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.