Independent Study Guidance

Independent study refers to any task or assignment a student completes in addition to timetabled lessons. This could be completed in a number of places including at home, in a co-curricular Independent Study club or in the library at lunchtimes.

Research by the Education Endowment Fund has found that students who regularly complete Independent Study can make five months of additional progress in comparison to those who do not. They are therefore considerably more likely to be successful in their GCSE examinations if they are motivated and extend their learning time through Independent Study.

Independent Study may look different in different subjects, but it is likely to include opportunities for students to practice and apply learning that has been covered in lessons, retrieval practice of topics covered in the past, revision for exams and some extended projects. Some subjects make use of a variety of online apps such as Sparx, GCSE pod and Seneca. We encourage students to access these regularly, beyond what is set through Independent Study to extend their learning. Completing Independent Study will also support students in developing effective revision habits in preparation for their exams and improve key skills valued by colleges, universities and employers such as self motivation, resilience and organisational skills.

Students should follow the Independent Study timetable to know when tasks will be set for them.

In Years 7-9 students should be completing approximately 1 hour of Independent Study a night.

Students in Years 10-11 should be completing between 1 hour and 1.5 hours per subject per week. It is an expectation that all students complete Independent Study and merits will be awarded when this is completed well.

For information about our Remote Learning Provision, please click here.

KS3 Independent Study Timetable

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How can I help my child revise for their exams?

The most important factor in how successful a child is at school is how involved their parents are.

Being involved can just mean taking an interest, but there are also others things that you can do to help your child achieve in their exams, tests and coursework.

Below are some ideas that parents have given us. It would be great if you could let us know if you have used a different but successful idea with your child so we can add it to the list. To do this, please e-mail enquiries@stockport-academy.org.

  • Get your child to 'teach' you something as research shows that, while we learn only 10% of what we read, we learn 95% of what we teach to someone else.
  • Support and encourage them to achieve while making sure that they do not feel under too much pressure. Help them to see how important achievement in exams is to their future.
  • Help them to draw up a revision timetable prior to any exams or tests. Make sure that their social life/ job is not interfering with their studying. They need rest and sleep to make sure that their brains are active and open to learning.
  • Talk to your child about what the subjects and exams are about, what they have to do in them and whether they feel confident in doing well. A child talking about their learning will help them to think about their learning needs. If they have any worries, encourage them to see their teacher or you can contact the teacher concerned.
  • Encourage your child to use revision websites, for example, www.bbc.co.uk/revision
  • Encourage your child to attend revision classes.
  • Encourage your child to use a variety of appropriate revision methods and equipment e.g. highlighter pens, tape recordings, and post-it notes. Discuss with them how these methods work and help them choose the best one for them.
  • Encourage the use of any revision guides from school and discuss them with your child.
  • When your child is revising, encourage them to drink water and take regular breaks.
  • Support them with their work by talking through with them what they have to do. Please note, support does not mean doing it for them or correcting their work!
  • Make sure they use their planner to keep up with homework. If a pupil gets behind, it is hard to catch up later.

Remember: Homework is important for your child's learning!

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