Homework

Homework at Gordon Children’s Academy

At Gordon Children’s Academy, we believe that learning continues beyond the classroom. Our homework approach is designed to support children’s progress, strengthen knowledge, and build good habits for independent learning.

Our Homework Expectations:

Reading every night
We expect all children to read at home every evening. Reading is the single most important way to support your child’s learning, vocabulary, and imagination. Unless children are a free reader, they will have a book carefully matched to their phonic and reading levels. In addition to this, they may have chosen a book from their trip to the school or local library which is a book they want to share with their family to read for pleasure.

Weekly Online Homework with Carousel Learning
From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils at The Gordon Children’s Academy complete weekly online homework using Carousel Learning, our dedicated platform for retrieval-based quizzes. These short, focused tasks are designed to strengthen long-term memory by encouraging children to recall and apply what they’ve previously learned - a proven method known as retrieval practice.

Retrieval practice helps pupils:

• Reinforce and organise knowledge over time
• Make connections between new and existing learning
• Build confidence in recalling key concepts

Before attempting the quizzes, children (and parents) can review digital flashcards provided on the platform to support understanding. The questions are carefully selected to reflect prior classroom learning - sometimes from the previous week, or even earlier in the term - to reduce forgetting and deepen retention.

Children self-mark their answers, promoting reflection and the development of metacognitive skills. Teachers then review the responses, discuss common misconceptions or standout answers with the class, and use this insight to inform future lesson planning.

Access to Carousel Learning is provided via your child’s Microsoft Teams account, and pupils log in using their full name.

Need extra practice?
Additional homework can be set upon request by parents or pupils, offering tailored support when needed.

Times Table Rock Stars & NumBots 

At The Gordon Children’s Academy, we use Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) and NumBots to help pupils develop rapid recall of number facts and build strong foundations in maths.

NumBots is ideal for younger children or those still mastering basic number skills. It focuses on addition, subtraction, and number bonds through fun, interactive games that build fluency and confidence.

Times Table Rock Stars is designed for pupils who are ready to tackle multiplication and division facts. It helps children improve speed and accuracy with times tables - an essential skill for success in maths.

How to Use at Home:

• Pupils should aim to log in at least 3–4 times per week for short, focused sessions (10–15 minutes is perfect).
  • Encourage your child to play in different game modes to keep it fun and varied.
  • Celebrate progress—whether it’s earning coins, improving speed, or climbing the leaderboard.
  • Parents can support by watching a game or asking children to explain what they’ve learned—it helps reinforce understanding.

Accessing the Platforms:

• At the start of each term, we provide you with a print-out of all your child's log in details. If you need these resent or are having any problems, please speak to your child's class teacher.
• Both platforms are accessible via web browser or app on tablets and smartphones.

Why Homework Matters
Homework helps children to:

• Reinforce and recall what they have learned in school which strengthens their learning
• Develop independence and responsibility for their learning
• Build routines and self-discipline that prepare them for secondary school and beyond
• Share their learning with parents and carers at home

When children regularly complete their reading and quizzes, we see a real difference in their confidence, progress, and ability to recall key knowledge in lessons.

Our Approach:

We strongly encourage all children to complete homework every week. While homework is not formally sanctioned if it is not completed, we expect families to support our approach so that children gain the maximum benefit from their education.

Our staff are always happy to help if children have trouble accessing or completing their homework. Please speak to your child’s class teacher if you need support.

For full details of our approach, please read our Homework Policy (insert link).