Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bloody Easter Homework

112 replies

Easterchick25 · 04/04/2025 20:41

Year 5 holiday homework is…make a moving toy. AIBU to think FFS?!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Longma · 06/04/2025 04:59

Parents need to let the school know that it isn’t acceptable - primary school homework doesn’t need to consist of anything more than regular reading.

Schools will often give homework as it’s what some - not all - parents want. And sadly some school leaders really push for it.

As a teacher I wouldn’t want to set it. I want children to enjoy their school break. I certainly am this fortnight!

vandelle · 05/04/2025 20:35

Buckarooo · 05/04/2025 20:21

They don't have to produce anything. It's not YOUR homework.

The child does it.

Show quote history

Oh really? 😉fancy I didn't realise that!

It might be the kid's project, so why all the hints, tips, pictures, youtube vids aimed at the OP for inspiration? Surely the child should be the creative one.

Anyway I'm amused nonetheless.

Buckarooo · 05/04/2025 20:23

Easterchick25 · 05/04/2025 17:58

  1. its not optional - kids stay in at breaks until homework completed if it’s late.
  2. they have been told to use cams, it has to be something that their “target audience” would really like to play with - here are some examples (video link)
  3. I’m not “stopping” kid doing it and have already pissed away time going to different retail parks to Hobbycraft and Wickes.
  4. I wouldn’t care so much if we could use cotton reels, old boxes, straws, split pins etc, but that doesn’t seem to be what teacher is expecting and according to WhatsApp group, some kids are worried (mine isn’t) Parents are pissed off - there’s not normally much moaning about homework, but people are being quite vocal on this one.
  5. It annoys me as the responsibility and pressure is put on the kids for things they don’t have easy access to and which take away from family time and budget.

Just give the boy some cardboard boxes and let him just have a go.
And then, if you must, send an email in saying "dear teacher, obviously you didn't mean to actually use wood and stuff, so Darius is doing a junk model toy using the video as an initial inspiration."

Your making this harder than it needs to be.

Buckarooo · 05/04/2025 20:21

vandelle · 05/04/2025 20:09

Oh FFS as if parents haven't enough to do, now they have to produce some wooden toy that has moving parts - during the school hols. I thank the lord every day I don't have schoolkids. Sorry folks.

But, if it were me, honestly I'd go to the nearest pound shop and find something wooden with wheels and stick a dolly or a car or something in it and pass it off as kid's own.

I'd defy the teacher to have words about it. I do value teachers don't get me wrong, but some of them are taking the absolute piss.

They don't have to produce anything. It's not YOUR homework.

The child does it.

WarriorN · 05/04/2025 20:19

Kandalama · 05/04/2025 19:09

What’s cams

I have googled and only got stuff on suicides or cycling

see my link; it’s challenging and doesn’t always work well I find

NeverTookTheTime · 05/04/2025 20:18

TeenLifeMum · 05/04/2025 19:59

Very different from my experience. Great your dd is doing so well but I think 2 weeks holiday from daily revision is unusual this close to GCSEs except for very able students. The majority have to hold off on relaxation. The odd down day? Yes but not 2 weeks off just before exams.

Show quote history

She plans to revise a few days in the holidays and school have set work to aid revision too, so it’s not 2 weeks off revision completely. She is very able and studious though.

Anyway, I don’t wish to hijack OPs thread due to one lighthearted comment.

@Easterchick25 I was just speaking to a teacher friend about this and she recommends these 2 videos, the first to explain how to make a toy like this from cardboard, a pencil and glue, and the second as a simpler option.

Video 1

x

Video 2 - I’d get my child to make this in your position

Just put the hole off centre to make this one and she thinks you could knock this one up very quickly.

https://youtube.com/shorts/PalJeIp9N0Q?si=FzYFPySkHN2izffX

vandelle · 05/04/2025 20:09

Oh FFS as if parents haven't enough to do, now they have to produce some wooden toy that has moving parts - during the school hols. I thank the lord every day I don't have schoolkids. Sorry folks.

But, if it were me, honestly I'd go to the nearest pound shop and find something wooden with wheels and stick a dolly or a car or something in it and pass it off as kid's own.

I'd defy the teacher to have words about it. I do value teachers don't get me wrong, but some of them are taking the absolute piss.

Turnups · 05/04/2025 20:01

Cotton reel tank!

TeenLifeMum · 05/04/2025 19:59

NeverTookTheTime · 05/04/2025 19:48

My child has done a huge amount of revision already, extra to what school have advised, as she wanted to free up her time in the Easter holiday. She will do some revision over the holiday, but no, she won’t be revising every day. As her results in 3 sets of mocks have been excellent, and factoring in that she is ND, a complete break from going into school is deserved and necessary.

Show quote history

Very different from my experience. Great your dd is doing so well but I think 2 weeks holiday from daily revision is unusual this close to GCSEs except for very able students. The majority have to hold off on relaxation. The odd down day? Yes but not 2 weeks off just before exams.

iwentjasonwaterfalls · 05/04/2025 19:50

purplejeanie · 05/04/2025 19:25

My year 6 twins have been given 7 SATs papers each to complete over the holidays. And like OP said, school certainly doesn’t treat homework as optional and they have to stay in at lunchtime if they don’t do it. I told one of my twins not to do it and she said she would get into so much trouble, that’s not an option.

That's utterly bonkers.

NeverTookTheTime · 05/04/2025 19:48

TeenLifeMum · 05/04/2025 13:57

Presumably the revision as they’re GCSE year and so revising daily through the holidays is surely expected. Your dc will have a massive summer holiday after exams they can rest in.

Show quote history

My child has done a huge amount of revision already, extra to what school have advised, as she wanted to free up her time in the Easter holiday. She will do some revision over the holiday, but no, she won’t be revising every day. As her results in 3 sets of mocks have been excellent, and factoring in that she is ND, a complete break from going into school is deserved and necessary.

purplejeanie · 05/04/2025 19:25

My year 6 twins have been given 7 SATs papers each to complete over the holidays. And like OP said, school certainly doesn’t treat homework as optional and they have to stay in at lunchtime if they don’t do it. I told one of my twins not to do it and she said she would get into so much trouble, that’s not an option.

Kandalama · 05/04/2025 19:09

What’s cams

I have googled and only got stuff on suicides or cycling

WarriorN · 05/04/2025 18:44

Not the one i was looking for but can be easily done with bits of cardboard and a split pin. There’s a picture on second page if the back.

https://www.laughtonallsaints.org/assets/Y5-6-Project-on-a-Page-Mechanical-Cams.pdf

WarriorN · 05/04/2025 18:38

You need to challenge this as that’s a full term’s DT work!

WarriorN · 05/04/2025 18:38

Ooooh that’s really shit, I have taught cams and it can be quite challenging.

there is a relatively easy Easter chick cam thing I can try and hunt out.

Parker231 · 05/04/2025 18:29

Homework is optional in primary so the school shouldn’t be issuing punishments. Have you taken this up with the headteacher and Governors?

Original poster
Easterchick25 · 05/04/2025 17:58
  1. its not optional - kids stay in at breaks until homework completed if it’s late.
  2. they have been told to use cams, it has to be something that their “target audience” would really like to play with - here are some examples (video link)
  3. I’m not “stopping” kid doing it and have already pissed away time going to different retail parks to Hobbycraft and Wickes.
  4. I wouldn’t care so much if we could use cotton reels, old boxes, straws, split pins etc, but that doesn’t seem to be what teacher is expecting and according to WhatsApp group, some kids are worried (mine isn’t) Parents are pissed off - there’s not normally much moaning about homework, but people are being quite vocal on this one.
  5. It annoys me as the responsibility and pressure is put on the kids for things they don’t have easy access to and which take away from family time and budget.
OP posts:
Longma · 05/04/2025 17:26

WonderingWanda · 04/04/2025 23:09

It's hardly work, sounds like a bit of fun. At that age it's just the sort of thing you might enjoy doing together in the holidays. Lots of easy suggestions on this tread too.

And if there are children away in holiday for the fortnight? Do they need to still do it, whilst in a family holiday?
Or those in Easter clubs because their parents need to work during this holiday? When will they do it?

Holiday homework at this age is nonsense, especially this type.

I teach primary and still thing this type of thing is ridiculous.

Buckarooo · 05/04/2025 17:20

Easterchick25 · 05/04/2025 14:56

Have you seen the link of what the teacher is expecting?

Show quote history

Oh come on, you've been told over a D over that you're making it too complicated.

Just let your son have a go at making a moving toy... It's not hard.

thismummyslife · 05/04/2025 17:18

SuperLuxuriousOmnidirectionalWhatchamajigger · 05/04/2025 13:19

To me it sounds like the school gets pressure from parents when they don’t provide homework so the teacher has thought of a task that the children can take as far as they want to take it. It could take five minutes or five days.

Yesterday in my 50 minute lunch break I…
spent ten minutes in the hall as one of the middays was late.
ate my lunch in the classroom with a child who was disregulated so couldn’t go in the hall
found and photocopied a booklet of homework for a child who was going to his grandparents unexpectedly in the holidays so his parents wanted me to provide a daily activity for him.
marked 22 spelling tests and stuck in next weeks works
ate

Show quote history

I hate to tell you this but I’m also a teacher! Im not dissing teachers, I’m dissing the ridiculous amount we need to fit into the curriculum!

Kandalama · 05/04/2025 16:52

2men3eyebrows · 05/04/2025 16:45

These are much better ideas than mine- I would just stick pencils into a shoebox and slap some cardboard circles on the end to create ‘a car’.

Cotton reels for the wheels 🤓

Kandalama · 05/04/2025 16:50

AdaColeman · 05/04/2025 16:21

@Kandalama
I was so hoping that you were going to say "He's now 24 and is an entomologist"!
🐞 🪲 🐜 🐝 🐞 🪲 🐜 🐝

No
Hes a Zoologist 🤣🤣.
Yes really!

2men3eyebrows · 05/04/2025 16:45

These are much better ideas than mine- I would just stick pencils into a shoebox and slap some cardboard circles on the end to create ‘a car’.

Swipe left for the next trending thread