Creating a homework rewards system

Most schools we have spoken to find that using a consistent mixture of rewards and sanctions is the best way to motivate their students to complete their Sparx homework on time. Here we list ideas and how to gather information for your own rewards systems.

Tips from our schools

How do you motivate your students to complete their homework? 

'Students that started their homework more than 1 day before the deadline were 13% more likely to complete it.' Watch this video from Shoreham Academy for some great tips about how to motivate your students.

How do you encourage and reward students for completing their homework?

Looking for ideas on how to encourage and reward your students? Chris Langston at the Swiss International School Qatar shares some great tips in this video.

Reward metrics

• Compulsory homework completion
• XP Boost and Target homework completion
• Number of XP points
• Moving up XP Levels
• Early homework completion

Reward recipients

• Individual students
• Classes
• Year groups
• Tutor groups

Reward examples

Biscuit and juice lessons

'Each half term the class in each year group with the highest average XP per student has received a Biscuits and Juice lesson'

Half term raffle

'The top 20 students in each year group have been entered for a raffle in the half termly whole school rewards assemblies where they can win a prize.'

Pizza party

The class with the highest completion rates at the end of the term gets a pizza party

Lollipop Friday

If students complete their homework by Friday they get a lollipop

Certificate assemblies

Give out certificates to students who have reached a new XP Level and invite a member of your SLT. See the Rewards page of your Sparx site for student XP Levels

Further reward ideas

• Pass to skip the lunch queue
• Postcards home to parents
• Linking Sparx XP to an existing school reward system, e.g. to convert to merits, or to buy things in the school reward shop (see XP section below for further examples)
• Mentions on social media
• Being the first to leave the lesson

Finding the right data

Using downloadable reports

The student with the most XP in a half-term or term

The student with the most XP this academic year so far

The class or group with the most XP

Viewing student XP Levels

As well as viewing XP Levels on the downloadable reports from the Reports Page, you can also go to the Student Rewards page and use the filters to find the data you need.

You can also look at the XP leaderboard to reward high earners in a given timeframe. You can find out more information about this here