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Independent Study
What is Independent Study?
Independent study is learning, that is set to be done outside the timetabled curriculum and is not usually directly supervised by a teacher. Independent study enhances student learning, improves achievement and develops students' study skills and as such is an integral part of the curriculum.
Research shows that independent study has a positive impact on student progress. At MEA we believe independent study is an essential part of learning and expect all our students to engage with it in a positive way.
Aims of Independent Study
Independent study enables students to:
· Embed crucial knowledge in to their long term memory.
· Build a greater knowledge base to which new learning can be anchored.
· Take ownership and responsibility for their learning.
· Enhance their study skills e.g. planning, time management and self-discipline.
Independent Study Timetable
Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 should spend approximately 1 hour each evening completing Independent Study. This increases to 2 hours per evening for students in Years 10 and 11.
Please see below for recommended quantity and frequency of independent learning in Year 10:
Subject | Frequency | Duration | Type |
English | Weekly | 60 mins | GCSE Pod |
Maths | Weekly | 60 mins | Sparx (on-line) |
Science | Weekly | 60 mins | GCSE Pod |
History or Geography | Weekly | 60 mins | Booklet/ GCSE pod |
Options: | Weekly | 60 mins | |
Spanish | Weekly | 60 mins | Retrieval practise tasks and Exampro listening and reading |
Business Studies | Weekly | 60 mins | Exam questions/GCSE Pod |
Art | Weekly | 60 mins | Portfolio - art packs to follow |
Textiles | Weekly | 60 mins | Work on portfolio - complete class activities |
Food | Weekly | 60 mins | Catch up work on Onedrive |
Music | Weekly | 60 mins | Work on portfolio |
Computer Science | Weekly | 60 mins | Exam questions/GCSE Pod |
Sport | Weekly | 60 mins | 1 paragraph per week of course work on paper |
Enterprise | Weekly | 60 mins | Assignment work on One Drive |
Health and social | Weekly | 60 mins | Booklets |
Travel and tourism | Weekly | 60 mins | Individual tasks relevant to lessons |
iMedia | Weekly | 60 mins | Assignment work |
Hair and Beauty | Weekly | 60 mins | Booklets |
Performing Arts | Weekly | 60 mins | Work on portfolio |
Revision Guides
Curriculum areas will provide detailed knowledge resources for students to keep at home, for example, revision guides or booklets.
Independent study is set regularly and is based on the content of the revision material. This will be a combination of retrieval practice and exam practice.
Teachers will report on Independent Study completion half termly; this will be communicated to parents alongside Attitude to Learning within the classroom.
Students can access support with their Independent Study as part of our MEA Xtras (extra-curricular) provision each evening after school in the Library.