Supporting Your Child in Developing Effective Learning Routines at Network International School  

As parents, you play an integral role in your child’s academic journey. Establishing effective learning routines is key to fostering independence and enhancing their educational experience at Network International School. Here are some practical strategies to help your child develop these vital skills. 

Encourage Organisation 

Organisation is the foundation of successful learning. Instead of packing your child’s bag for them, encourage them to take charge of this responsibility. Help them use their timetable to check what they need for each day. This not only fosters independence but also teaches them the importance of being prepared and helps them to develop executive function. Below is a daily chart that some families may find useful in helping their children to get into good daily routines.

Tip: Set aside a few minutes each evening for your child to pack their bag using a checklist. This nightly ritual can help them feel organised and reduce morning stress. 

Promote Healthy Sleep Habits 

Sleep significantly impacts your child’s ability to learn effectively. Students should have time to complete homework, eat dinner and have some relaxing time in the evenings. Tuition (and homework from tuition) can significantly affect our children’s ability to appropriately relax in the evenings. Establish agreed-upon times for devices to be put away and lights to be turned off. Consistent sleep routines help ensure your child gets the rest they need to stay alert and engaged during the school day. They should be getting between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night. 

Tip: Encourage your child to establish a consistent nighttime routine, potentially including reading or listening to soothing music – like you did for them when they were younger. 

Foster Independent Communication with Teachers 

Encouraging your child to communicate independently with their teachers is crucial for building their confidence. Rather than stepping in to handle communications for them, guide your child on how to approach teachers with questions or concerns. This skill will serve them well throughout their education and beyond. If a student needs to contact a teacher, our communication systems mean that they can schedule an email or message to arrive the following morning and we encourage teachers to do the same. 

Tip: Encourage them to talk through what they need to ask or communicate. This not only boosts their confidence but also prepares them to seek help when necessary. 

Establish Homework Routines 

Creating a consistent homework routine can reduce stress and enhance productivity. This is vital as they move up through the school and encounter coursework deadlines in Key Stage 4, Private Study periods at Sixth Form, and ultimately complete independent learning when they are at university. Work with your child to identify a set time and location for completing homework, minimising distractions in this space. Encourage them to take ownership of their work while showing interest in what they are learning. 

Tip: Encourage your child to discuss the order in which they plan to tackle assignments and ensure they make effective use of their Student Planner and Teams for tracking tasks and deadlines. 

Cultivate Active Learning Habits 

Encouraging active learning is essential for deeper understanding. Support your child in taking on challenges; some difficulty is beneficial for growth. Discourage passive reading and promote strategies such as summarising, visualising concepts, and using active recall techniques to reinforce learning. 

Students should try different revision techniques and understand what works best for them. Our Network booklet on revision techniques helps both students and parents to develop appropriate revision habits. Remember that some challenge is an important part of the learning process. It is good for them to find things difficult. Supporting your child to use strategies they know to approach this, rather than reverting to doing it for them or using private tuition, supports them better in the long term to develop resilience and effective study habits. 

Tip: Create a habit of discussing what they learned each day, helping them reflect on their understanding and retention of information. 

Implement Reflection Routines 

Reflection is a key component of effective learning. We talk about "Metacognition”, which is the awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes. At Network Secondary, students work in tutor time to regularly update a ‘Student Reflection Tracker’ which supports them to identify academic and pastoral targets to focus on each term and these are regularly discussed in short one to one meetings with one of their tutors.  

Last year we also introduced Subject Feedback Trackers where students collect together the feedback they receive in each subject, to better track their responses to this support from their teachers and reflect on their own progress. These also provide a useful framework for parents to talk to their child about school and show interest in their progress without emphasis or pressure being placed on grades.  

Regularly talking through their day or week allows them to process their experiences and identify areas for improvement. 

Tip: Use family dinners each day to ask a question or two about their day to encourage open discussions about successes and challenges. 

Effective Learning Routines 

By implementing these strategies, you can empower your child to develop strong learning routines that promote independence, responsibility, and resilience. At Network International School, we believe that these skills are not only crucial for academic success but also for personal growth. Through conversations around these, we can also promote our CRUCIAL Values, powerfully showing that as parents, we are committed to Lifelong Learning, as we want to learn from what our children have learnt in school. Together, we can support our children in becoming confident, self-directed learners ready to face the challenges ahead. 

What’s next? 

We welcome parents to join us for the full range of Parents’ Coffee Mornings scheduled for Term 2 and beyond!

Tr Sophie 

Deputy Head (Academic) of Secondary