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14 yo doing bare minimum homework, should i worry?

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HmmmIwonder · 15/10/2012 12:45

DS , 14, just started Yr 10, seems to be doing the absolute minimum homework he can get away with. I think he should be some every night. the school have given us a homework schedule, so we know what to expect roughly, but some evenings he says he has nothing and that's what's in the planner. if he hasnt' any set we feel he should be doing extra, e.g. learning vocabulary if he hasn't got any set homework for french. I'm worried he's coasting along and if the teacher doesn't set something he won't do any extra. We'd nag him more but he's home first in the evening and by the time we get in from work, he says homework is all either done , or he hasn't got any. Is this just normal? What do other people do?

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SecretSquirrels · 15/10/2012 13:59

I have one in Y10 and one in Y12.
In my experience the homework really increased in Year 10. Many subjects have tests at regular stages and the GCSE pressure was fairly consistent throughout Y10 and Y11.
This weekend DS2 (Y10) has had History, English and RE work set, (all given to him on Friday), plus he has to revise for a French Controlled Assessment and a Maths exam both in 3 weeks time.

Now if his teachers are really not setting homework I wonder why? If they are then it should be in his planner for you to see. Obviously it would be for the school to monitor and punish if HW not handed in, but I would want to know. Perhaps a quiet word with his form tutor?

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LettyAshton · 15/10/2012 17:51

Last week we had a Year 10 parents meeting about GCSEs. The Head of Stage (I think it was?!) said that if your dc was not doing two hours' homework every night (or ten hours spread across the week) then something was amiss and to contact the school. That being said, he said that many pupils chose to work in the library at lunchtimes to kill some homework that way.

Ds does not usually do two hours every night, but works all day Sunday as he prefers this set up. The amount of work in Year 10 hit ds like a sledgehammer at first but he's getting to grips with it now. Previously he has been flying by the seat of his pants but all these controlled assessments etc require a bit more effort.