Free plans, checklists and templates

Everything here is written out in full, so you can copy it into a notebook, print the page or paste a table into a class newsletter. Nothing needs downloading. Each template links to the article that explains the reasoning behind it.

1. Weekly homework plan (Years 3 to 6)

The same small jobs on the same days, so the routine is easy to remember. The full method is in setting up a homework routine.

Day Reading Short practice (5–10 min) Set homework
Monday 10–15 min New spellings: look, say, cover, write, check Check the homework diary
Tuesday 10–15 min Times tables: one table, aloud and written Start any written task
Wednesday 10–15 min Spellings in sentences Continue written task
Thursday 10–15 min Spellings practice test; mixed tables questions Finish and pack in bag
Friday 10–15 min Nothing extra Nothing new
Weekend Choice of book One game or quiz, if your child wants Nothing new

2. Homework start checklist

Stick this inside the homework folder until it becomes automatic.

  • [ ] Snack and drink first, then sit down
  • [ ] Table cleared, phone or tablet in another room
  • [ ] Homework diary open: what is due, and when?
  • [ ] Pencil, rubber, ruler and reading book ready
  • [ ] Say what "finished" looks like
  • [ ] Timer set (15–20 minutes for younger children)
  • [ ] Finished work straight into the school bag
  • [ ] Reading record signed

3. Six-week times tables plan

Ten minutes a day, one or two tables a week, always with some earlier tables mixed in. The reasoning behind the order is in our weekly times tables plan.

Week Focus Daily routine End-of-week check
1 2, 5 and 10 Count in steps, then 10 mixed questions 20 questions, no time limit
2 3 and 4 Facts in order, then out of order 20 mixed, weeks 1–2
3 6 Double the 3s 20 mixed
4 8 Double the 4s 20 mixed
5 9 and 11 Look for patterns in the answers 20 mixed
6 7 and 12 Only the facts not yet known 25 questions, about 6 seconds each

The final check mirrors the Year 4 multiplication tables check in England: 25 questions, 6 seconds each. For extra practice, the times tables games on ModernScholar are free and fit a ten-minute slot.

Keep a two-column sheet, Facts I know and Facts I'm still learning. Each Friday, move across any fact answered quickly and correctly on three different days.

4. Spelling practice sheet

Rule up a page like this for each week's list. Learning spellings at home explains how to spread the practice over four days.

Word Look and say Cover and write Check (✓ or ✗) Write it again In a sentence

Four questions to ask about any list:

  1. What do these words have in common?
  2. Which part of each word is the tricky bit?
  3. Is there a smaller word hiding inside?
  4. Do any sound the same as another word but have a different spelling?

For ready-made sheets, EduPrintables has free printable worksheets for spelling, grammar and maths.

5. Reading record prompts

Use one or two after each session, and swap them around so it never feels like a test.

  • What has happened so far? Tell me in three sentences.
  • Find a word you didn't know. What do you think it means here?
  • How is the main character feeling? How can you tell?
  • What will happen next, and why do you think so?
  • Why do you think the author chose that title?

These match the question types in the KS2 reading test; see our guide to reading question types.

6. Weekly revision timetable (Years 9 to 11)

Fill each box with a specific topic, not a subject. "Biology: the heart" is a task; "Biology" is a wish. Making a revision timetable explains how to space return visits.

Block 1 (30 min) Block 2 (30 min) Self-test (10 min)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday Rest evening
Saturday
Sunday Plan next week

For each block:

  • [ ] I know exactly which topic this is
  • [ ] I started by writing what I remember, without notes
  • [ ] I checked my notes and filled gaps in another colour
  • [ ] I finished with five questions from memory
  • [ ] I noted when this topic comes back

7. Past paper log

Past papers are only useful if you act on the results. See using past papers properly.

Date Paper Score Topics where marks were lost Type of mistake Next step
/ Knowledge / misread / timing / careless
/
/

After three or four papers, read down the last three columns. A topic that keeps appearing needs a revision slot. A mistake type that keeps appearing, such as misreading, needs a change of technique rather than more content.

8. Before-the-test checklist

For SATs, mocks or GCSEs. More in helping a child cope with exam nerves.

The evening before

  • [ ] Bag packed: pens, pencils, ruler, calculator if allowed, clear water bottle
  • [ ] Clothes ready
  • [ ] No new topics; a light look at a summary sheet at most
  • [ ] Screens off in good time

The morning

  • [ ] Some breakfast
  • [ ] Leave in good time
  • [ ] One reminder: read each question twice and check the marks

In the exam

  • [ ] Use the marks as a guide to how much to write
  • [ ] Skip a question that is taking too long, and come back
  • [ ] Leave a few minutes at the end to check

Useful sources elsewhere

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