Extended Learning is an important part of school life, contributing to student progress and attainment. It plays a key role in extending the knowledge, understanding and skills that are developed in school and provides opportunities for students to consolidate, enrich and extend their learning.
Aims of extended learning
- To help all students make progress;
- To allow practice and consolidation of the learning done in class;
- To extend learning from the lesson, e.g. the completion of past exam questions;
- To embed key subject content in long term memory, e.g. the learning of vocabulary and spellings.
- To reinforce, practise and develop mastery of key skills e.g. calculations;
- To engage in wider reading and research in preparation for future learning;
- To allow students to gain and practise the skills and knowledge that they will be required to reproduce in assessment situations, such as examinations;
- To give students dedicated time to reflect upon learning, correct mistakes and act on feedback to make improvements;
- To develop study skills such as independence, self-discipline, time management and working to deadlines;
- To encourage students to take pride in their learning.
What support is available at Atherton High School to support my child with their extended learning?
As a school, we provide lots of support to assist all our learners with the completion of set tasks. Many departments offer lunchtime and after school support sessions, for all Key Stages, with members of staff. We also have Enrichment sessions (Period 6) and can provide a learning environment with accessible support and resources. We realise that it is not always possible to find a quiet area at home to complete work and P6 offers a perfect working environment. Students can attend Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons (2.50-3.50pm) to use the facilities to complete work.
How can I support my child with extended learning tasks?
- Help your child by going through extended learning tasks and checking he/she understands what has to be done;
- Reinforce and discuss the importance of completing extended learning in order to make progress;
- Provide a suitable environment in which work can be done;
- Encourage students to attend after school support sessions e.g. P6, where students can work in a learning environment with accessible support and resources;
- Monitor the completion of extending learning and contact your child’s form tutor if they are having difficulties completing set work.
How and where should extended learning be recorded?
Extended learning activities are recorded on ClassCharts.
Click here to learn about our ClassCharts system
What type of work is set?
Extended learning will always be meaningful, interesting and worthwhile. Extended learning tasks will vary between subjects, including:
- Consolidation of learning by applying knowledge and using skills to answer set tasks.
- Learning and revision for class tests and examinations.
- Improving work and responding to teacher feedback.
- Learning the spelling and key subject terminology.
- Research in preparation for future tasks.
- Practise and develop skills.
- To practise examination questions.
- Comprehension questions related to key learning.
How much extension work is set?
Extended learning is planned thoughtfully to enable all students to make progress by developing knowledge, understanding and skills. There is an expectation that regular opportunities for extended learning will be set in all subjects and as such, a prescriptive timetable is not required. Curriculum Leaders and Heads of Year will monitor the type and frequency of the setting of extended learning closely.
As a guide:
| Year | Hours (per week) |
| 7 | 5 |
| 8 | 5 |
| 9 | 7 |
| 10 | 10 |
| 11 | 10+ |
