1. Our School
Booterstown National School, Cross Avenue, Co. Dublin is a national school in the state education system. The school is under Church of Ireland patronage and is managed by a Board of Management appointed by the patron, the Archbishop of Dublin.
The school is co-educational and caters for pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class
There are five teachers in the school, a principal, a deputy principal, a special duties teacher and two assistant teachers. The school has a full time Learning Support Resource Teacher and a part-time Resource Teacher.
There are approximately 90 pupils in the school. The pupils range in age from 4 years to 12 years.
There are currently 61 families who have children attending the school. These families reside locally in a catchment area which roughly covers the parish areas of Booterstown, Mount Merrion and Monkstown. The families of the school are very supportive of the life and work of the school
2. The Rationale For Homework
The assignment of homework has a number of purposes
Homework cultivates the habit of private study and learning. This will be required in 2nd and 3rd level education and so laying down the habit early in life will be beneficial in the long run.
Homework provides opportunity to consolidate work which is learned in school. Children required varying amounts of time to ensure consolidation in, for example, spellings and tables. Homework allows for this.
Some work once assigned, and once the skills to perform that work are imparted, can easily be undertaken without supervision.
3. The Role of Parents
Parents will normally have a lively interest in homework assignments. Over time, some children will lose interest in homework and may perform less than adequately unless parents take an interest.
It is not expected that parents will re-teach material covered in school.
Parents are encouraged to provide an environment in which homework is done which is:
- Comfortable
- Free of distractions such as TV or younger/older siblings who are not doing homework.
Parents are encouraged to set regular times for doing homework and to stick to these times.
The necessity for doing homework at times when children are not tired or hungry is emphasised.
Parents should set a time during which a homework assignment would be completed. This will range from up to 10 minutes in Junior & Senior Infants and up to 40/45 minutes in 5th/6th classes as a maximum.
Parents of children who persistently have difficulty completing homework within set times are advised to bring this to the attention of the class teacher, so that satisfactory arrangements can be made.
Parents will bring to the teachers attention occasions when it was impossible for children to do/complete homework for whatever reason. As far as possible, failure to complete homework should be kept to an absolute minimum.
4. The Role of Teachers
• Teachers assign homework
• The homework assigned will be commensurate with children’s abilities and will be capable of completion within a reasonable time, but in any event should not ever take longer than 45 minutes.
• Teachers correct homework
• Teachers take account of any persistent difficulties individual children may have and will make suitable individual arrangements, if this is necessary.
• Teachers are available for consultation with parents regarding concerns parents may have.
5. The Role of Children
• As children move through the developmental stages of early childhood up to 12 years, they will gradually assume more responsibility for their own homework.
• Children will ensure they carry home the appropriate equipment, texts and copies to complete homework. In the early stages of Primary School this will be supervised closely by teachers and parents but gradually children will assume the full responsibility for this by 6th class.
6. The Content of Homework
• In Junior and Senior Infants, homework will take the form of reading assignments. This includes the use of a word box in Junior Infants. Children will also receive a short assignment in letter or numeral recognition and mastery.
• Children in 1st and 2nd classes receive a written exercise, some spellings and some reading practice each night.
• In 3rd to 6th classes, homework consists of some reading, spellings, tables, maths, a written exercise and from time to time some memorising work, research, revision or preparation work may also be given.
7. General
• No homework is set for children on Friday or over mid-term breaks or during holidays.
• Children in 1st – 6th classes have homework notebooks. These should be inspected regularly by parents. Parents should feel free to communicate with teachers by writing brief notes in homework notebooks.
• While it is not deemed necessary for parents to sign homework notebooks, parents may wish to do this. From time to time, parents and teachers may agree to sign homework notebooks to affect an improvement in the quality of work. It will always be the aim to graduate from having to do this over time as children assume personal responsibility for adequate preparation of homework.
In line with our aim of promoting health in our school, we have a healthy school lunch policy.
AIM
The aim of our healthy school lunch policy is to encourage eating habits which are:
• Low in fat
• High in fibre
• Low in sugar
• Low in salt
REGULAR CHOICES
For healthier school lunches, choose the following foods regularly:
• Milk, cheese and yoghurt (low fat choices frequently)
• Fish, chicken, lean meat or eggs
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Wholegrain bread
• Low fat butter or low fat spread
TREAT FOODS
Treat foods are limited to one per week on a Friday –
No Fizzy Drinks or glass bottles allowed on any day.
N.B – Please note that Nut foods of any type are not allowed in school.