Why do primary age kids have homework?

[letsmargaritatime]

Is it because parents expect it? Is it needed because the school hours are not long enough for all the learning to be done? Is it necessary to cement what has been learned in the classroom? Is it extra pressure on teachers because of SATS?

When I was in primary school (80s) it was literally just reading and times tables, which I get, these things underpin all their other learning. But my dc get weekly homework and always hated doing it, and I hated forcing them. Sometimes the tasks themselves seem pointless, and I always rolled my eyes at the model making tasks where kids would be lavished with praise or get extra golden time for something clearly constructed by their parents. I remember hearing one mother tell her child that she would carry the model Tudor house into the classroom as "I'm not risking you dropping it and ruining it"

Why the increase? Or was I unusual in not having homework in primary school? In fact maybe I'm unusual in saying I'd be perfectly happy if my dc had no homework at all until
senior school!

[Proudmummytodc2]

My DS is in p2 now but when I was at his parents meeting last year when he was in p1 his teacher said the amount of homework he receives is because they can't fit all required work in to the scheduled time.

I can't help but think though that on a Friday afternoon in my DS school has golden time for 2 hours so play with games and toys only and no work.

They have fruit time for 30 mins a day also.

I think if they cut this time slightly they wouldn't be sitting at home with as much homework.

My DS has 2-3 hours of homework over 4 days (no homework on a Friday) and he is only primary 2 and it gets more every time he moves up a class.

I always have him do his homework but I think this is a bit much after he has been at school from 8:45 to 3pm everyday and having to sit even more to do homework.

[LittleLionMansMummy]

This is a huge bug bear of mine op. Ds is in Y2 and now gets 2 adult chosen reading books per week, 1 free choice book, 10 spellings and now weekly 'learning log' which is basically a reinforcement of what their topic work has been. Today we've spent the day doing homework because we'd like to actually have some family time this weekend. By the time he gets home during the week he's shattered and in no fit state to focus. It's particularly hard for children of working parents. As others have said, if there was a shred of evidence of a link between homework and academic outcomes I might think differently. But as it is, it's a right royal PITA. He's 6 ffs. Makes me so angry.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

Why indeed

[Chairmancow]

It's bloody awful, especially when you have more than 1 child! I wish we could opt out, I'm not brave enough.

[ElBandito]

In Yr4 we have two lots of home work and nightly reading of about 10 mins. Spellings which they have to learn and write in a sentence and some maths. They are told to spend half an hour on each. There's a 'half term project' but it's given out before half term so you can choose when to do it.
I'm happy with that level of work as I think going from nothing to lots when they get to secondary would be a shock and it's nice to get into a bit of a routine now.
Much more than that I think is unreasonable.

[Grimbles]

My son is in yr1 and they get a few spellings and some numbers to practice plus a book to read that's changed every week.

Nothing too formal can't can't be done in a couple of minutes 3 or 4 times over the weekend.

At the moment its numbers that add up to ten so every now and then I'll say something like 3 and what makes 10?

[Whatamesshaslunch]

As I teacher, I hate the concept of homework, apart from a little mental maths and spelling. I don't think children should be doing endless clubs and activities after school either.
I'd much rather they went home and played and developed their imagination! Or even slobbed in front of the to and had some downtime after a busy day at school. As pp said, 'let them be little'.

[Whatamesshaslunch]

*tv

[Veterinari]

We never had homework in primary. I've done very well academically - a lack of homework gave me the space and time to take pleasure in reading, creative writing and exploring the world - important self-directed skills.

Primary school homework is an utter waste of time - it has zero impact on educational outcomes and is just another box to tick in our kids regimented lives.

[Isadora2007]

Last year dd (7) didn't have any homework. It was far more enjoyable, yes, and less stress all round.
However I notice that now she has homework again I can see that she has not been forming her letters to join up correctly. I feel had she been doing homework I'd have noticed this and corrected it earlier which would have been easier. Her writing has also gone teeny tiny which is annoying!
I think reading books home plus a term long list of 5/6 wee challenges would be plenty. Then people could fit it in as and when.
If we have had a busy weekend with competitions or extra training (Gymnastics) I just don't do the written homework and write a note explaining why. She always manages to read.

[cheminotte]

Totally pointless.

[HiJenny35]

Teacher here- truthfully total waste of time. Kids who could do with consolidation work are always the ones who don't do it. 50% is never returned, 25% is completed by the parents, about 10% is totally wrong and the kid has totally missed the point. The extra time to have to go through it and mark it and record what's been done is a nightmare. You have to go over it all again anyway because you're never really sure what they have understood.
So why do we do it... two main reasons, ofsted tend to love it and there's always three or four partners per class who kick off if you don't give it.

[Nomorechickens]

Reading, spellings, practising maths - fine.
Written homework - no.
Projects - WE ALL HATE PROJECTS! and totally pointless unless the child enjoys them. But we don't feel comfortable saying don't do it, as it's giving a bad message ifyswim

[Lambzig]

DD has just gone into year 3. We have four hours homework per week. Creative writing, comprehension writing and maths. That's in addition to 20 mins reading aloud each night. It seems so much for a 7 year old.

[Whatamesshaslunch]

And saying it's preparation for the workload of secondary school is nonsense imo. Play and freedom to be oneself is excellent preparation for secondary school.

There are plenty of ways to share children's work with parents without setting a written homework. For example send the book home with instructions to tell someone at home about a piece of work they are proud of etc etc. If it IS set, it should only ever be consolidation of a lesson, not writing a story or researching something.
Grr this subject really gets my goat.

[IncyWincyGrownUp]

We put out a maximum of half an hour's worth of homework a week in the class I hang around in. It's designed to help reinforce the stuff that's been taught in class all week. It's not arduous, and most of our class could easily get it done and out of the way in fifteen to twenty minutes. For those who have difficulties with the general year group standard work we will set differentiated pieces.

I think having a small amount of homework is a valuable thing. It teaches the children that they have to take a certain amount of responsibility for their learning, and that you have to put effort in to improve.

I used to run a homework club for those children that didn't hand their homework in. It was usually the same core group of children who didn't care, with parents who also didn't care. Those parents were quite happy for their children to miss out on their lunchtime playtime (they all ate) though. I found that to be quite unpleasant.

[MuchBenham]

It gets my goat. There's no evidence that it improves outcomes for primary aged children. We have spellings, tables and a weekly task, as well as reading. I hate the way it encroaches into our family time, and I end up arguing with my DS to get it done, when I don't even agree with doing it in the first place! I would take a stance on it but I feel that would be unfair to my DS, to be the only one who hasn't done their homework. It's nonsense. The only thing that does improve outcomes, IIRC, is reading for pleasure. And we do plenty of that.

[IncyWincyGrownUp]

Building/making/research projects are only ever set three times a year over the longer holidays, and are always optional.

Rather oddly, one of the most critical parents where homework is concerned usually puts a shitload of effort into making elaborate summer project type pieces. Doesn't let the child help though.

[G1raffe]

I really really don't like that kids are kept in for their parents not engaging. Especially as it's often the kids who could really do with running around so they're ready for the afternoon.

And of course the leading to parents doing homesork with their kids "sontheyre not kept in" rather than for the learning ...

[G1raffe]

To reply to above poster, I found it quite unpleasant that schools do this!

[Oblomov17]

I think it's wrong and hate it.
Reading ok. A few times tables ok.
But it's just wrong. I have no idea why it's gone this way.

[Copperspot]

The amount of kids that forget lunchboxes / homework / reading books / pe kit, i don't think we'd get books back if we sent them home. Maybe a photocopy of a page of their work? Very time consuming for TAs though.

[Copperspot]

I must admit i don't understand the 'taking up family time' argument. Isn't educating and developinh your child part of being a family? Reading is a nice activity to do together. Homework sheets (at my school at least) tend to me 10-15 mins work max. Projects are 4 activities over 6 weeks. Each activity is probably 20mins work.

Do you stop having 'family life' when your child is at high school / college with shit tons of homework?

[Perfectly1mperfect]

I like them getting homework for Maths and Literacy as it lets me know what they have been doing in class. Although I do ask my kids what they have been learning and I get told about the topic for the term such as The Egyptians for example, they don't really tell me what they have covered in Maths and Literacy. Having homework for these subjects means I can see how they are doing with them.

I can't stand the project type stuff though, such as make a model of something. I have one child that hates this type of activity so it ends up in minimal effort and an argument and one child who would happily spend 2 weeks making it and with such grand ideas I could spend a months wages in hobbycraft.

Giving them homework does reduce the shock that they get when going to senior school. I also think parents can't expect to leave education to the school completely so it does ensure that kids do some educational stuff at home.