Homework
Current Families
What is homework at Preston?
At Preston High School, we firmly believe that learning extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom. As such, homework – a task that is designed by the teacher to be completed at home – is a critical part of learning at Preston High School. To support the students’ understanding of what homework is, we call our homework PPR tasks. PPR stands for Practice, Prepare, and Revise – the main activities that students can do at home with teacher and family support.
Why we use it
Preston High School encourages students to take ownership of their learning beyond the school. Independent learning through PPR tasks to promote individual interests, problem solving skills, and a responsibility for self-learning. The ongoing assignment work gives students valuable practice in working independently, consolidating and applying their learning, while developing positive consistent study habits.
How you can support your child
At Preston High School, all PPR tasks are shared through the online Compass portal. Initially uploaded by teachers, both students and families can see the work, what is required and when it is due.
Average homework expectation per week
One of the most common questions asked by families and students is how much homework is there. The amount of homework varies both for the sub-school as well as the time during the year. The table below outlines the average weekly homework expectations per sub-school. Please note that homework is separate to study.
Da Vinci Years
4-5 hours
Bandler Parks Years
5-6 hours
Ada Lovelace Years
7-10 hours
Instrumental Music
3 hours of practice per week
- Maths teachers will allocate 1 hour of maths skill/fluency building per week
- Teachers will allocate approximately 2-3 hours of work to be completed at home in the lead up to, or as part of, each learning task.
As mentioned above, study and homework are two distinct practices. Homework, done by completing PPR tasks, is work designed by the teacher for students to complete at home. These could be discrete tasks or ongoing assignments that students use to support and extend classroom learning. Study, however, are student directed tasks that either broaden or deepen student understanding of the content, or involve revisiting the information learnt in class for long-term retention. Studying is a critical part of student learning and needs to occur independently to the PPR tasks set by teachers.
Families can see if students do not complete their PPR tasks by the allocated time through the Parent portal of Compass. It is the student’s responsibility to chase up unfinished work for their classroom teacher. Should a student develop a trend of not submitting their work on time, their classroom teacher will be in touch with families to talk through ways of supporting the student.
