Students at UIS are engaged in a full day of study from 08:10 to 15:50. For this reason, it is the policy of the school to regulate the amount of homework given to its students carefully. Homework tasks are intended to complement the learning taking place at school, whilst also respecting the school’s belief that activities such as sport, cultural pursuits, unstructured play and rest are all an essential part of a child’s development. Homework tasks set will be directly connected to the work that is taking place in the classroom and be age and developmentally appropriate.

To be most effective, parents, carers, staff and the students need to understand its purpose. We believe,

• It reinforces skills which have been taught in school and gives children the opportunity to practice what they have learnt;
• It encourages self-discipline as the children take responsibility for their learning;
• It promotes independent learning;
• It provides teachers with the opportunity to support and extend individual children;
• It encourages children to share their learning with parents and carers;
• It helps parents and carers to become involved in their children’s learning.

At the start of the year, during class meetings, all teachers will outline to students and parents the homework expectations for their Grade/Class. The time allocated for reading and other forms of homework will gradually increase as students become older. Homework tasks will not be given with the expectation that they are to be completed for the next day.

In the Elementary School, the English and Italian teachers will work together to coordinate the assigning of homework to ensure that workloads do not become excessive and students have adequate time for other activities.

In the Middle School, staff will coordinate the assigning of homework and test dates to ensure that workloads do not become excessive and to ensure that students are not reviewing more than two subjects on any given night.

All students in the school will make use of their homework diary to record both the details of any task that needs to be completed, as well as the due date for assignments or tests that are coming up. If students are unable to complete homework tasks for any reason, parents should contact the teacher concerned via the homework diary or by email. Incomplete homework will need to be completed, irrespective of the circumstances.

Parents who are concerned about homework should always speak to the teacher concerned in the first instance and after that to the Head of Department.

The following is a guideline to the number of hours that should be allocated to homework: