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Original poster

Homework year 1

25 replies

JoborPlay · 04/10/2021 20:22

DS is in year 1. The schools homework policy is 1 hour per week ( 2 numeracy and 2 literacy tasks) plus reading and spellings. This is in addition to work not completed/ needed to support class learning.

DH and I do not agree with homework at this age beyond reading and spelling and things not finished. DH (ex primary teacher) is much more against it than me. We've been informed that if DS doesn't do his homework, he will be kept in at lunch time play until it is completed (1 hour of work would be 3 or 4 playtimes).

We have several issues with this, the main one being that it indicates that the school do not value play as important to children's development (otherwise there'd be another 'punishment') and secondly, it punishes DS for our ideology, of which he is unaware.

Other than this we're very happy with the school. It's not the hill I wish to die on, but for DH I think it is. One of reasons for choosing the school was the focus on the individual and this seems at odds with this.

DH and I are well educated, and do value education but feel it should be appropriate for the age and stage of each child. DS already finds a week of school a challenge (as I believe many of his age do) and we want to foster a love of learning.

Any advice/ suggestions?

OP posts:

Fallagain · 04/10/2021 20:27

Is this a private school? I thought my DD got a lot. It seems like an excessive amount of hmk.

I’m with your DH. There is very little value of homework in primary school and you don’t want to start making homework a battle when he has another 13 years of it.

Rockhopper81 · 04/10/2021 20:38

I'm wondering the same as @Fallagain - is it an independent school?

I used to teach Y1 - they had spellings (from after October half term) and reading, plus a list of home learning activities - for the term - that they could choose from (different types of things - outdoors, art/crafty, English and maths based etc.), which were ideally one per week, but there was never any pressure, and they were really to encourage conversation and activities with parents. Oh, and times tables in the summer term.

It's well known now that there is little value to homework in primary (and indeed in secondary, to a degree), so I don't get what the aim of 2 English and 2 maths tasks a week at home is??

Original poster

JoborPlay · 04/10/2021 20:48

Yes it's a private school. We didn't choose a private school for academic purposes only and this isn't what we were led to believe when we did sign up.

I do know we're a bit on our own with the concern though as the class WhatsApp is full of what learning resources can I use and is the homework too easy etc.

OP posts:

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MiniCooperLover · 04/10/2021 20:56

Having friends with kids in private I'd say this sounds very little really. I hour a week is only 20 minutes a day broken down?

Fallagain · 04/10/2021 21:05

Private sector tends to give a lot more homework. My DD in a state school which loves hmk, every weekend she gets 2 reading books, spellings, literacy activity and a numeracy activity. Apparently there are also holiday projects to look forward to.

I suggest you speak to the class teacher.

BananaPB · 04/10/2021 21:08

If you find 1 hour per week difficult then you should prioritise finding out how much is set in y2. Presumably it'll be more because they are older and gearing up towards 7+?

Coffeeonmytoffee · 04/10/2021 21:11

Tell them you’re not letting your child do it. Read with them - hear them read and read to them.
I didn’t let my kids no any homework in KS1 and minimal in KS2. They’ve all done really well in school.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 04/10/2021 21:30

We've already spoken to the teacher - she's new and enacting school policy. This isn't teacher bashing. It's the school policy we've got issue with.

I just worried because DS already struggles to focus when tired or he's not had enough down time, I don't want to make it worse.

And yes 20 minutes of homework per day plus reading and spellings and any other activity set. DS also does swimming, sports club and football club and we're often not home until gone 5. DS loves these things so to drop them in favour of homework would seem like a punishment. He's just too tired once we're home.

OP posts:

Original poster

JoborPlay · 04/10/2021 21:35

@Coffeeonmytoffee

Tell them you’re not letting your child do it. Read with them - hear them read and read to them. I didn’t let my kids no any homework in KS1 and minimal in KS2. They’ve all done really well in school.

We've done this (nicely) and been told that if he's not done it he'll be kept in to do it.

OP posts:

Fluffypastelslippers · 05/10/2021 00:05

Any advice/ suggestions?

Either you follow the policy as laid out by school or you find another school? They have told you that it's expected and your child will be punished if it's not done so you don't have many options here.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 00:09

@Fluffypastelslippers

Any advice/ suggestions?

I'm frustrated that this wasn't set out initially, we may well have chosen another school.

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PutYourBackIntoit · 05/10/2021 00:43

You are right to think that they value play less than homework.

SuperStarRose · 05/10/2021 00:47

If you don't like it then change schools. It seems like the easiest solution. If you keep making a fuss they'll soon ask you to remove him anyway. Just because you're paying doesn't mean you get your own way I'm afraid they'll just cut him loose.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 06:54

@SuperStarRose

Just seems unfair on DS as he is settled.

I don't think paying should mean I get my own way, I haven't said that. I don't think the fact it's a private school is really relevant.

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Peanutbuttercupisyum · 05/10/2021 09:05

My dc is also in y1 at a private school.
Spellings once a week, reading everyday (can do as much or as little as you want/have time for) and one thing to do at the weekend - maybe design a poster or write a few sentences. If child doesn’t do the homework then of course there are no consequences!!! The teacher just says never mind, try and do something next week. They are FIVE! Focus is on learning to read and write fluently and play with the other children, and none of that requires work at home.

Others may disagree but as a paying customer I wouldn’t have my 5yo forced to do excessive work and actually punished for not doing it, it’s horrible. The most “punishment” ours get is being put on a “rain cloud” picture if they don’t tidy up properly or talk in assembly. 5 year old should not be kept in to work at break time. Honestly, I wouldn’t pay for this! I’d change school.

Peanutbuttercupisyum · 05/10/2021 09:13

In terms of practical suggestions:
I’d do reading in the morning after breakfast. I’d do 5 mins of looking at the weeks spellings everyday after school and before dinner. I’d do the big task at the weekend - set aside an hour and sit with him and blast through.
This finishing off class work thing is totally bizarre and not something I’d engage with at all. I’d probably just tell my dc to work super quickly at school so there isn’t any finishing
off at home nonsense.

ProfSprout · 05/10/2021 09:25

Well your choice is to change school, do the homework at home or accept that he does it at playtime.

This is very normal for fee-paying schools…the parents tend to love and expect it!

It is different from state school because there usually aren’t the same homework expectations from so early on - or the same comeback if it isn’t done.

I think you would have to look hard to find a fee-paying school that didn’t have similar home work expectations.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 09:27

@Peanutbuttercupisyum

In terms of practical suggestions: I’d do reading in the morning after breakfast. I’d do 5 mins of looking at the weeks spellings everyday after school and before dinner. I’d do the big task at the weekend - set aside an hour and sit with him and blast through. This finishing off class work thing is totally bizarre and not something I’d engage with at all. I’d probably just tell my dc to work super quickly at school so there isn’t any finishing off at home nonsense.

We already do reading and spelling regularly

OP posts:

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 09:28

@ProfSprout

Well your choice is to change school, do the homework at home or accept that he does it at playtime.

This is very normal for fee-paying schools…the parents tend to love and expect it!

It is different from state school because there usually aren’t the same homework expectations from so early on - or the same comeback if it isn’t done.

I think you would have to look hard to find a fee-paying school that didn’t have similar home work expectations.

Yes, it's why we chose this particular school - we were lead to believe that the school wasn't as formal as other in the area.

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MiniCooperLover · 05/10/2021 10:43

A large part of what makes a private school appealing to other parents is their long term results and to get those they start from day one 🤷‍♀️ If you want private you're going to have to follow their rules to a degree or you could well get asked to remove him. It's going to get worse each year.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 14:39

@MiniCooperLover

I think it depends, for the people I know who's children are in private this isn't the case. But there are certainly those in the class who feel more work = better results. I personally think that more individual time and smaller class sizes will get better results without the need for additional work.

I'm just not sure where we'd move him to!

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MiniCooperLover · 05/10/2021 15:35

I appreciate that and I don't necessarily disagree with you but if this is the ethos of the school you are now at (and you want to stay there), you are going to have to fall in more with what the school believes than you believe.

Original poster

JoborPlay · 05/10/2021 15:36

@MiniCooperLover

But it wasn't the ethos when we signed up! It was a question we specifically asked about.

OP posts:

YourFinestPantaloons · 05/10/2021 15:38

My DC are in private education, this is the pitfalls - the expectation to do very, very well and be absolutely committed. Even at age 5!

1234567890pickle · 13/03/2022 14:51

Can a primary school keep my 5 year old in at lunch time for not getting all 6 spellings correct ?? Please help..

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