St. Ignatius Approach to Home Learning
St. Ignatius Approach to Home Learning
At St. Ignatius Catholic Primary School, we believe that home learning plays an important role in reinforcing the knowledge and skills children develop in school. It helps children practise key skills, develop independence and build positive learning habits.
Our approach to home learning has been designed to be consistent across the school, manageable for families and focused on the areas that have the greatest impact on learning.
Our Approach
Home learning at St. Ignatius focuses on reading, spelling and mathematics, alongside opportunities for children to practise key knowledge independently.
We aim for home learning to:
- consolidate and practise learning from the classroom
- support the development of independent learning habits
- encourage regular reading for pleasure
- strengthen core skills in reading, spelling and mathematics
- provide opportunities for families to engage with their child’s learning
Home learning is designed to be short, purposeful and achievable, ensuring children can complete it successfully alongside their other commitments.
Reading
Reading is the most important home learning children can do.
Children are expected to read regularly at home and share books with parents or carers. Reading supports vocabulary development, comprehension and enjoyment of stories and information texts.
Parents can support reading by:
- listening to their child read
- discussing characters, events and ideas in the text
- encouraging a love of books and stories
Children may also access digital reading platforms where appropriate.
Spelling
Children are given weekly spelling words to practise at home. These link to spelling patterns and rules being taught in class.
Regular practice helps children to:
- develop secure spelling knowledge
- recognise common spelling patterns
- apply these words accurately in their writing.
Mathematics
Mathematics home learning focuses on developing fluency and confidence with number facts.
This may include:
- practising multiplication tables
- number fluency activities
- online platforms such as Times Tables Rock Stars or other maths programmes used in school.
Short, regular practice helps children build the automatic recall they need to become confident mathematicians.
Online Learning Platforms
In some year groups, children may use online learning platforms to support home learning. These platforms allow children to practise key skills and provide teachers with information about their progress.
This includes:
Teachers will provide guidance to families about how these should be used.
Supporting Your Child
Parents and carers play an important role in supporting home learning. Encouraging a positive attitude towards learning, providing a quiet space to work and celebrating effort can make a significant difference.
If families ever have questions about home learning, they are encouraged to speak with their child’s class teacher.
Our Aim
Our goal is to ensure that home learning is purposeful, manageable and supportive of children’s progress, helping every pupil at St. Ignatius to grow in confidence and develop strong learning habits for the future.