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Independent Study
What is Independent Study at MEA?
Independent Study at MEA is learning that we expect students to complete outside of lessons and at home. Every student is expected to complete regular Independent Study to a high standard and to return it when the deadline has been set.
Why it is important to complete Independent Study?
Students who do this well, perform better at school and in their exams. They also leave school with valuable skills for future studying and work.
How do we set Independent Study?
Most subjects will set Independent Study regularly on a weekly basis on Arbor. Students can use the Arbor App to check what Independent Study they have by clicking on “Assignments”. All students have been provided with an Independent Study book to complete their work in. KS3 students have also been provided with a Knowledge Organiser to use at home and school. Knowledge Organisers can also be accessed at the end of this page.
Arbor App
The Arbor Student App allows students to access their calendars, in-app messages and Independent Study assignments.
In the 'Assignments' section of the app, students can see a list of their assignments, their due dates, and their status such as 'submitted' or 'awaiting submission'.
For more in-depth help with the Student Arbor App, see the link below:
Each subject will set the following tasks
- A retrieval practice task (Retrieval practice is a way of learning knowledge that will help students store it in their memory. It involves summarising sections of knowledge and then testing yourself repeatedly on it, until you can remember it.)
- Quizzes on apps
- Exam based questions (KS4)
What apps do students need to access Independent Study?
Y7, 8 and 9 will need the following apps:
Y10 and 11 will need the following apps:
How can parents/carers support and monitor?
- Remind your child to check on Arbor what Independent Study they must complete.
- Help them to plan and stick to a study timetable
- Test your child's knowledge by asking them questions and quizzing them
- Use the Arbor App to check if your child has completed their Independent Study
In Maths, the online platform Sparx has been selected to personalise learning for students from Years 7 to 11. Sparx enables teachers to tailor highly specific materials that align with the topics covered in class. This targeted practice helps students build a strong foundation in the subject, effectively preparing them for more advanced concepts as they progress towards their GCSEs and beyond.
GCSE History Guided Practice
Knowledge Organisers