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Original poster

Struggling to keep up with homework for reception.

40 replies

Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:10

DD gets 3 pieces of homework a week plus we are supposed to do her reading every day.
She does 2 pages of copying letters, a phonics piece and a maths piece. They can be one or two pages each.

To be honest I am finding it a struggle. It feels like she gets no break from school work. We have to do something every day outside school or we wouldn't be able to do it all.
I know I could choose not to do it at this point but feel that if we cannot keep up now, how will we as years go on? (Although DS is yr 3 and gets less!)
She is also struggling with the work so not doing it feels like a further disadvantage.
Anyone else get this amount of school work? How do you stay on top of everything?

OP posts:
rottiemum88 · 06/12/2020 21:12

If it's only 3 pieces a week, can't she do one piece a night over 3 nights and have it out of the way? Then it's just reading to do on the other days.

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:20

Well we get home at 5ish, then have tea and she goes to bed at 7. So we have a window of about 30-45 mins where we do it but it feels like there isn't much down time for anyone really and there is no day of the week where she doesn't have to do school work of some work.
Some nights, she is just too tired to do it and some nights I she needs a bath. This means there are at least 2 nights where we don't get chance to do it and we have to make up for that at the weekend.

OP posts:
Solasum · 06/12/2020 21:24

Have you spoken to any of the other parents in the class to see how they are finding it? We allow collectively realised in Year One that the set homework was taking a very long time indeed, and spoke to the teacher about it, and she immediately made changes

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AIMD · 06/12/2020 21:26

Home work in reception is ridiculous in my opinion.

I’d speak to her teacher about you feeling that it is too much. It may be that the teacher thinks all children are managing it easier than they are. Maybe you could agree that you’ll spend a set amount of time doing home work per week and complete as much as you can in that time.

I understand you worry about her falling behind if she is struggling but rest and time out is also important.

My son is in year 1 and gets 2x bits of home work a week, but it takes him max of 40 mins to do. We’ve done it so far but I am happy to skip home work one week if it’s too much for him that week.

minipie · 06/12/2020 21:27

So is she at after school club between 3 and 5? If so then presumably she gets down time there - I know it’s not downtime with you but it’s still a break for her.

AIMD · 06/12/2020 21:27

@Ohdoleavemealone

Well we get home at 5ish, then have tea and she goes to bed at 7. So we have a window of about 30-45 mins where we do it but it feels like there isn't much down time for anyone really and there is no day of the week where she doesn't have to do school work of some work. Some nights, she is just too tired to do it and some nights I she needs a bath. This means there are at least 2 nights where we don't get chance to do it and we have to make up for that at the weekend.
I’m certain the teacher wouldn’t want you pushing an over tired child to do more than they can handle: I think you can probably talk to the teacher and come to an understanding about trying to get what work done that you can.
minipie · 06/12/2020 21:28

I do agree it is harder doing homework at 5 than straight after school though as they are tired. I think this term is particularly tiring and next term will be better.

daisypond · 06/12/2020 21:28

I think that’s too much.

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:29

I haven't no. The teacher is great an would probably say we didn't have to do it if I spoke to her, but DD struggles so much already that I am not sure that is what is best.
I feel really conflicted because I want to help her do better at school, but I also want her to be well rested and not resent school/school work so early.

OP posts:
AIMD · 06/12/2020 21:31

Problem is op children don’t end up taking much in if they are over tired and haven’t had enough rest anyway. Better for her to feel rested and be able to focus better the next day in school.

Also I’m sure there are more enjoyable ways you could help her with the areas she’s struggling in than doing pages or copying letters.

Gigheimer · 06/12/2020 21:32

Unpopular opinion but as a single mum of 3, who doesn’t get them home until 6 every night I never did homework until year 5, unless they got excited and self motivated to do it.

Now DD1 is year 6 she’s booked into prep so she does it at school, home and weekends are a school work free zone, they need to have downtime and enjoy life too. I don’t think the work work work attitude has done me any favours. They need balance.

I’m lucky though that I have bright diligent kids so they are top set without it. I would focus more if they were falling behind.

So in reception I’d honestly just not bother...

Hermanfromguesswho · 06/12/2020 21:33

I’d leave it completely on school day evenings. Do 5 minutes reading each morning. Over breakfast or in the car (leave for school 5 minutes early) then do the 3 pieces of work at the weekend. 20 minutes each. In three chunks of 20 minutes over the weekend.

Gigheimer · 06/12/2020 21:33

Ok sorry x post she’s struggling? But she’s reception and has had half the year off! Give the kid a break or you’ll make her hate school and learning. Find fun ways to catch her up next year if she’s still struggling.

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:34

@AIMD

Problem is op children don’t end up taking much in if they are over tired and haven’t had enough rest anyway. Better for her to feel rested and be able to focus better the next day in school.

Also I’m sure there are more enjoyable ways you could help her with the areas she’s struggling in than doing pages or copying letters.

This is true. I might just set aside 30 mins at the weekend and whatever she gets done is great, leave the rest? We have a few orchard games that help with learning too so could play those more instead.

The reading I might try and do in the mornings.

OP posts:
coronafiona · 06/12/2020 21:36

That's way too much for a reception child! Homework is optional at that age and unless she's struggling I wouldn't do all of that. Have a word with the teacher and explain it's too much. She's too little!

Didyousaynutella · 06/12/2020 21:37

Mine is in reception. We get reading books and the odd writing sheet so far. A termly homework diary with a bit of writing and phonics practice. That’s all.
My y2 kid gets reading books encourages to go on a few apps like Numbots and one piece of homework a week. That’s plenty enough.
It’s sounds way to much in reception. I just wouldn’t do it.

AIMD · 06/12/2020 21:39

Op my children 4 and 6 loved the ‘teach tour monster to read’ app.
It helps them learning the phonics sounds through games. I think it was done alongside DFE and our school recommended it.

Both my kids loved it and they both made lots of progress through it over lockdown. It was just a game to them though, not work.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 06/12/2020 21:40

Is everyone gagging this much? Or is the teacher giving your daughter extra since you say she has been struggling with the work?
What conversations have you had with the teacher about it all?

Can you not do some work at the weekend? Half an hour a day?

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 06/12/2020 21:41

*getting not gagging

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:44

@AIMD

Op my children 4 and 6 loved the ‘teach tour monster to read’ app. It helps them learning the phonics sounds through games. I think it was done alongside DFE and our school recommended it.

Both my kids loved it and they both made lots of progress through it over lockdown. It was just a game to them though, not work.

We were given a login for that this week. It was one of the things she had to do.
OP posts:
FestiveChristmasLights · 06/12/2020 21:45

The most important thing to do with a YR child is read. Even if it’s just 10 mins per day, get them to read to/with you and in time all the other work will be so much easier for them. Sometimes after breakfast and before rushing to school worked best for us.

We have always done weekly homework at the weekend. There is no time otherwise and the second most important thing about homework in YR is to make sure you don’t end up spoiling their love of learning.

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:47

@WhereverIGoddamnLike

Is everyone gagging this much? Or is the teacher giving your daughter extra since you say she has been struggling with the work? What conversations have you had with the teacher about it all?

Can you not do some work at the weekend? Half an hour a day?

I don't know what others are getting. The fact she is struggling is why I am persevering. We did the homework yesterday and today. My gripe with that is it means there isn't a single day of the week where she isn't sat down doing school work of some sort, but there is too much for her to do in one sitting, and if we do it during the week she is either too tired or it is at the expense of a reading session, she doesn't have the concentration for both.
OP posts:
MoveConfused · 06/12/2020 21:48

My DS struggled in reception and for that reason I too felt he needed to do all the homework. In retrospect the homework didn’t really help him eg writing when he had trouble with pencil gripping and we would have been better off doing pencil gripping skills. I’d discuss with the teacher. My experience of primary school homework was that it didn’t really add much other than stress at home!

Original poster
Ohdoleavemealone · 06/12/2020 21:48

@FestiveChristmasLights

The most important thing to do with a YR child is read. Even if it’s just 10 mins per day, get them to read to/with you and in time all the other work will be so much easier for them. Sometimes after breakfast and before rushing to school worked best for us.

We have always done weekly homework at the weekend. There is no time otherwise and the second most important thing about homework in YR is to make sure you don’t end up spoiling their love of learning.

This is my concern, that she will get overwhelmed and stop enjoying it.
OP posts:
AIMD · 06/12/2020 21:48

When is her birthday op. Wondering if she is one of the younger kids in the class.