... to answer the homework questionnaire honestly?

[MrsHathaway]

School has sent home a questionnaire about homework. They will be surveying the children at school.

Questions include "Do you think homework is important?" and "Ideally when would you like homework sent home and returned to school?"

I think primary homework (beyond reading books and maybe spellings/times tables) is at best pointless. At worst I think it risks disengaging children and putting them off school.

I should say so, shouldn't I?

Should I stop short of including copies of the articles that helped me to my conclusion?

I have a very good relationship with the school but this questionnaire is anonymous.

Of course you should be honest. I imagine the school think the same and want parental opinion. I'm sure they've read all the articles too.

I know our school does give out homework because when they tried not to parents complained.

Suggest that it's optional?

You should absolutely say so.

The amount of homework they get these days is ridiculous, and every child I know has to be forced into it and hates it. It's just teaching children to dislike schoolwork.

I'm in my 20s and we had NO homework at primary.

Absolutely be honest. I'm a secondary school teacher and even in secondary I think half the homework we set in counterproductive. But we get told off if we don't set enough. I imagine most of the teachers will agree with your views.

Why on earth wouldn't you be honest?

Btw I also think homework at that age is abosolute bollocks.

If that's how you feel be honest. I'm always brutally honest when asked for feedback- as long as it's anonymous!

Absolutely write what you think: that's why they give out questionnaires. I am a headteacher and, although I sometimes find some answers to questionnaires from parents a little difficult to take at times, I am always grateful that parents have taken the time to complete them and share their views. We need parents to be honest and to give us the alternative view as our experience and knowledge of the school and its procedures can be very different to the reality which parents and children are experiencing.

And just to add to what some of the pps are saying, the articles are not necessary. They will probably be aware of the research.

Even if it wasn't anonymous I would still be open and honest about your feelings on homework. I agree that primary school children should not get homework, they are at school too much anyway in my opinion!

I love an anonymous school questionnaire, especially about homework! Go for it. It is mostly pointless!

We're often told a reason we have to give so much homework is because parents complain if we don't. The more parents who speak out against it the better!

Why on earth would you not answer honestly?

Yes I did think clippings would be a bit pass. agg.

I don't particularly want my responses to be anonymous. I can see that anonymity might improve response rate, but equally I think it could be useful to see if all the anti-homework responses come from the parents of clever children, or naughty children, or sporty children, and all the pro-homework responses from the opposite group.

Also I want them to see that "involved in school" and "keen on homework" aren't necessarily the same group.

I am always slightly suspicious of any survey or questionnaire because there's always a motivation beyond that stated. I find myself wondering whether they're surveying in order to collect support for the status quo or for a change that's already in the pipeline.

Or they might genuinely want your views to inform their policy.

I think they're looking to ditch it and have backup for when ofsted gives them grief.

If it's like my DC's school they'll only get about 6 answers to their questionnaire, so not remotely statistically useful, but they can then claim they are "gathering parental views".

(my DD is the rare child who loves homework - she's spent about 4 hours this week doing homework that was meant to take 30 minutes because she insisted on expanding the brief. Equally DS hated homework and always did the minimum. so maybe optional homework i s the way to go)

Tell 'em - you are of course right. Sometimes schools set homework because they think the parents expect it. They may be looking for a reason to reduce it and they would be right to do so.

I would be totally honest and very very clear that homework is bollocks and homework for parents is big sweaty bollocks!!

Schools do like a nice bit of consultation, don't they? Probably because Oftwat like schools to like consultation. What's more, expect the findings to be cynically massaged if they do not accord with the headteacher's 'vision'.

We often ask parents for their views on homework and most say we don't send enough, or it's not challenging enough. As a primary teacher I set homework but as a mum I don't insist it gets done.

I agee with you op and i also think homework should be things the children can do themselves. The five year old who arrived at reception class last christmas with a wooden sleigh complete with dove tail joints clearly did not make that himself. Bloody craft homeworks. Or the recent year one 'research london bridge' and how is a 6 year old going to do this research? Thankfully i have siri to do this homework