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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU about this homework?

54 replies

DressMe · 14/03/2017 20:06

My son is 5 years old and is in Year 1. A recent change of headteacher has promted a new homework policy, and he now has three lots of homework to do each week.

One is to read three times a week (fine).

Two is to learn 10 given spelling each week for a test. He gets stars depending on how many he gets right. Interestingly, although he passes the test each week, he doesn't retain the spellings and can't recite previous spellings after the week.

Three is to complete a 'phonics activity' each week. This week's is to look at a list of words with the pheneme /ere/ and sort them into groups according to their grapheme (words include adhere, peering, tear, interfere...). He then has to write them in lists in his homework book.

AIBU to think this is an unreasonable expectation from a 5 year old? I have three children (one of which is 10 months old) and work full time. Just getting him to learn the 10 spellings requires 15 minutes or so a night, then reading on top of that, and now a phonics activity too? When do people find time for this?!

I'm happy to do homework with him and think reading is incredibly important, but I worry about the level of expectation. I would prefer homework that encouraged him to work on his handwriting and letter formation - It would be much more useful. He currently has a tiny homework book that is so small he can't write all 10 words on one page!

What homework do your five year old's get?

OP posts:

QuackDuckQuack · 14/03/2017 21:28

My DD's school apparently don't do homework. So in year 1 they just have:

Read - preferably every day.
Spellings - 10 words a week.
Online maths thing - encouraged to use regularly (we do about 4 times a week).
Sheet about what they've done in maths that week with suggestions of stuff to do at home. I don't think anyone does anything with this.

I'm not entirely certain what they mean by 'don't do homework' as we seem to have a long list. We're lucky that DD doesn't need as much sleep as many of her peers, so we can fit quite a bit in every evening. The thing that is suffering is that we don't read to her as much as I'd like.

I've just started using an app called A+ Spelling Test for her spelling list. You record the words and type them in and there are various modes for learning and testing them. It means that DD can get on with it more independently.

TwatteryFlowers · 14/03/2017 21:28

Ds this week had to write a non-chronological report on a subject of his choosing, some maths work on labelling all the coins and notes, 5 words from the list of common exception words for year one, reading, practising phonics and handwriting.

After he comes home from the childminder's, he has an hour before supper/bath/bedtime. At the moment that hour is taken up by homework and he is struggling with it. I would like him to have less homework and more time for relaxing or following his own interests or for just being a child.

Cantstopeatingchocolate · 14/03/2017 21:30

Primary 1 was a reading book each week (that they had been reading in class the previous week) and a tub of words related to reading books.
DS had to be able to memorise words, each week teacher would test they knew it, 3 ticks to say he was confidently remembering it and it was binned and replaced with new. Depending on child could be 8 or 18.
I think he had maths sheets too but not weekly,maybe fortnightly.
Now it's 8 spelling words each week. 'Look, cover, write, check'
Then sentences or word searches etc etc. A book each week and maths each week too. I requested that unfinished school work also come home as he gets really distracted in class and I was sick of seeing half finished work books when I went in at parents night.

MrsGsnow18 · 14/03/2017 21:33

I feel like there should be a numeracy based homework in there too to even things out. Is there never any number homework?

notyourmummy · 14/03/2017 21:49

Doesn't seem much to me. We have reading every night (books have about 35 pages), maths homework one night to be back following day (2-3 sheets on the previous week's learning), 10 spellings a week and a reading comprehension sheet and a writing exercise (usually 2 sides of a5) over the weekend.

AuditAngel · 14/03/2017 21:55

DD2 is one of the elder children in the year.

They get maths honework (assorted number of questions, should take half an hour, takes DD less time), English, reading 3-4 times a week, spellings plus tricky words (the ones phonics don't help with)

AuditAngel · 14/03/2017 21:56

Year 1

ThermoScan · 14/03/2017 22:01

Sounds about right to me for year 1.
You work f/t.What happens after school? Are they in childcare or do you pick up? Can you delegate some of this?
Can you call out spellings when getting a meal ready or in the bath,or walking home?
I'm afraid I mutiltask doing homework,I listen to reading & call out spellings whilst making packed lunches or tidying up after tea .If they can read the book once they don't read it every day.
What doesn't get done in the week is saved for the weekend.

ladyvimes · 14/03/2017 22:04

10 spellings is ridiculous. Maybe 4 or 5.

Reading fine.

Any other homework at this age is a waste of time and makes no difference to achievement.

I am a primary school teacher and I hate all homework except for reading and times tables practise!

edwinbear · 14/03/2017 22:10

DD is also 5 but in Reception. She gets reading 5 times a week, (I don't view this as homework), 5 spellings, literacy or maths homework sheets on Mon and Weds and both a literacy and maths sheet to complete over the weekend. Which we find perfectly fine.

BarbarianMum · 14/03/2017 22:10

Mine read every day and got one extra piece of homework a week which was related to what they were learning at school that week - could be maths, or art, or writing something or finding out something.

At that age it was plenty.

BarbarianMum · 14/03/2017 22:12

Oh and despite being officially "gifted" in English, ds1 would have struggled with that vocab at 5.

Peppapogstillonaloop · 14/03/2017 22:19

That amount sounds Bonkers!! When are they supposed to have time to relax/play/actually be children. its so depressing

Ginseng1 · 14/03/2017 22:19

That seems like loads for a 5 year old! My 7 year old (year 2 equivalent) gets about that now plus a maths sheet & I think that's a lot. All homework is complete by Thursday evening tho so least weekend is free! There is no way she could have done spelling tests or written paragraphs last year.

Clarence81 · 14/03/2017 22:23

Your child can read to you as you make tea. He should be able to learn his own spellings at year 1.

GallivantingWildebeest · 14/03/2017 22:27

Ladyvimes - practice...

Op - reading is essential. The rest of your homework? Pfft. The phonics stuff especially is bonkers.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 14/03/2017 22:37

Jesus. I think that's a lot. I'm fundamentally opposed to homework for primary kids - I never did it other than spellings and reading.

I don't think it's necessary, particularly in infants.

flumpsnshit · 14/03/2017 22:42

I had 6 years of that, all fine except I have a non phonic learner she is visual. The school wouldn't have it and although a tutor helped she lost all confidence so now the secondary are trying to rebuild from yr2 level

TeenAndTween · 14/03/2017 22:42

Post in Primary Education and you'll get more balanced responses.
Spelling lists at that age has been shown to be not very effective.
Lots of schools only ask for reading.

CocoLoco87 · 14/03/2017 22:46

The amount seems typical but I'd rather one literacy and one numeracy on top of the reading. I'm a teacher and I give out spellings, mental maths and reading.

Original poster

DressMe · 15/03/2017 07:17

Thanks for all the responses. I'm reassuraed that I'm not the only one that feel it's too much. Interesting to read that homework may not make a difference at this age.

I guess my biggest problem is that if feels a waste of time and while I'll go through the motions and complete it as best we can, it feels I don't get much time with any of them, and I'd rather spend it doing more fun things.

OP posts:

Bensyster · 15/03/2017 07:26

My DD got 10/10 in her spellings in Year one, according to the tests she was an amazing speller - the reality is she could never spell outside of a test - still can't at secondary school. Learning spellings was a complete waste of time. And we got a massive amount of homework in Year one - but I thought it was important and so I complied, I wouldn't be quite so keen with the benefit of hindsight. OP follow your dc's lead, if they are interested go for it, but if they are tired of book work, give them a break, there's no need.

ladyvimes · 15/03/2017 07:30

Thanks for that Gallivanting. I don't know how I have managed in life not being able to spell...

WelliesAndPyjamas · 15/03/2017 07:41

It sounds ok to me for year 1. Reading should be done regularly anyway, and it will contribute to his spelling becoming embedded. Spelling practice is something the dc can do independently: writing out, covering and testing themselves, followed by testing with you a couple of times in the week. The actual literacy homework is where you sit down with them for support. I find homework very useful for getting a gauge of where the child is at with their school work and effort. Pick a day and time of the week when neither of you is tired, like Saturday late morning, followed by a treat, such as a biscuit, for getting it done nicely.

Trifleorbust · 15/03/2017 07:43

The thing is, your child might not retain the spellings but the other kids do, so participating in the homework is just a case of doing what is expected.

That said, I do think it is a lot for a 5 year old.

Just keep doing your best to get it done. That will give your child a good attitude to homework. If you go down the 'homework is a choice' route, she will still think this is the case when it becomes a lot more important.

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