We encourage home learning to be a positive and supportive experience that helps children develop independence, confidence, and good learning habits. Activities set for home are designed to reinforce what has already been taught in school and should be manageable within busy family routines. Reading regularly, practising key skills, and talking together about learning all make a valuable difference. We encourage parents to support and encourage their child, while reassuring them that effort is always more important than getting everything right.
At DPS, we focus home learning around reading, spelling, handwriting and Times Tables. All of these are essential life skills and are vital in enabling pupils to access our engaging and exciting curriculum.
Reading regularly at home is one of the most important ways you can support your child’s learning and confidence. Sharing books helps to build fluency, vocabulary, and a love of reading, and we encourage children to record each read in their home reading diary. To celebrate regular reading, every five recorded reads earns your child a raffle ticket, which is entered into a draw for the chance to win a book prize. We aim to make reading enjoyable, rewarding, and something children feel proud of both at home and at school.
Spelling homework is closely linked to the Read Write Inc. (RWI) scheme used in school to ensure consistency and progression. Each week, children are given a list of words to practise at home, focusing on the phonics patterns and spelling rules they are learning in class. These words should be practised regularly and will be tested weekly, helping children to build confidence, accuracy, and secure spelling habits over time. Spelling homework will be set weekly using Seesaw or alternatively a paper copy.
Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) is used in school to help children develop rapid recall and confidence with their multiplication and division facts. Through short, engaging games and regular practice, TTRS helps children improve accuracy, speed, and fluency in a fun and motivating way. Using TTRS little and often supports children’s progress in maths lessons and helps prepare them for more complex problem‑solving as they move through school. Click here to play.
Numbots is used in school to help children develop secure number knowledge and confidence with key maths skills such as addition and subtraction. Through short, interactive games, children practise essential number facts in a fun and engaging way that builds fluency and understanding. Regular use of Numbots both in school and at home supports children’s progress in maths and helps them become confident and independent learners. Click here to play.
Across school, we send home weekly opportunities for pupils to practise their handwriting, using our school scheme by Martin Harvey as a guide. Handwriting homework will be set weekly on Seesaw or a paper copy.
As well as the homework above, which we expect all children to complete, there will also be opportunities for additional optional homework to be completed. Each half-term we will send home an optional homework menu which will contain suggestions for home learning ideas to extend learning in the classroom. Each piece of home learning completed from this menu will be displayed and celebrated in school once completed. See below for an example. This homework will be set at the start of each half-term on Seesaw or alternatively via a paper menu.
