Prendergast Ladywell

Curriculum, Homework, Remote Learning and Extracurricular Activities

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A rich and varied curriculum that inspires and engages students is the most important thing a school can offer.

At Prendergast Ladywell School we have thought carefully about our curriculum across the school and have made number of changes and refinements to improve it for the academic year 2023-24, see our Super Curriculum

Our curriculum provides both the breadth to allow students to experience a variety of subject areas, but also the depth, particularly in the core skills of literacy and numeracy, that allow students a strong academic foundation upon which to build their skills.

You can explore our curriculum offer in more depth by subject area by clicking here: select a subject

Please see our Curriculum Faculty Statement: curriculum-at-prendergast-ladywell-school

KS4 Courses/Examinations Board:

AQA:

GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES A

GCSE SOCIOLOGY

GCSE ART & DESIGN (FINE ART)

GCSE MEDIA STUDIES

GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE

PEARSON EDEXCEL:

BTEC LEVEL 2 1ST AWARD IN MUSIC

BTEC LEVEL 2 1ST AWARD IN SPORT

BTEC LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL AWARD IN PERFORMING ARTS

GCSE MATHS,

GCSE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY,

GCSE HISTORY

GCSE FRENCH,

GCSE SPANISH,

ALL OTHER COMMUNITY LANGUAGES

OCR:

GCSE COMBINED SCIENCE B (21ST CENTURY SCIENCE)

GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE

CAMBRIDGE NATIONAL IN ENTERPRISE AND MARKETING

WELSH BOARD (WJEC):

GCSE GEOGRAPHY A

 

To find out more about the curriculum the School is following, please email admin@prendergast-ladywell.com and your query will be forwarded to the best person to help you.

Our Homework policy is outlined below, and can also be downloaded from our Policies page.

Homework 

The school values the work students do both in the school and at home. Homework provides an opportunity for students to work independently, to research, to carry out specific tasks and to complete work started in class. It is also valuable to “read round” a topic and extend the class work. The curriculum that a student follows should be reflected in the homework that a student is given and should extend the student’s prior learning. Homework is not just a time-filler but a valuable and integral part of the programmes of study being undertaken.

Homework may be required for the following day/week/month (in terms of coursework). There are, however, occasions when work will need to be completed before the next stage can be taught, and it will be necessary for students to complete this work on the evening it is set and for teachers to mark it.

Purpose:

  • To enhance the learning process and provide additional opportunities for study. To provide opportunities to develop independent research skills.
  • To provide the opportunity to use, consolidate, and revise the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom.
  • To build increasing student involvement in their own learning.
  • To develop student confidence, motivation and awareness.
  • To enhance the partnership between home and school.

The amount of homework

The following time allocation should be regarded as guidelines, the quality and relevance of the homework is more relevant than quantity.

  • Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8, 9) can expect approximately 5 hours homework per week.
  • English are to set two homework items per week.
  • Mathematics and Science are to set minimum of one piece of homework per week. An additional homework may be set as required.
  • History, Geography, RE, Art, MFL and Technology to set one homework per fortnight.
  • Drama, Music and PE are to set two pieces of homework per half-term.
  • Key Stage 4 (Years 10, 11) can expect approximately 5-10 hours homework per week.

All GCSE examinable subjects are to set a minimum of one piece of homework per week.

Extended projects over a longer period may be given but there must be an entry into the planner every time homework is due to be set to act as a reminder to students, to inform parents and to make monitoring of homework easier.

Teachers will ensure that:

  • Homework is recorded in the student’s planner.
  • Students are given adequate time to write homework details. If this is left to the very end of the lesson, insufficient time often leads to inadequate details of what is required being written in the students planner.
  • Students are reminded to write homework title in exercise books. (Headed homework, title, date).
  • Homework set is appropriate to the age and ability of students taking into account special educational needs.
  • Tasks are wide-ranging and structured and their purpose explained to students.
  • The majority of homework tasks to be completed in students exercise books.
  • Homework is set, and marked in line with the school’s policies and agreed standards.
  • They issue and log rewards and sanctions related to homework in line with guidance in BFL policy.
  • Record homework completion or mark awarded as homework activity in the mark book.

Tutors

Check and sign planners weekly and set targets or take action against those students who do not the homework tasks regularly.

Year Leaders

  • Monitor the setting of homework via planners.
  • Take action when a student is persistently failing to complete homework.

Faculty and Subject Leaders

  • Lead their teams in discussing and setting appropriate tasks.
  • Monitor the setting of homework by their teams.
  • Monitor the quality and appropriateness of homework set by their team through regular learning walks and books scrutiny.
  • Encourage their teams to assist in the provision of extracurricular opportunities to support homework.
  • Homework is a standing item in faculty meetings at least once per half-term.

Headship Team

Have an overview of the setting and completion of homework across years and faculties through the review and line management meetings.

Students will ensure that they:

  • Have planner on the desk at the start of each lesson.
  • Copy accurately the homework details and note the date the work is due to be handed in.
  • Do their best with each piece of work.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to spending an allocated time completing the tasks set.
  • Complete their homework on time.
  • Ask parents, teachers or mentors for help if they need it before the homework deadline.
  • Homework should be clearly identified in exercise books (headed homework, title, date).
  • Failure to complete homework on time will result with warning and extended deadline to the next day. Failure to meet extension deadline will result in one hour detention. If a failure to complete homework becomes a regular occurrence the subject teacher should:
  • Seek assistance from the Head of Faculty.
  •  Inform Tutor/Year Leader, who can act if general pattern across departments emerges.

Parents are asked:

  • To provide a reasonably quiet, suitable place for the completion of homework.
  • Encourage their child to complete homework, praising them when it is done well.
  • Be aware of the deadlines and checking that homework is on target to be completed.
  • Give help, if required, but do not do the work for their child.
  • Keep the school informed about any issues relating to homework.

 Marking of homework

  • Homework should be valued and marked within two weeks of its due date.
  • Teachers should make a check whether homework has been completed on the due date.
  • Homework should be marked in accordance with the school marking policy.

Monitoring of homework

  • Homework set should always be recorded in students’ planners. Parents are asked to sign the planners weekly and alert the tutor should they have any concerns about the amount or nature of homework set.
  • Tutors monitor whether students are recording the homework by checking planners weekly.
  • Heads of Faculty/ Subject Leaders should monitor if the homework is set and the quality of homework set through learning walks and at least half-termly book scrutiny.
  • A sample of parents and students will be surveyed to provide feedback about homework.

We will know if this policy has been effective if:

Teachers:

  • Set an appropriate homework specified in the homework timetable.
  • Set tasks that provide suitable challenge and support.
  • Check and record that the homework has been completed and take action when it has not.
  • Mark homework and provide appropriate feedback about how improvements can be made.

Students:     

  • Always have their planner and use it to record homework and ensure that the task is understood.
  • Demonstrate commitment to learning by completing the tasks se to the best of their ability.
  • Hand the work in on time.

Remote Learning

Lessons will take place at the time scheduled on your timetable.  For instance, if a lesson is due to take place during Period 1 on a Monday, that lesson would start at 08:50am on a Monday.  You should use your timetable to select the correct team at the correct time.   

Your teacher will give you clear guidance at the start of the lesson on Google Meet as to how the lesson will run.  There will be a mix of live interactive teaching and independent work to complete from Google Meet.  

Expectations of the online class   

  1. Arrive to lesson on time. You can find the lesson posted as a link in Google Meet, please check both places carefully.   
  2. You should be in a shared space in your house and you should use headphones where possible.
  3. Please join with your camera and microphone off.  Most lessons will be audio only for students (teachers may have their own cameras on).  Please follow the direction of your teachers regarding the use of any camera.  
  4. Only unmute your microphone when directed to by your teacher to answer a question or take part in a discussion.    
  5. If you are asked to turn your camera on you should use a background from Google Meet.  If this is not possible you should have a neutral background.
  6. Ask any questions using the ‘meeting chat’ function, your teacher will reply when they have the opportunity.  The reply maybe in writing or verbally.  
  7. Private chat is not allowed during lessons (this feature will normally be turned off).  
  8. All conversations and questions should be appropriate to the lesson and be centred around the learning.  
  9. Please ensure you behave to the standards expected during any online session.   
  10. Teachers will award Reward and Behaviour points as if it were a normal lesson.
  11. No recordings of the lesson should be taken by you - this includes both audio and visual. If you have any concerns about the lesson, please speak to your teacher.

Please be aware that all Google Meet is monitored by the school. Should these protocols not be followed, appropriate sanctions will be taken in line with the school behaviour & community relationships policy with regard to the appropriate use of technology in school.

If you have any concerns regarding online lessons, please contact your child’s pastoral manager/year leader.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Please see our Extra-curricular offer for PE, Homework Club, our Music Enrichment Clubs, our Drama Offer (House of Thespians) and Extra-Curricular-Clubs-2023-24

Our sports successes

  • Prendergast Ladywell School were voted the best sporting school in Lewisham 2010-2011 and 2011-2012.
  • Prendergast Ladywell School have been acknowledged as the school in Lewisham that have continued to enter and compete in the most competitions during 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. We have medalled in more local competitions than any other Lewisham school as a result our enthusiasm for sport, commitment and extremely high engagement levels.
  • Student Leadership has been developed to work in collaboration with Lewisham partners to assist with the delivery of primary school sports across the borough.

Students are encouraged to join extra-curricular clubs to further develop both their knowledge and practical ability.

Duke of Edinburgh Award