At Birkdale we aim to be leaders in the education of boys and this starts with a clear focus on developing effective teaching pedagogy and not engaging in educational fads or gimmicks. Your son will receive teaching driven by cognitive science and educational research, delivered by an incredibly knowledgeable and experienced body of professionals. We are proud of the subject knowledge our teachers have and we use the most effective methods at imparting that knowledge on to our students. Your son’s teachers are given the space and support to make positive changes in their teaching in a risk-free environment; we watch each other teach, share best practice and are eager to accept our professional obligation to improve methods of embedding the knowledge your son needs.

Literacy is a big focus for us at Birkdale High School as we want boys to leave us as competent young men who can communicate effectively in different situations. Vocabulary review, instruction, questioning and practice all features in the CPD and Quality Assurance processes our teachers complete each year.

At Birkdale High School, we believe homework is an essential part of your son’s learning and when regularly set and properly done, can add a substantial amount of study time over a five-year school career. It will cement the knowledge acquired in lessons, enhance his understanding and further his progress in each of his subjects, thereby benefiting his overall intellectual development.

Homework is set on Satchel One (formerly Show My Homework), a simple online homework calendar, visible to all pupils and parents complete with instructions for completion and deadline. The Homework calendar your son accesses is individual to each student and if used effectively will help him make good use of his time and keep strictly to important homework deadlines. You will also have your own individual login as a parent. Pupils who complete all their homework to the best of their ability, in full and on time, always make better progress than pupils who struggle to keep up to date with homework.

Engaging your support in your son’s success is vital in helping to create high expectations and providing the basis for developing independent learning skills and habits which will benefit his lifelong learning. Providing time and space for your son to complete homework will support him in achieving his best.

We are conscious that, for some of our pupils, home study is difficult for a variety of reasons. Not every home can provide a quiet place in which to study and work and so, for those pupils particularly, but also for any others who feel they might benefit, the school runs homework and study clubs for all age groups before and after school as well as lunchtimes. Speak to your son’s Form Tutor about the times of these sessions.