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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How much 'homework' have you done this year in reception with lo?

22 replies

Sausageheadset · 11/07/2018 18:51

We always read the library and set books every night but feel that everyone does much more! We have keywords and number sets in book bag but never seen to get round to doing them. Feel bad about it as sure everyone else does more and our child will be at a disadvantage. Just feel at 5 I don't want to put them under loads of pressure - think playing outside, seeing friends etc should be more important at this age. Is it a disadvantage at this age and what could your lo do at this age?

OP posts:

Original poster

Sausageheadset · 12/07/2018 07:17

Bump

OP posts:

Nomad86 · 12/07/2018 07:21

DD starts reception this year. We'll do what we have time for but I'm not taking up all her free time with school work to the point where she no longer enjoys school. I'm a sahm though, so we probably get a bit more time in the evenings to do it than most families.

blackteaplease · 12/07/2018 07:24

Ds has just finished reception. We try to read every day, apart from that the only homework has been phonics/letter writing sheets with colouring in the first term.

Passmeabrew · 12/07/2018 07:28

We have done the reading book which they aim to change 3 times a week but only if previous one has been read. Then each week they have a small homework task that is completed over the weekend but usually this is just to reinforce what they have been doing all week and is manageable in 20 mins. Been happy to do this as its all manageable and I see it more as helping to set good habits for future and let's DS show me what he can do, which he loves.

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 12/07/2018 07:30

DD is just finishing reception. We have done about 5-10 minutes reading most nights, tricky words when required and towards the end of the year, some spellings.
Official homework is once a fortnight and ranged from “go on a walk with a grown up to find some numbers” to drawing a picture and writing a sentence.
Not particularly arduous and DD’s report has said she’s exceeding expectations in all but one area of the EYFS. There are certainly parents who do far more.

ProudmummytoMA · 12/07/2018 07:34

We do reading 5 out of 7 nights (either reading book or word set) for a maximum of 10 minutes.

He also has one handwriting sheet and a maths challenge a week which we usually do on a Sunday morning. Takes about 20 minutes to do both.

DayKay · 12/07/2018 07:40

We do the reading book and then our own books from the library so her reading has come along really well.
We ve had some set homework so dd has done a few of them but I haven’t made her do any if she didn’t want to. It’s mostly the stuff parents would do anyway like making a model of something.
The school also subscribes to Education City and there’s regular homework on there that we ve done sometimes.
I’ll be a bit more structured with homework from next year.

glintandglide · 12/07/2018 07:42

I think you need to decide whether you feel guilty or whether you’re ideological against homework. If it’s the former then I would just do more homework. If it’s the latter then stop feeling guilty!

ILoveMyDressingGown · 12/07/2018 07:43

Every other week my reception aged child got 1 piece of written homework on top of the usual reading and phonics practice.

Keepittenten · 12/07/2018 08:06

Weekly set topic homework- Either 30-50 minutes in one go at weekend or broken up daily into research/writing/making and sticking/drawing.

Writing practice and reading alternate evenings.

Since just before Turquoise books (where DD is now), there is an extra bit to do in the back of the book. We go over this at the weekend usually and write/draw any bits in her journal the next day.

Along with trying to visit a museum/go for a nature walk...it does seem a lot compared to what DN did in reception, about 5 years ago. DD enjoys it and if it was too much or she felt overwhelmed then I would not do anything apart from reading. DD is 5...having fun and waiting for the ice cream lady is more important than adventures with the magic key 😂

Wateroffaduck · 12/07/2018 08:10

My DD is in reception, on half term etc they seem to have huge projects as homework, stuff that takes hours and will be done mostly by me. DD hasn’t done any of them as I don’t agree with homework for 5 year olds. Why stress her out with homework, and she would stress about it.

We do read her books though, I try to do it nightly but sometimes run out of time.

widget2015 · 12/07/2018 08:18

DS1 didn't get any homework in reception, just a library book for us to read with him each week. I did do some reading practice with him a few times a week.

Merryoldgoat · 12/07/2018 08:26

The bare minimum. My DS has HFA and has only been able to concentrate long enough to do any in the last 2 months.

DS could read before starting Reception so that wasn’t an issue but he reads books most days. Sound homework wasn’t needed.

His writing is terrible so this is where we do the most work.

I don’t really agree with homework beyond reading and spellings for children in infants but I’m in the minority I think.

Chocolate1984 · 12/07/2018 08:39

We had letters and words every night except Friday spending around 30 minutes on it. A reading book was added later which took it to nearly an hour and was hard To fit in. There was one point where they had 15 tricky words, a book and 5 words a night to learn. It was too much.

HairyToity · 12/07/2018 08:45

We just have one reading book a week. It takes 5 minutes a week. Perfect.

mindutopia · 12/07/2018 09:31

We had books sent home, plus keywords and sometimes handwriting practice, then 10 minutes per week on a maths app and 10 mins on a phonics app. And then usually a termly project.

We did do it all, primarily because I think, within reason, if you're asked to do something, you should try your best to do it. You don't have to do it perfectly and you don't have to stress about it, but you should do at least the minimum of what's expected. I don't hover over her and I don't force her to do more than she's asked to do. She also does get loads of time outside. We might do homework for like 20-30 minutes, but not every day. Otherwise from when I collect her until 6:30pm when we have dinner, she plays outside or draws or does whatever.

mirime · 12/07/2018 09:39

DS didn't have any specific homework. He had two reading books a week plus a library book and towards the end a spelling test every week.

DS has done quite a bit of practicing of reading, writing and spelling, but he's chosen to do it. I've noticed that he won't until he reaches a certain level of confidence and then it's hard to stop him and I've just gone with it. So he does do something most evenings, might be five minutes, might be half an hour.

SnapCards · 12/07/2018 09:43

Reading and words are always completed. Everything else I see as optional extras that we do if DD wants to do them. (Weekly journal/maths and phonics app/'making' projects)

We do most of it, because DD enjoys it. The only things we don't do are when you have to make some ridiculous 'thing' which no 4 or 5yo can do without an adult. We did it once, all the other projects were adult-made works of art and DD was upset at how her's looked in comparison.

But if you're not reading or practising words, then yes your DC will always be at a disadvantage because they only get to practise once a week(ish) with the teacher.

Cath2907 · 12/07/2018 09:43

DD is Yr 2 now but for reception we did nothing. For Yr 1 we did reading once per week. For Yr 2 we do reading twice per week, 10 spellings and holiday projects.

That was what school asked for but to be honest I'd not have done any more even if they had asked for it. I think there are other important things to be done after school (in our case swimming lessons, Beavers, craft, cooking, taking a walk, etc..)

Mia1415 · 12/07/2018 09:47

DS is just finishing reception and I've just done his reading book every night.

I think he starts getting more in year 1.

OiWhoTookTheGoodNames · 12/07/2018 10:08

I've had one in Reception and one in Year 1 this year - the Reception homework load's been higher to be honest.

Reception kid had reading book that they requested to read every night and change as it had been read, phonics games home every alternate week and a homework activity home every other week - was stuff like a practical activity to do at home and then record somehow in the homework book.

Y1 kid - reading book every night and fortnightly homework task - usually "find out about X and present what you've found somehow" (translation: parent google and hand over to child with big pencil case of goodies to do yer worst)

HeyMicky · 12/07/2018 10:13

Daily reading. High frequency word flash cards earlier in the year but this dropped off as students moved up the reading levels.

The headteacher has limited homework right across the school, to reading, spelling, times tables and short maths worksheets (to reinforce the weeks learning) only, as appropriate for the year level. No projects, no independent research, no work outside maths and literacy. It's a joy.

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