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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my child shouldn’t be given homework over the Christmas break....

92 replies

Dickorydockwhatthe · 31/12/2018 17:07

and every other single holiday period!!! He has 5 activities to complete and a book review he’s in years 6. He gets homework every week mainly bloody SATS papers to do and every holiday he has homework and notjust a little bit it’s normlally lots!! He often needs help with it too so it’s quite stressful at weekends when it’s your only time off to do chores and spend some family time and your having to goggle their homework. My year 9 hasn’t got any at all!!

OP posts:
BackBoiler · 31/12/2018 17:57

Our Y6s xmas homework

AWishForWingsThatWork · 31/12/2018 17:59

YANBU. Homework over the term breaks shouldn't be allowed for children.

I am quite cross that my Year 7 has a math's assessment their first day back to school this week ... really sucks for them. they should have been able to enjoy the Christmas holiday without worrying about making sure they revised all of the first term's maths work. Poor kids.

BackBoiler · 31/12/2018 18:00

I tried to attach a screenshot...just the head teacher making fun suggestions (more of a joke to say enjoy Christmas)

Whataboutbobbo · 31/12/2018 18:03

Kids need to relax and unwind just like all of us.

ShartOfGold · 31/12/2018 19:23

What on earth is wrong with these parents?!

I agree education is important but so is letting little ones have a break!
Haven't teacher got enough to do

ShartOfGold · 31/12/2018 19:24

Oops, pressed post too soon!

There's plenty of educational things parents can do with their children over the holidays... why is it all down to the teachers?

echt · 31/12/2018 19:27

I've never set holiday homework for non-exam classes in my forty years of teaching. I encourage independent reading, of course.

Parker231 · 31/12/2018 19:27

I didn’t want my DC’s doing homework during the holidays so they didn’t. Until senior school they rarely did any during term time as they did after school club and sports and music classes. It’s not an issue - just let the school know.

howtotrainyourdragqueen · 31/12/2018 19:34

It used to be hit and miss and my children's primary school. Now the policy is no homework during any school holiday.

I think it's fair. Can't take them out of school on holiday but yet, here have some homework in the school holiday Hmm

There are parents who moan. Those with very academic children in my experience. If you want them to have homework, find some yourself for them to do. To be honest, if school did set it, my kids wouldn't be doing any

Nubbin · 31/12/2018 21:42

Your children are missing a chance to consolidate - a break with let's be honest a minimal bit of homework allows them to consolidate the learning giving them the best chance to start a new term - not every parent will keep up reading and the rest over the break.

Satsumaeater · 31/12/2018 22:03

not every parent will keep up reading and the rest over the break

do they need to? It's 2 weeks of Christmas holidays. I can think of much more exciting things to do than reading Biff and Chip.

Satsumaeater · 31/12/2018 22:04

Ok by SATs year they're past Biff and Chip. But we're in December. SATS are in May. 2 weeks now makes no difference.

BluthsFrozenBananas · 31/12/2018 22:16

DDs school has a policy of no holiday homework, which I think is bloody brilliant. Children should be allowed to relax during the holidays not stress about homework. DD is in y6 too, as far as I can see they haven’t done much in the way of SATs prep at all. However having gone through the stress of the 11 plus in September I don’t think the SATs will cause DD much worry.

McWilde · 31/12/2018 22:28

I used to bin any holiday homework, and send a note in stating politely (again) mine wouldn't be doing any. Most teachers were fine about it.
Senior school is different, but even then they need a break from it.

sonjadog · 31/12/2018 22:34

I was a secondary school teacher for ten years, teaching mainly A-levels. I never set homework for the holidays. Kids of all ages are worn out by the end of term and need a break. Kids need to learn that there should be a balance in life between working and taking time off, not just endless amounts to work to get through.

No way would I either set or allow a primary-aged child of mine to do homework in the holidays.

Nubbin · 31/12/2018 23:00

I don't care about sats or biff and chip - I've never seen my children's learning about teaching to a test but just making sure the basics they have just learnt be it reading or fractions or the joys of ancient Egypt needs to be consolidated at home - there shouldn't be a divide that learning only happens at school!

Nubbin · 31/12/2018 23:01

Childrens' obviously!

Leeds2 · 31/12/2018 23:04

My DD is now in third year at uni, but when she was in primary school, some parents would complain if any homework was set, and others would complain that not enough was set. Poor teachers couldn't win!

If you don't want your DC to do it, then don't let them do it. Maybe write a note to the teacher and explain why (just so that DC isn't, for example, kept in at playtime for not completing homework).

donkeyshrekmom · 31/12/2018 23:10

In my experience some schools / teachers lose all common sense over the goddam bloody SATs. I put my foot down and we only did a fraction of the homework set. Setting homework at that age, over the holidays, is unnecessary and unreasonable.

Yura · 01/01/2019 06:47

@ShartOfGold of course parents moan about not setting homework! loads of thrm!

our school now sets voluntary tasks - can be done but not compulsory. about 10 different tasks per subject, varying between art projects, PE achievements, readind/writing chsllenges, IT challenges, so something for everybody. Its actually fun! everybody just picks what they lime (we’ve done 5 2km runs and a winter collage)

TeenTimesTwo · 01/01/2019 10:26

Our secondary has a policy of no holiday / half term homework in KS3. It is more or less stuck to and it's great.

Original poster
Dickorydockwhatthe · 01/01/2019 12:25

I have a child in year 9 now, when he did his SATS at the same school they sent endless papers home and took him out for lots of mock tests trying to make sure he would ask the teacher to read the questions (he was allowed a reader but he had to ask) . They were basically teaching him to pass a test. His final year was wasted, they knew he wasn’t going to pass and yet they still pushed him. He needed so much support with his reading and writing, and they weren’t taking him out so much to give that to him which he has previously. Sats became priority. Once they had done SATS they basically did no or very little teaching, they went on trips, watched videos, played games. I was so angry 😡.

OP posts:
MrsLJ2014 · 01/01/2019 12:54

I'm a teacher and didn't set any homework - children should enjoy their holiday. I'm not a great believer in homework anyway, except reading regularly.
My little boy in reception didn't really get any either - just a note telling us to talk about 'The First Christmas.'

Caxx · 01/01/2019 13:00

I have a year 6 child and we were given a booklet that looked like a comic with tasks to do and a prize for how many pages u do
I don't mind tbh keeps him away from computer for a bit
My yr 9 sons school has a policy of no homework during holidays it's a grammar school so not sure if this is normal

AriadneCrete · 01/01/2019 13:01

@ShartOfGold Another teacher chiming in to say parents absolutely do complain if you don’t set homework.

In my current class, I have parents who complain that we give homework (at all), parents who complain we don’t give enough homework and parents who complain that the homework is too easy. It’s so hard to please everyone.

OP, I’m a Year 6 teacher and I would be fine with a note from a parent explaining why the homework hasn’t been completed. I completely disagree with SATs papers being sent home as homework and I would never do that. It’s our school policy to set homework even in the holidays, but there’s no consequence for the children if they don’t complete it (even in term time).