Out of School Learning at Leeds Jewish Free School

At Leeds Jewish Free School, we believe that learning should be purposeful, meaningful and support students to become increasingly independent learners. As students transition from primary to secondary school, families will notice that our approach to homework and out of school learning differs from the primary school model.

The Department for Education highlights the importance of independent study and developing the skills needed for future learning, while Ofsted does not place emphasis on the quantity of homework completed, but rather on how effectively learning supports the curriculum and students' progress. Our approach reflects these principles.

LJFS operates a longer school day than many schools, providing students with increased guided learning hours and opportunities to complete learning within the school day. Combined with our small class sizes, this means teachers are able to provide more personalised support, immediate feedback and targeted intervention during lessons. As a result, much of the practice, reinforcement and consolidation of learning that might traditionally be completed as homework can be effectively undertaken in the classroom with teacher guidance.

The nature and amount of out of school learning will vary between subjects. Some subjects may require students to complete specific tasks, undertake wider reading, conduct research, learn vocabulary, revise key knowledge, practise key skills or complete coursework-related activities at home. Teachers will set additional work where it is necessary to support learning, reinforce understanding or prepare students for assessments.

As students move into secondary education, we also place increasing importance on personal responsibility and independent study. Students are expected to review their learning, revisit key knowledge and develop effective revision habits. To support this, all students will receive an assessment preparation booklet in the coming weeks. This comprehensive resource has been carefully designed to help students revise independently and prepare for their assessment week in November. The booklet will provide structured guidance, key knowledge and activities to support successful study at home.

As a school community, we also recognise the importance of family time and Jewish observance. For this reason, we do not routinely set homework for completion or marking during weekends, festivals or periods of religious observance unless there is a specific educational need. We believe this approach avoids unnecessary workload for both students and staff, while respecting the importance of spending time with family and participating in our rich Jewish traditions.

Our aim is to develop confident, resilient and independent learners who understand that learning extends beyond the classroom. Through our longer school day, small class sizes, high levels of classroom support and carefully planned opportunities for independent study, we ensure that any learning completed at home is purposeful, manageable and beneficial to students' long-term success.

We look forward to working in partnership with families to support every child at Leeds Jewish Free School.