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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

6 and 7 year olds being kep in at lunch time for forgetting homework

575 replies

DaanSaaf · 08/05/2018 20:55

Year 2 ds just told me they have to stay in at lunch time and do extra work if they haven't brought their homework in.

Aibu to think that's a bit harsh at their age?

OP posts:
Booboobooboo84 · 08/05/2018 20:56

No it’s a good lesson for them to learn that the school considers homework to be an essential part of learning.

Idontdowindows · 08/05/2018 21:01

Homework at that age? Poor sods :(

NewYearNewMe18 · 08/05/2018 21:03

Do you pack their book bag or do they? Either way, someone is forgetting.

TroubledLichen · 08/05/2018 21:04

If a child of that age either has forgotten or not done their homework it’s probably down to the parents so I don’t think it’s fair to punish a kid that might have a chaotic home life. Having said that I think staying in over lunch is a perfectly appropriate punishment for kids of that age for bad behaviour in class or being mean to other children for example. But not for homework as it’s almost certainly not their fault that it hasn’t been done or has been forgotten.

Original poster
DaanSaaf · 08/05/2018 21:08

Yes ultimately it would be down to me. Fwiw ds hasn't had this punishment because he's always taken his homework in (so far). I just think missing playtime at that age is harsh.

OP posts:
NotAnotherJaffaCake · 08/05/2018 21:09

We have a homework club at our school for children who don’t do homework. Homework is basic things like spellings, reading and times tables practice and there was a definite group of children who used to never do these kinds of things. They needed the extra help, to be honest, and fewer children are having to use it now.

cloudyweewee · 08/05/2018 21:10

I teach Y2 and keep children in if they haven't done their homework.

MyDcAreMarvel · 08/05/2018 21:11

Homework has zero benefits at primary level. Absolutely none.

cliffdiver · 08/05/2018 21:12

DD1 is in Y1 and children who don't do their homework have to complete it during their 'free flow Friday' afternoon.

I agree it's harsh - at that age it's usually the parents who are to blame for non-submission, not the children.

applesauce1 · 08/05/2018 21:13

I teach Year 2 and strongly feel that children of this age should only read and do spelling homework. No homework until KS2. I don't police homework at all (don't tell SLT) and try to set open ended tasks for families to do together.
If additional work is needed for specific children, I'll set it with the parents as a team on a case by case basis.
I think it is harsh. Children should be playing.

pilotswife · 08/05/2018 21:16

Agree with applesauce - nuts

Original poster
DaanSaaf · 08/05/2018 21:16

Reading is separate as are spellings. It's the weekly homework task that they can't forget.

Their reading diary must be signed a minimum of 5X per week or they miss an end of term treat.

OP posts:
elderflowerandrose · 08/05/2018 21:19

I like the school Commitment but feel less enthusiastic about children of this age belong punished for their forgetful parents.
It is hardly a terrible punishment but I would imagine it does upset them.
Make sure they have homework and email the teacher if there is a serious reason why it isn’t coming with the child that day.

Fruitcorner123 · 08/05/2018 21:20

I would be complaining if this happened at my DS' school. He is year 2. Homework is not nearly as important for young children as physical exercise and play. The best way to deal with this is through rewards (merits or whatever) for completing homework. As a pp has said its ultimately the parent who is to blame if a 7 yrar old hasnt completed homework and teachers will find that it's the same students every week who don't complete so they lose a fifth of their playtime and a fifth of their physical exercise because mum/dad can't be bothered/don't believe in homework/forgot.

Bonelessbanquet · 08/05/2018 21:20

DD has to read through extra playtime if she hasn’t completed all her homework/reading and tasks.

I feel strongly that reading should not be used as a ‘punishment’

They also have to do 5 maths tasks which take around 10-15 mins each, 3 online reading tasks with 10 questions at the end of each, spellings, music practice and reading books x 3... not quite sure when they’re meant to have a life, or how us working parents are meant to fit it all in.

No wonder kids are stressed

Ridiculous

Heartshapedfairylights · 08/05/2018 21:25

Absolute rubbish. Children of that age shouldn’t be getting home work let alone detentions. Homework has no benefit whatsoever at primary level. Research says so.
Our school are scrapping it next year thankfully.

Original poster
DaanSaaf · 08/05/2018 21:25

I feel guilty about it because dh and I both work full time.
By the time dc have been collected from childcare and we get home, have dinner and baths there's only a small amount of downtime before bed. Weekends we visit family and have days out, it's a struggle getting them to sit down and do their homework.

Ds2 in reception has it as well but without the punishments.

OP posts:
viques · 08/05/2018 21:31

No problems with kids being kept in if they haven't done class work, but think this is unfair re homework because there are so many variables that are outside a child's control, encouragement to do the homework in the first place, a space to do it, other family activities taking up time, reminders to take it back to school etc etc.

I used to comment on homework,note who had/hadn't done it and mention it at parents evening . but that was it, you never know how much help a child has had or the circumstances the work was completed in. I remember one child who loved homework tasks and would spend hours doing the most imaginative presentations, it was wonderful to see (and she did do it all herself) another wrote a few lines in blobby biro and that was that, but I knew the child's home circumstances and was pleased they managed something
( the presentation got better after I had a clearout of my desk and found a lot of old colouring pencils and felt tips I no longer needed .....)

CatWhisker · 09/05/2018 08:46

I think they do this from about year 3 or 4 in dd's school. Dd has twice in year 6 had to do homework at lunchtime as she's forgotten to pack it or to do it. Prior to year 6 they only had to submit hwk once a week on the same day, but in year 6 it's every day.
Dd doesn't see it as a punishment though. I've heard her say they don't give detentions at her school. She just sees it as "doing homework at lunchtime as you forgot to do it/bring it." Last time she just said to the teacher "I'll have to do my homework at lunchtime as I forgot to do it." Teacher was fine/pleasant about it, so probably why she doesn't see it as a punishment

CatWhisker · 09/05/2018 08:47

But yes, ks1 is too young

ICantCopeAnymore · 09/05/2018 09:01

I teach Year 2. The only homework my class have is reading and I'll set a fun task for the holidays like, "take a photo of yourself reading in the most unusual place possible".

Homework at primary age is disgusting. Keeping children in at playtime for things that are out of their control is disgusting. Any teacher that does this to little ones needs to ask themselves if they're in the right career.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/05/2018 09:04

At only 6 or 7, personally I think that although it's good to encourage them, it's largely the parent's job to remember things for them. I am one whose mother never did when I was small, so I was always the one the teacher was rolling her eyes at, because I hadn't brought back the signed form or whatever it was.

Certainly harsh IMO to give detentions at that age for what is rather more likely to be the parent's failings rather than the child's.

When dds were that sort of age I made sure to remember things for them, since I didn't want them to be - 'Not you again, might have known,' like me.
A bit older, and certainly coming up to secondary, they do need to learn to remember for themselves.

FASH84 · 09/05/2018 09:06

Aren't they just being kept in to catch up on the work they haven't done?

UnicornRainbowFluffball · 09/05/2018 09:45

Yanbu. It's ridiculous. They do the same at my dcs school. They've never been kept in but if we didn't get it done I'd have no qualms in telling them dc are not to be punished because their parents didn't have time to do homework with them. I can't help but wonder what happens to the kids whose parents don't care and never have help with their homework/reading. Hey kid, we're gonna punish you every week for having shit parents Hmm

CalF123 · 09/05/2018 21:56

I don't think it's harsh at all. At that age, they should know themselves they need to do homework without parents reminding. I also don't think homework for 7 year olds is a bad thing- it gets them into the habit of independent study and the mindset that their education is important. I have family overseas, and in that country 7 year olds have at least 2 hours work each evening.