Zero homework?!!

[Nicknamegoeshere]

I'm a primary teacher myself so kind of find it hard to be objective about this?
My son is now in Year 6. He is set no formal homework and hasn't been for literally years.
He has 10 spellings every week and is encouraged to read at home. He reads a lot - certainly every night before bed - both with myself and independently. That is it.
I have spoken to the school about it gently before but their response has been very "wishy washy."
I know that KS2 definitely get homework at the school I teach at, increasing in volume as they progress up the years.
It would be helpful to know from other parents if their children are set homework and, if so, how do you feel about it?
I feel my son should definitely be getting some; if nothing else to prepare him for secondary school next year.

[Joynot]

Personally I think children should do all their work in school.

[justicedanceson]

There is no evidence homework at primary has any positive impact on attainment and causes untold stress. I think children should be allowed to be children. Homework has increased exponentially in recent years.

[StellaGib]

My eldest is in Year 6 and gets spellings, reading and times tables.

What more work do you want? They're in school all day

[Joynot]

Homework is the most miserable, contentious disruptive thing ever invented

[helloxhristmas]

Mine get a shit load of homework, it's a complete ball ache. Next door neighbour goes to the next local school and gets nine. They don't believe in it.

Neither do I.

[cabbageking]

Homework for our year 6s
Learning the times tables off by heart.
Bitesize SATs revision.

We will avoid any homework marking until it is appropriate.

[Nicknamegoeshere]

From a teacher pov I'm pleased that a lot of parents don't see homework as necessary. I once taught at a school where the expectation was that I set 28 pieces of homework on a Tuesday, got it in back the next week, got it fully marked in detail that evening (in my own time after school) and a new set ready to be sent out the following day. Needless to say I don't work at that school any more, but it's great that a lot of parents don't actually expect that from a teacher

[Chillychangchoo]

My children never had home work set throughout their primary school years. My current year 7 is just starting his homework routine in secondary.

Personally I’ve always been happy with it, and my children are doing very well.

[Parker231]

Why does he additional work after the school day. Mine only did reading until they were 11 and we never did homework at weekends or over the holidays.
I view homework as an excuse for poor teaching if the material can’t be covered in school hours.

[MotherofPearl]

I really object to homework at primary school. When my eldest DC started at our local primary they had a no homework policy (apart from reading books). That suited us.

Now our younger two are at the school (under a new head), and they've brought in much more homework. I don't mind so much for my Yr5 child who can manage a lot of it independently, but struggle to get through all of the items set for my Yr1 child (and have mentioned to the teacher that we won't be doing it all, sorry!).

[Getyourarseofffthequattro]

Mine in year 1 has so much. 5 or 6 tasks and then reading. Hate it.

[Parker231]

Homework is optional in primary so if you don’t think it is appropriate, no need to do it.

Would be better if the schools covered the work during the day rather than expecting tired children to give up their free time.

[Bowlofcereal]

Also hate homework! They are at school for 6 hours, that's plenty of time for work. Home should be a place for playing, fun, calm. Children need time to decompress after a long day. Our school only requires them to be reading out of school hours.
And I don't believe it prepares them for secondary school, they will cope with that when they get there.

[Getyourarseofffthequattro]

@Parker231

Homework is optional in primary so if you don’t think it is appropriate, no need to do it.

Would be better if the schools covered the work during the day rather than expecting tired children to give up their free time.

Sometimes we don't do all of it but ds doesn't like to not do it. I don't know whether he thinks he will get in trouble or doesn't want to be the odd one out but he tends to want to do it. I get it.

The thing is it's never things he can just get on with on his own. Even the maths he can't do because it's all written, so I have to read it with him because the trickier words he doesn't know.

[Sirzy]

Ds got one piece of English and one piece of maths a week, took half an hour to do both at most.

He is in year 7 now and still doesn’t have a great deal of homework and what he does get clearly compliments what he is doing in class not just homework for homework’s sake

[dizzydizzydizzy]

I don't see the need for homework in primary school. With the possible exception of learning spellings and times tables. Kids should be encouraged to read for fun and take up hobbies.

[LorenzoVonMatterhorn]

Zero homework?!!… My son is now in Year 6. He is set no formal homework and hasn't been for literally years. He has 10 spellings every week and is encouraged to read at home

You do know spellings and reading is homework, right?

Also, homework is very divisive. While it is proven beneficial for some students from some backgrounds, it actively harms others as it widens the achievement gap, particularly between children from low socio-economic backgrounds.

As a parent, enrich your child's learning outside school. Don’t demand a school widens the gap between rich and poor students.

[Obecalp]

Homework is horrible. They spend so much time at school and then have to do hours of work at home too? The teaching should be done at school, with maybe some termly quizzes to get an idea of progress/material learned, rather than homework - specifically homework that they cannot do without the input of a parent

[donquixotedelamancha]

there is no evidence homework at primary has any positive impact

This. In fact the evidence is that the younger the child, the more negative the effects and only at about Y9/10 are there statistically meaningful positive impacts.

Now, of course, that's an average and meaningful homework will be effective for the right kids but it's a really low impact form of learning.

[MotherofPearl]

Exactly @Obecalp. I don't have a lot of time each day (work FT), so rather than spending the little precious time I have with my DC agonising over homework, I'd rather just enjoy some down time with them, even if that's just cuddling up on the sofa and watching a TV show together.