic educational experience.

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HOMEWORK POLICY - Ferndale Primary School

homework policy post primary school

Flow diagram of participants included in the ENERGISE study

We used data from the age groups 7–18 years for most analyses. For specific analyses of homework and out-of-campus tutoring, we excluded high school pupils (16–18 years) because the homework and out-of-campus tutoring regulations apply to primary (7–12 years) and middle (13–15 years) school pupils only. Furthermore, participants without socio-demographic data or those who reported medical history of disease, or a physical disability were excluded. This gave us a total sample of 7,054 eligible school-aged children and adolescents with matching data (longitudinal sample).

Outcomes and subgroups

Guangxi CDC used purposively designed questions for surveillance purposes to assess sedentary behaviour outcomes (Table  1 ).

The primary outcomes of interest included: (1) total sedentary behaviour time, (2) homework time, (3) out-of-campus learning (private tutoring) time, and (4) electronic device use time (Table  1 ). We considered electronic device use time, including mobile phones, handheld game consoles, and tablets, the most suitable estimator of online game time (estimand) in the surveillance programme since these are the main devices used for online gaming in China [ 23 ]. Secondary outcomes were: (1) total screen-viewing time, (2) internet-use time, (3) likelihood of meeting international screen-viewing time recommendations, and (4) likelihood of meeting the regulation on homework time (Table  1 ).

We calculated total sedentary behaviour time as the sum of total screen-viewing time (secondary outcome), homework time, and out-of-campus learning time (Table  1 ). Total screen-viewing time represents the sum of electronic device use time per day, TV/video game use time per day, and computer use time per day (Table  1 ). Total screen-viewing time was considered as an alternative estimator of online game time (estimand) since TV/videogame console use time and computer time could also capture the small proportion of children who use these devices for online gaming (Table  1 ). The international screen-viewing time recommendations were based on the American Academy of Paediatrics guidelines [ 21 ]. We did not include internet use time (secondary outcome) in total screen-viewing time, and total sedentary behaviour time, because this measure likely overlaps with other variables.

We defined subgroups by demographic characteristics, including the child’s sex (at birth: girls or boys), date of birth, education stage [primary school or secondary school [including middle school, high school, and ‘occupational schools’]), children’s residency (urban versus rural) and children’s baseline weight status (non-overweight versus overweight/obesity). Each sampling site selected for the survey was classified by the surveillance personnel as urban/rural and as lower-, medium-, or higher-economic level based on the area’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The area’s GDP per capita was measured by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Trained personnel also measured height, and weight using calibrated stadiometers and scales. Children’s weight/height were measured with light clothing and no shoes. Measurements during both waves were undertaken when students lived a normal life (no lockdowns, school were opened normally). We classified weight status (normal weight vs. overweight/obesity) according to the Chinese national reference charts [ 24 ].

Statistical analyses

We treated sedentary behaviour values that exceeded 24-hours per day as missing. We did not exclude extreme values for body mass index from the analyses 25 . Additional information, justifications, and results of implausible and missing values can be found in the Supplementary Table 1 , Additional File 1 .

The assumptions for normality and heteroscedasticity were assessed visually by inspecting residuals. We assessed multicollinearity via variance inflation factors. The outcome variables for linear regression outcomes were transformed using square roots to meet assumptions. We reported descriptive demographic characteristics (age, sex, area of residence, socioeconomic status), weight status, and outcome variables using means (or medians for non-normally distributed data) and proportions [ 26 ]

We ran multilevel models with random effects nested at the school and child levels to compare the outcomes in Wave 1 against Wave 2. We developed separate models for each sedentary behaviour outcome variable. We treated the introduction of the nationwide regulation as the independent binary variable (0 for Wave 1 and 1 for Wave 2). We ran linear models for continuous outcomes, logistic models for binary outcomes, and ordered logistic models for ordinal outcomes in a complete case analysis estimating population average treatment effects [ 27 ]. For the main analysis, in which participants had measurements in both Waves (longitudinal sample), only those with non-missing data at both time points were included.

We estimated marginal effects for each sedentary behaviour outcome. With a self-developed directed acyclic graph (DAG) we identified age (continuous), sex (male/female), area of residence (urban/rural), and socioeconomic status (high/medium/low) as confounders (see Supplementary Figs. 2–4, Additional File 1 ).

We evaluated subgroup effects defined by child’s sex at birth (boys versus girls), child’s stage of education (primary school versus secondary school [including middle school, high school, and ‘occupational schools’]), children’s residency (rural versus urban), and children’s baseline weight status (non-overweight versus overweight/obesity). We also repeated the covariate-adjusted model with interaction terms (between Wave and sex; Wave and child stage of education; Wave and residency; and Wave and weight status). We adjusted for multiple testing using Bonferroni correction ( p 0.05 divided by the number of performed tests for an outcome). The resulting cut-off point of p  < 0.005 was used to determine the presence of any interaction effects.

We also conducted exploratory analyses (including subgroup analyses) by evaluating the same models with a representative, cross-sectional sample of 99,947 pupils. This cross-sectional sample included different schools and children at Wave 1 and Wave 2. We therefore used propensity score (PS) weighting to account for sample imbalances in the socio-demographic characteristics. Propensity scores were calculated by conducting a logistic regression, which calculated the likelihood of each individual to be in Wave 2 (dependent variable). Individual’s age, sex, area of residence and the GDP per area were treated as independent variables. Subsequently, inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to balance the demographic characteristics in the sample in Wave 1 (unexposed to the regulatory intervention) and Wave 2 (exposed to the regulatory intervention). The sample weight for individuals in Wave 1 were calculated using the Eq. 1/ (1-propensity score). The sample weight for individuals in Wave 2 were calculated using the Eq. 1/propensity score [ 28 ].

We only ran linear models for continuous outcomes since it was not possible to run PS-weighted multilevel models with this sample size in Stata. We conducted all statistical analyses in Stata version 16.0.

Participant sample

In our primary, longitudinal analyses, we analysed data from 7,054 children and adolescents. The mean age was 12.3 years (SD, 2.4) and 3,477 (49.3%) were girls (Table  2 ). More detailed information on characteristics of subgroups in the longitudinal sample are presented in the Supplementary Tables 2–5, Additional File 2 .

Primary outcomes

Children and adolescents reported a reduction in their daily mean total sedentary behaviour time by 13.8% (95% CI: -15.9 to -11.7), or 46 min, on average between Waves 1 and 2. Participants were also less likely to report having increased their time spent on homework (adjusted odd ratio/AOR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.35–0.43) and in out-of-campus learning (AOR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.59) in Wave 2 in comparison to Wave 1, respectively (Tables  3 and 4 ). We did not find any changes in electronic device use time.

Secondary outcomes

Participants reported reducing their mean daily screen-viewing time by 6.4% (95% CI: -9.6 to -3.3%), or 10 min, on average (Tables  3 and 4 ). Participants were also 20% as likely to meet international screen time recommendations (AOR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.32) and were 2.79 times as likely to meet the regulatory requirement on homework time (95% CI: 2.47 to 3.14) compared to the reference group (before the introduction of the regulation).

Subgroup analyses

Most screen- and study-related sedentary behaviour outcomes differed by education stage ( p  < 0.005) (see Supplementary Tables 6–13, Additional File 2 ), with the reductions being larger in secondary school pupils than in primary school pupils (Tables  3 and 4 , and Table  5 ). Only secondary school pupils reduced their total screen-viewing time (-8.4%; 95% CI: -12.4 to -4.3) and were also 1.41 times as likely to meet screen-viewing recommendations (AOR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.23 to 1.61) at Wave 2 compared to Wave 1.

Conversely, at Wave 2, primary school pupils reported a lower likelihood of spending more time doing homework (AOR: 0.30; 95%: 0.26 to 0.34) than secondary school pupils (AOR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.50 to 0.67) compared to their counterparts at Wave 1. At Wave 2, primary school pupils also had a higher likelihood of reporting meeting homework time recommendations (AOR: 3.61; 95% CI: 3.09 to 4.22) than secondary school pupils (middle- and high school) (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.74 to 2.56) compared to their counterparts at Wave 1 (Table  5 ). There was also a residence interaction effect ( p  < 0.001) in total sedentary behaviour time, with participants in urban areas reporting larger reductions (-15.3%; 95% CI: -17.8 to -12.7) than those in rural areas (-11.2%; 95% CI: -15.0 to -7.4). There was no evidence of modifying effects by children’s sex or baseline weight status (Tables  4 and 5 ).

Findings from the exploratory repeated cross-sectional analyses were similar to the findings of the main longitudinal analyses including total sedentary behaviour time, electronic device use time, total screen-viewing time and internet use time (see Supplementary Tables 14–23, Additional File 2 ).

Principal findings

Our study evaluated the impact of the world’s first regulatory, multi-setting intervention on multiple types of sedentary behaviour among school-aged children and adolescents in China. We found that children and adolescents reduced their total sedentary behaviour time, screen-viewing time, homework time and out-of-campus learning time following its implementation. The positive intervention effects on total screen-viewing time (-8.4 vs. -2.3%), and the likelihood of meeting recommendations on screen-viewing time (1.41 vs. 1.02 AOR) were more pronounced in secondary school pupils compared with primary school pupils. Intervention effects on total sedentary behaviour time (-15.3 vs. -11.2%) were more pronounced among pupils living in the urban area (compared to pupils living in the rural area). These subgroup differences imply that the regulatory intervention benefit more the groups known to have a higher rate of sedentary behaviour [ 29 ].

Interestingly, the observed reduction in electronic device use itself did not reach statistical significance following implementation of regulation. This could be viewed as a positive outcome if this is correctly inferred and not the result of reporting bias or measurement error. International data indicated that average sedentary and total screen time have increased among children due to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 ]. However, such interesting finding might be explained by the absence of lockdowns in Guangxi during both surveillance waves when most school-aged students outside China were affected by pandemic mitigation measures such as online learning.

Strengths and weaknesses

Our study has several notable strengths. This is the first study to evaluate the impact of multi-setting nationwide regulations on multiple types of sedentary behaviour in a large and regionally representative sample of children and adolescents. Still, to gain a more comprehensive view of the regulatory intervention on sedentary behaviour across China, similar evaluation research should be conducted in other regions of China. Furthermore, access to a rich longitudinal dataset allowed for more robust claims of causality. The available data also allowed us to measure the effect of the intervention on multiple sedentary behaviours including recreational screen-time and academic-related behaviours. Lastly, the large data set allowed us to explore whether the effect of the regulatory intervention varied across important subgroups, suggesting areas for further research and development.

Some limitations need to be taken into consideration when interpreting our findings. First, a common limitation in non-controlled/non-randomised intervention studies is residual confounding. We aimed to limit this by adjusting our analysis for confounders known to impact the variables of interest, but it is impossible to know whether important confounding may still have been present. With maturation bias, it is possible that secular trends are the cause for any observed effects. However, this seems unlikely in our study as older children may spend more time doing homework [ 23 ] and engage more in screen-viewing activities [ 30 ]. In this study, we observed reductions in these outcomes. The use of self-reported outcomes (social desirability bias) was a limitation and might have led to the intervention effects being over-estimated [ 13 ]. However, since our data were collected as part of a routine surveillance programme, pupils were unaware of the evaluation. This might mitigate reporting bias. In addition, the data were collected in Guangxi which might not representative of the whole population in China. Another limitation is using electronic device use time as a proxy measure of online gaming time. It is possible that electronic devices can be used for other purposes. However, mobile phones, handheld game consoles and tablets are the main devices used for online gaming. In this study, electronic device use time provided a practical means of assessing the broad effects of regulatory measures on screen time behaviours, including online gaming, in a large (province level) surveillance programme. In the future, instruments specifically designed to capture online gaming behaviour should be used in surveillance and research work.

Comparisons with other studies

Neither China nor other countries globally have previously implemented and evaluated multi-setting regulatory interventions on multiple types of sedentary behaviour, which makes comparative discussions challenging. In general, results of health behaviour research over the past decades have shown that interventions that address structural and environmental determinants of multiple behaviours to be more effective in comparison with individual-focussed interventions [ 31 ]. Furthermore, the continuous and universal elements of regulatory interventions may be particularly important explanations for the observed reductions in sedentary behaviour. Standalone school and other institution-led interventions may struggle with financial and logistic costs which threaten long-term implementation [ 13 ]. In contrast, the universality element of regulatory intervention can reduce or remove peer pressures and potential stigmatisation among children and teachers that are often associated with more selective/targeted interventions [ 24 ]. Our findings support WHO guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behaviour that encourage sustainable and scalable approaches for limiting sedentary behaviour and call for more system-wide policies to improve this global challenge[ 8 ].

Implications for future policy and research

Our study has important implications for future research and practice both nationally and internationally. Within China, future research should focus on optimising the implementation of the regulatory intervention through implementation research and assess long-term effects of the regulation on both behavioral and health outcomes. Internationally, our findings also provide a promising policy avenue for other countries and communities outside of China to explore the opportunities and barriers to implement such programmes on sedentary behaviour. This exploratory process could start with assessing how key stakeholders (including school-aged children, parents/carers, schoolteachers, health professionals, and policy makers) within different country contexts perceive regulatory actions as an intervention approach for improving health and wellbeing in young people, and how they can be tailored to fit their own contexts. Within public health domains, including healthy eating promotion, tobacco and alcohol control, regulatory intervention approaches (e.g., smoking bans and sugar taxation) have been adopted. However, regulatory actions for sedentary behaviour are scarce [ 19 ]. Within the education sector, some countries recently banned mobile phone use in schools for academic purpose [ 25 ]. While this implies potential feasibility and desirability of such interventions internationally, there is little research on the demand for, and acceptability of, multi-faceted sedentary behaviour regulatory interventions for the purpose of improving health and wellbeing. It will be particularly important to identify and understand any differences in perceptions and feasibility both within (e.g., public versus policy makers) and across countries of differing socio-cultural-political environments.

This natural experiment evaluation indicates that a multi-setting, regulatory intervention on sedentary behaviour has been effective in reducing total sedentary behaviour, and multiple types of sedentary behaviour among Chinese school-aged children and adolescents. Contextually appropriate, regulatory interventions on sedentary behaviour could be explored and considered by researchers and policy makers in other countries.

Data availability

Access to anonymised data used in this study can be requested through the corresponding author BL, subject to approval by the Guangxi CDC. WZ and SVP have full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Abbreviations

Centre for disease control and prevention

Directed acyclic graph

Gross domestic product

Metabolic equivalents

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Dr Peter Green and Dr Ruth Salway for providing feedback on the initial data analysis plan, and Dr Hugo Pedder and Lauren Scott who provided feedback on the statistical analyses.

This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust through the Global Public Health Research Strand, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research. The funder of our study had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Bai Li, Remco Peters & Charlie Foster

Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK

Selene Valerino-Perea

Department of Nutrition and School Health, Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, China

Weiwen Zhou

School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China

Yihong Xie, Zouyan He & Yunfeng Zou

Centre for Health, Law, and Society, School of Law, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Keith Syrett

Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

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Contributions

BL conceived the study idea and obtained the funding with support from WZ, CF, KS, YX, YZ, ZH and RP. BL, CF, FdV and KS designed the study. WZ led data collection and provided access to the data. YX, SVP and ZH cleaned the data. SVP analysed the data with guidance from BL, FdV and CF. BL, SVP and RP drafted the paper which was revised by other authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript for submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bai Li .

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Ethical approval and consent to participate.

Ethics approvals were granted by the School for Policy Studies Research Ethics Committee at the University of Bristol (reference number SPSREC/20–21/168) and the Research Ethics Committee at Guangxi Medical University (reference number 0136). Written informed consent was obtained from each participant, and a parent or guardian for participants aged < 20 years.

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Li, B., Valerino-Perea, S., Zhou, W. et al. The impact of the world’s first regulatory, multi-setting intervention on sedentary behaviour among children and adolescents (ENERGISE): a natural experiment evaluation. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 21 , 53 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01591-w

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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/16/new-rshe-guidance-what-it-means-for-sex-education-lessons-in-schools/

New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools

RSHE guidance

R elationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is a subject taught at both primary and secondary school.  

In 2020, Relationships and Sex Education was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.  

Last year, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary brought forward the first review of the curriculum following reports of pupils being taught inappropriate content in RSHE in some schools.  

The review was informed by the advice of an independent panel of experts. The results of the review and updated guidance for consultation has now been published.   

We are now asking for views from parents, schools and others before the guidance is finalised. You can find the consultation here .   

What is new in the updated curriculum?  

Following the panel’s advice, w e’re introducing age limits, to ensure children aren’t being taught about sensitive and complex subjects before they are ready to fully understand them.    

We are also making clear that the concept of gender identity – the sense a person may have of their own gender, whether male, female or a number of other categories   – is highly contested and should not be taught. This is in line with the cautious approach taken in our gu idance on gender questioning children.  

Along with other factors, teaching this theory in the classroom could prompt some children to start to question their gender when they may not have done so otherwise, and is a complex theory for children to understand.   

The facts about biological sex and gender reassignment will still be taught.  

The guidance for schools also contains a new section on transparency with parents, making it absolutely clear that parents have a legal right to know what their children are being taught in RSHE and can request to see teaching materials.   

In addition, we’re seeking views on adding several new subjects to the curriculum, and more detail on others. These include:   

  • Suicide prevention  
  • Sexual harassment and sexual violence  
  • L oneliness  
  • The prevalence of 'deepfakes’  
  • Healthy behaviours during pregnancy, as well as miscarriage  
  • Illegal online behaviours including drug and knife supply  
  • The dangers of vaping   
  • Menstrual and gynaecological health including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding.  

What are the age limits?   

In primary school, we’ve set out that subjects such as the risks about online gaming, social media and scams should not be taught before year 3.   

Puberty shouldn’t be taught before year 4, whilst sex education shouldn’t be taught before year 5, in line with what pupils learn about conception and birth as part of the national curriculum for science.  

In secondary school, issues regarding sexual harassment shouldn’t be taught before year 7, direct references to suicide before year 8 and any explicit discussion of sexual activity before year 9.  

Do schools have to follow the guidance?  

Following the consultation, the guidance will be statutory, which means schools must follow it unless there are exceptional circumstances.   

There is some flexibility w ithin the age ratings, as schools will sometimes need to respond to questions from pupils about age-restricted content, if they come up earlier within their school community.   

In these circumstances, schools are instructed to make sure that teaching is limited to the essential facts without going into unnecessary details, and parents should be informed.  

When will schools start teaching this?  

School s will be able to use the guidance as soon as we publish the final version later this year.   

However, schools will need time to make changes to their curriculum, so we will allow an implementation period before the guidance comes into force.     

What can parents do with these resources once they have been shared?

This guidance has openness with parents at its heart. Parents are not able to veto curriculum content, but they should be able to see what their children are being taught, which gives them the opportunity to raise issues or concerns through the school’s own processes, if they want to.

Parents can also share copyrighted materials they have received from their school more widely under certain circumstances.

If they are not able to understand materials without assistance, parents can share the materials with translators to help them understand the content, on the basis that the material is not shared further.

Copyrighted material can also be shared under the law for so-called ‘fair dealing’ - for the purposes of quotation, criticism or review, which could include sharing for the purpose of making a complaint about the material.

This could consist of sharing with friends, families, faith leaders, lawyers, school organisations, governing bodies and trustees, local authorities, Ofsted and the media.  In each case, the sharing of the material must be proportionate and accompanied by an acknowledgment of the author and its ownership.

Under the same principle, parents can also share relevant extracts of materials with the general public, but except in cases where the material is very small, it is unlikely that it would be lawful to share the entirety of the material.

These principles would apply to any material which is being made available for teaching in schools, even if that material was provided subject to confidentiality restrictions.

Do all children have to learn RSHE?  

Parents still have the right to withdraw their child from sex education, but not from the essential content covered in relationships educatio n.  

You may also be interested in:

  • Education Secretary's letter to parents: You have the right to see RSHE lesson material
  • Sex education: What is RSHE and can parents access curriculum materials?
  • What do children and young people learn in relationship, sex and health education

Tags: age ratings , Gender , Relationships and Sex Education , RSHE , sex ed , Sex education

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Brian Murray Named Director of Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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Following a national search, Sanford faculty member  Brian Murray  has been appointed to a five-year term as the director of the  Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability , effective immediately.

Murray, an internationally recognized expert in energy and climate policy, is a research professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of Public Policy. He has served as interim director of the Nicholas Institute since the 2021 merger of the Duke University Energy Initiative and the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions. Previously, Murray led the Energy Initiative from 2016-2021 and was the director for economic analysis at the Nicholas Institute from 2006-2017. 

“Brian Murray’s robust track record as a leader, researcher, and collaborator has equipped him to expertly guide the Nicholas Institute,” said Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies Ed Balleisen. “He emerged as the clear frontrunner among a distinguished group of finalist candidates. His strengths include a deep understanding of Duke and an ability to build trust and productive relationships with diverse stakeholders—both of which are critical to driving interdisciplinary success.”

Murray is among a core group of Duke leaders who have been working alongside Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability Toddi Steelman to launch and advance the  Duke Climate Commitment . Publicly announced in 2022, this university-wide effort unites the university’s education, research, operations, and external engagement missions to address the climate crisis.

“Under Brian’s guidance as interim director, the new Nicholas Institute has thrived, moving in directions that are both highly relevant to the evolving climate conversation and rooted in the strengths and potential of Duke as a university,” said Steelman. “The many stakeholders involved in the search were impressed by Brian’s compelling vision for continuing this forward momentum.”  

Murray earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Delaware and he earned a master’s degree and doctoral degree in resource economics and policy at Duke.

Widely recognized for his research on the economics of energy policy, particularly as it relates to efforts to mitigate climate change risk, Murray has written about the design and assessment of economic incentive mechanisms for decarbonizing the economy such as carbon tax, cap-and-trade, directed tax credits, and tradable performance standards, as well as policies affecting the markets for renewable energy and sustainable land use. 

Prior to working at Duke, Murray served as director of the Center for Regulatory Economics and Policy Research at RTI International, a nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition.

“The Nicholas Institute combines the deep expertise found at a top-tier research university with the action orientation of the most effective private and public sector organizations,” Murray said. “I’m honored to lead the Nicholas Institute team in collaborating with colleagues across the university and with external partners to advance energy and environmental solutions and develop the next generation of impactful leaders in the field.”  

“I am grateful to Brian Murray for ably guiding the Nicholas Institute through its recent merger,” said Provost Alec Gallimore. “As we come to the close of an exhaustive search spearheaded by Toddi Steelman and Ed Balleisen, I share their confidence that Brian will continue to be an exceptional leader of this mission-critical Duke entity.”

The Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability accelerates solutions to critical energy and environmental challenges, advancing a more just, resilient, and sustainable world. The Nicholas Institute conducts and supports actionable research and undertakes sustained engagement with policymakers, businesses, and communities—in addition to delivering transformative educational experiences to empower future leaders.

One of Duke’s signature interdisciplinary units, the Nicholas Institute is also part of the Office of Climate and Sustainability, helmed by Steelman.

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    Too much homework may diminish its effectiveness. While research on the optimum amount of time students should spend on homework is limited, there are indications that for high school students, 1½ to 2½ hours per night is optimum. Middle school students appear to benefit from smaller amounts (less than 1 hour per night).

  9. Homework policy: examples

    Primary school. Shadwell Primary School in Leeds has a homework policy that covers: When pupils take books home for reading. How long they should spend reading at home. English and maths homework. Spelling and times tables expectations. Additional half-termly homework tasks, such as a learning log and key instant recall facts.

  10. Advice on Creating Homework Policies

    Creating a homework policy for younger students in the elementary grades should avoid traditional assignments and focus on building study skills and encouraging learning. Older students after elementary school are ready to take on written assignments rather than using technology and other tools. Putting more focus on study skills will set a ...

  11. PDF Homework Policy

    Homework Policy v1.2, 2020 2 ... it is beneficial for homework in primary school to also be set in this way. ... Try alternative approaches such as games, using post-it notes around the house, special pens etc. • Use IT websites/apps/computing where it is appropriate and supportive.

  12. Homework Policy

    Homework Policy. Homework Policy 2022-23. Rationale. At St Winifred's Primary School we believe that homework is an essential part of pupils' learning. In line with National Curriculum requirements, homework is set and children are encouraged to, and expected to establish good homework habits from the beginning of their school life.

  13. PDF Lothersdale Primary School HOMEWORK POLICY

    Provide a quiet place in which their child can work on their homework either alone or with their support. Guidelines on how long should be spent each day on homework are provided in this policy. If the work is not completed within the time allowed, the child should be encouraged to leave the piece of work and return it to school unfinished.

  14. PDF Hillsmeade Primary School Homework Policy

    If you need help to understand the information in this policy, please contact Hillsmeade Primary School on (03) 9704 6313 or . [email protected]. PURPOSE To outline to our school community the Department's and Hillsmeade Primary School's policy requirements relating to homework. SCOPE

  15. PDF HOMEWORK POLICY

    JOHN GRAHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL HOMEWORK POLICY DEFINITION Homework is an extension and a supplement of class work which has to be completed and/or learnt by learners outside the classroom. There are four types of homework: practice, preparation, extension and completion. Practice assignments reinforce newly acquired skills. Practice also includes ...

  16. Homework Policy

    St. Patrick's N.S. School Policy on Homework. This policy was devised in 2011. It has since been reviewed in 2015 & 2017. It can also be downloaded from the following link: Homework Policy. Homework is given as a means of revising and consolidating the work done in school. We would advise you to check your child's work and remain in regular ...

  17. How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School?

    It encourages time management and responsibility while reinforcing the importance of daily practice. 3. Feedback and Assessment: Use homework for formative assessment, providing constructive feedback to guide students' progress. This feedback loop helps identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.

  18. HOMEWORK POLICY

    Homework Policy and Guidelines for Teachers and Parents. Grade R, 1 and 2. +/- 10 minutes per weekday. Grade 3 and 4. 20 minutes per weekday. Grade 5 and 6. 30 minutes per weekday. Grade 7. 45 to 90 minutes per weekday.

  19. The impact of the world's first regulatory, multi-setting intervention

    The primary outcomes of interest included: (1) total sedentary behaviour time, (2) homework time, (3) out-of-campus learning (private tutoring) time, and (4) electronic device use time (Table 1).We considered electronic device use time, including mobile phones, handheld game consoles, and tablets, the most suitable estimator of online game time (estimand) in the surveillance programme since ...

  20. DeWine signs school cellphone policy bill into law

    COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As the school year comes to an end, officials have some summer homework to do: implementing a cellphone policy. On Wednesday, Gov. Mike DeWine joined leaders and middle ...

  21. New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools

    In primary school, we've set out that subjects such as the risks about online gaming, social media and scams should not be taught before year 3. Puberty shouldn't be taught before year 4, whilst sex education shouldn't be taught before year 5, in line with what pupils learn about conception and birth as part of the national curriculum for ...

  22. Privolzhye, Samara Oblast

    Privolzhye, Samara Oblast. Coordinates: 52°51′27″N 48°35′17″E. Privolzhye ( Russian: Приволжье) is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Privolzhsky District, Samara Oblast, Russia. Population: 7,480 ( 2010 Census); [1] 7,481 ( 2002 Census); [2] 7,158 ( 1989 Census). [3]

  23. The Castle

    Garibaldi Castle is a sprawling medieval construction that dominates the small town of Khryashchevka, Samara. Built in the Neo-Gothic Style the intricate facade, Historical exhibitions, and dazzling stories that runs through the Castle walls will leave you in wonder.

  24. Brian Murray Named Director of Nicholas Institute for Energy

    Brian Murray Following a national search, Sanford faculty member Brian Murray has been appointed to a five-year term as the director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, effective immediately. Murray, an internationally recognized expert in energy and climate policy, is a research professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of ...

  25. PDF 48 Homework Policy (Reformatted)

    Homework should not place onerous demands on children or their parents. We recognise the critical role that parents play in their child's learning and we will always work to support parents in supporting their child. A guide for parents is available in Appendix 1. Status: APPROVED. Version: 1.1, 2017. Date Approved: 28 February 2017.

  26. Russia's Kuibyshev oil refinery halts primary unit after drone attack

    The Rosneft -owned Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russia's city of Samara halted CDU-5, one of two primary refining units, knocking out half of its capacity following a drone attack over the weekend ...