What is a Current Learning Grade?
This is the grade that your child is assessed to be working at. It is a holistic grade that incorporates a range of assessment evidence

Should I be concerned if my child’s CLG is a long way from their end of year target?
At Denbigh we have the highest aspirations for our students and, as such, we set very challenging targets. Obviously at the beginning of the year they are likely to be further from their target than at the end of the year, so please bear this in mind when looking at your child’s report. We recognise that progress is not necessarily linear, students will progress at different speeds. However, that gap to target does serve as a useful, if somewhat blunt, tool for assessing student’s progress. If you have any concerns regarding the gap to target, then please do contact your child’s subject teacher of HOY-Progress in the first instance.

How many progress reports will I receive each year?
Parents will receive three progress reports each academic year. These are a slightly different times depending on which year group your child is in. Exact dates will be confirmed at the beginning of the school year. We will send a ParentMail communication home to notify parents when the reports are available on SIMS.

My child is in Year 7 and doesn’t have an end of year target. Why?
In Year 7, students are assessed within a different assessment framework. Students are awarded a mastery grade which will be either Emerging, Developing, Secure or Exceeding. We do not assign students an end of year target.

Why does my child not get homework every week?
At Denbigh School we believe that homework should only be set when it enhances learning and fits into the scheme of learning.  Therefore, all classes may have up to two weeks every half-term when they are not set homework.  In some subjects it works better to have one piece of longer homework every two weeks rather than a shorter piece each week.

How much homework should my child get?
For students in years 7-8 the amount of homework that is set depends upon how many hours a week a student is taught that subject.  The amount also increases as your child moves through the school.  Please note that some subjects such as DBT and Core PE do not set homework. Students in year 9-11 should spend approximately 45 minutes completing each piece of homework. Students in year 12-13 should receive 2 hours of homework per week in each subject that they study. We would also expect students in years 12 and 13 to do approximately two hours per week of independent study per subject.

How will I know if my child has been set homework?
Teachers will place basic homework detail onto the SIMS App for parents to view. This will only show minimal details such as the title of the homework and the date it has been set, as well as when it is due. If you would like more information about the piece of homework that has been set then please ask your child to show you their Teams page. All homework instructions are placed onto Teams for students to access.

How will my child’s homework be acknowledged by their teacher?
At Denbigh School teachers are not expected to formally mark every piece of homework.  Some online homework tasks such as Tassomi, GCSE Pod, SENECA and MyMaths give real time feedback to students and feedback to the class teacher, so no further marking is required.  Some homework tasks lend themselves to class feedback rather than individual written comments.  In every subject there is regular feedback given to students and this has been planned into the schemes of learning by teachers.

How can I support my child with their homework?
Parents have a crucial role to play in supporting their children.  The best thing a parent can do is show a genuine interest in what their child is doing.  Please ask them about their homework, alongside what they have learnt that day and please do encourage them to do their best.  You can help your child with organising their work by using the SIMS App to see what work has been set.  If you can encourage them to complete tasks before the deadline this would be a big help as meeting deadlines is a major life skill and essential in the world of work. The tasks are all on Teams so please check your child has access to this.  Please also communicate with the school if you have any concerns or questions about homework.

What happens if I have any questions about homework?
We hope that by using Teams we have made completing homework as easy and straightforward as we can.  Instructions and information sheets cannot be lost from an online platform.  Teams also removes the need to print work helping to reduce costs to parents and the environment.  If there is an issue accessing homework or your child is experiencing any difficulties with the tasks that have been set, please email their class teacher in the first instance.  If this does not resolve your queries, then please contact your child’s Head of Year for Progress.