To expect my Yr 9 DD to do 2hrs homework a night.

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My year 9 daughter is at present only doing about 45 minutes a night homework (she refuses to do anymore). she is getting away doing so little at the moment. The school expects year 9 girls to do between 8-10 hours homework a week DD is spending less than half of that time on homework.

The school sent a letter out to parents asking 'how much time does your daughter spend on her homework' I sent the letter back saying less than 4 hours per week DD was sent to the year head for a dressing down. DD is no calling me every name under the sun (being very rude). She is saying all her friends spend the same amount of time on their homework and that being dressed down by the year head was unfair. The school expects pupils to achieve A /* or level8/9 grades for GCSE so she was told in no uncertain terms by the year head that 45 minutes a night on homework was unacceptable. This is in contrast to her elder year 10 sister who always does/did over 2 hours a night homework (both are at the same school) even her year 7 brother does 1 hour a night .

Am I correct to ban her from using her computer (except for school work) until she can prove she has spent two hours on her homework that night.

Just re-reading your OP.

Am I correct to ban her from using her computer (except for school work) until she can prove she has spent two hours on her homework that night.

No, you probably are not 'correct' to do that. You would be reasonable to ration her computer/phone/etc. until she can show you she's done her work to a decent standard and, more importantly, to the best of her abilities.

OP all these schools will state on line that they expect children to do a certain amount of hours per night. However in reality, the children often do much less and rightly so because the teachers know it's healthier to have a balanced life.

Agree with not clock watching. Instead concentrate on her trying her hardest in the time she does work.

Do you blame me (who had a crap education) for going along with what the school asks from its pupils or for putting my faith in them . They know a dam sight more than I do about what level of work is required for pupils to succeed at GCSE/A Level. They also have a outstanding record getting students on to competitive courses at top Universities.

The thing is that what schools tell you their pupils do, and what the pupils actually do, may well be two different things. Most schools don't check, they simply go by results. They tell the pupils to do two hours a night, pupils do one hour a night and do well, they assume it's because the pupils have obeyed them; so the following year they tell pupils the same.

At one stage I did a 6 month course which involved attending lectures for half a day and a set of exams at the end of it. In the second week, we were told that if we weren't already doing at least 4 hours extra every day we might as well give up. I, and most of the people on the course, certainly weren't doing that at any stage until the final few weeks leading up to the exam, but there was a very good pass rate, me included

Out of interest does your DD want to get onto a competitive degree at a top University or is she being told that's what she wants to do?