Independent Study

Benefits of Independent Study

• Enhances student performance.
• Provides students with opportunities to develop effective study and revision skills.
• Promotes further engagement in the subject.
• Develops research skills.
• Allows the student to interact with resources not utilised in the classroom.
• Instils a sense of independence and resilience to tackle activities alone.
• Helps to embed content that has been introduced in class.
• Allows time to complete Next Steps activities from teacher feedback.
• Enables parents and guardians to engage in a dialogue and supportive role within the academic progress of their child.

What will be set?

Subjects will ask students to engage in independent study tasks regularly.

Tasks should not be onerous and should seek to extend or strengthen students’ learning. The purpose of independent study is to enrich the learning experience.

Additionally, not all independent learning should be set by class teachers. High Level Learners at Southfield should aim to review their learning regularly and set their own targets and tasks for improvement.

KS3

Students will usually receive 1 hour per week of directed independent study from their teachers for Core and EBacc subjects (English, Maths, Science, Geography, History and French).

Students will usually receive 3 hours per term of directed independent study from their other subjects (excluding PE and PSHE)

They should also be reviewing their learning regularly.

KS4

Students will usually receive 1 hour per week of directed independent study from their teachers for each subject they study.

They should also be reviewing their learning regularly, setting targets for improvement and closing gaps in their understanding.

KS5

The amount of directed independent study students might expect to receive from their teachers will vary from subject to subject.

Students at KS5 should also reviewing their learning regularly, setting targets for improvement and closing gaps in their understanding.