To think this is too much homework yr1

[IPeedInThePool]

I am prepared to be flamed but I think after 6 months off school they have been thrown into the deep end and aren’t doing much recap work.

Each week we have
10 spellings they are handed out on a Thursday in prep for Tuesdays test along with this construct 10 sentences

Then it’s the reading book sent home On a Friday to be read 5 times at minimum along with books at home to be returned wed. Oh and then it’s do a book review on a separate book.

My DS5 is struggling with all his spellings etc he’s shattered when he gets in from school so if we try then he gets him self all stressed and upset. He reads most nights the bedtime story I have got him the oxford reading tree books level 1 2 3. So we do most of our spellings at the breakfast table but then the sentences are too much then it’s the book review
I will not do homework at all at the weekend it’s our family time but we will read

AIBU

That is an insane amount of homework. I would be querying this with the school - evidence shows no benefit to homework for young children beyond reading at home. I am a primary school teacher btw.

The reading book issue if you feel it’s too much can you maybe speak with your DS teacher? Or put a the reading record book.

My DS is Y1 too. He ha never come home with spellings or sentences yet. How many letter words are they?

That really does sound like quite a lot. A book review is really quite grown up homework for Y1 - what are they actually expected to produce at that age? I think the reading everyday can be really helpful so I wouldn't quibble about that too much but the rest sounds really full on.

DS1 is in year one. We get spellings, maths, reading and “oracey” each week plus 1 project a half term. I think it’s quite a lot too, they still go to bed quite early at that age.

I agree. My yr1 also has an insane amount. Per week;
Reading× 3+
10 spellings to be done until they know them
Active learn website× 3+
1 piece of Maths work

Plus there's also an ongoing project that is due to be in before half term.

My girl is tired when she gets home so getting her to concentrate to do homework is a nightmare and I'm not happy to spend our weekend at the table muddling through it all. We have our parent/ Teacher meeting next week, I'm going to decide what I'm willing to do and let the teacher know that that will be it and no more. I disagree with homework in general at this age, though I'm happy to read with her. And i think this much work will have the opposite effect and put kids off learning and therefore everyone's lives more difficult.

To give you a comparison my DC go to a prep school (not sure if that's relevant) which get good results and in Y1 they both got 10 spellings a week to learn, and a reading book 5 days a week. The school asked to do 10 minutes reading a day but specifcally said not to force it if the DC is too tired. There was never any written work. In fact my eldest still had terrible writing in Y1 he would have taken forever to construct a sentence let alone a full piece of writing (he was good at literacy just rubbish at writing).

When my child was in year 1 they got between 5-15 spellings depending on what group they were in. They also had to write sentences to show they knew what the spellings meant. We also had to read 4 times a week as well as a maths sheet and timetables. Spellings and timetables were given on a Monday and tested on a Friday. We never even got the weekend to do it! They got more as they went up each year. currently in year 6 and have a enormous load to get through each week.

I have a year 1. She has 10 spellings a week, probably brings 2-4 books home a week depending on how quickly we read them, and then a half termly ‘homework menu’ which works out at 1 task a week (under the headings literacy, expressive arts and numeracy).
That feels about right for us. Any more would be a struggle to get through. Sounds like yours is on the heavier side!

I think the spelling, sentences and reading are all usual expectations but I think the book review is maybe going too far. Could he choose a bedtime (ie a story that he already knows well) story book, draw a favourite scene or character and write a sentence or 2 on what he particularly likes?

When mine were younger we always did spellings and reading before school. Worked well, they were too tired later.

If your ds is struggling with spellings and is too tired after school then not doing them at weekends seems a bit mad to me, but if that's your choice then he'll need to accept not doing so well for a while. The school is not going to stop handing out spellings to the class.

Mmh, it's difficult. We both work full time and my son is in after school. We do some work at the weekend, otherwise we wouldn't get it done.

I'd personally be doing the reading each night, but doing spelling/sentences one of the weekend mornings and get it out of the way.

I'd say the amount of homework is similar to what we had last year in year 1. The reading book wasn't specified as x number of times, so I know many parents only did it once or twice.

My YR1 DS gets spellings every week too, plus a new book 3 times a week which needs to be read every night AND some extra homework each evening like a maths/grammar/reading comprehension sheet and then something on the weekend too. He's at a prep school though so I'm not sure if this is a lot or not

It's a lot more than our school gives who are a very well sought after school whose pupils have a great reputation at secondary.
Little kids are so shattered just going to school and that big homework schedule is too much. So long as he is reading regularly that's all you need according to the evidence based advice from our school.
However, the school are setting it so it's a tricky one because you/your D's will be seen as not on board by ducking out of it. I honestly don't know what I'd do in your situation. Have you chatted about it with the teacher, maybe it's discretionary rather than compulsory?
If it is a real issue after you've discussed it if you find the teachers are taking a hard line with it and he/you think it's detrimental, you could maybe try to look for another school?

For comparison - my kids at an Ofsted outstanding primary - no homework at all before Year 6. Head and head of Key Stage one have both told me they don't believe it has any impact.

In fact my daughters teacher - who has taught year one for 25 years! - told me spelling tests don't work and the best way to spell is reading for fun.

I would stand up for you kid and just say no - I have been 'awkward parent' - and you know what - far more than you think the teacher is open to hearing discussion or already agrees! Somebody has to say it - kids are tired, they need to play! or see friends or just chill out.

That seems a lot- and a couple of other pps have a ridiculous amount. I wouldn't be happy with that. When I was in year one at prep school we had reading homework all the time as a matter of course and I think 5 spellings a week, tested and changed on a Monday. I don't remember getting maths before year 2 - and then it was to learn our tables.

In your position I'd do the spellings and get your DS to pick one word to do a sentence.
I'd do the school reading book every evening and keep reading home books alongside but I don't see why the school needs to try to control your "home" reading in that way. The book review would be a firm no.

Appreciate it might also be down to classroom schedules but I don't think littlies should have weekend prep at all beyond perhaps a school reading book! I'd be really pissed off at getting spellings.

Also those projects are basically homework for parents. I'd be telling the teacher quite honestly that I don't have the time- and have better things to do with my DC in the time I do have than do that sort of thing.

For comparison - my kids at an Ofsted outstanding primary - no homework at all before Year 6. Head and head of Key Stage one have both told me they don't believe it has any impact.

All the evidence agrees with this at primary level. Reading at home is very important but I would be more than happy to have nothing else to be honest.

We would really struggle to get all that done tbh

That sounds like a lot for year 1 OP.
For comparison my DS is in year 2 and he currently gets per week:
6 spellings
1 ‘book bag book’ related to their current reading level and 1 read write inc book based on the sound they’ve been practicing in their phonics lessons that week. Encouraged to read for 10 mins per day.
Keep practising their 2,5 and 10x tables.
Also a trembly menu of activities usually based around art and PE which they make clear are optional.

DD is in year 4, they get per week 8 spellings, advised to read for 15 mins per day (obviously at this age most are on chapter books so they carry on with a book until they finish it and then swap), Times Table Rockstars 3 x per week, 1 x maths activity based on what they have covered in class that week and a grammar activity.
They also get a termly optional menu, again mainly art and physical activity based, also with the occasional ‘write a short review on a book you have reacently read‘ and ‘Research (insert significant person) and write a summary on their achievements etc.’

From memory, we had a reading book (to be completed over a 2 week period) 10 spellings and a choice of homework. We would be given 20 homework choices at the start of each term ranging from easy 5 minute ones, to more complex. These had to be handed in on a Friday. They could be anything from singing a song, poem, a crossword, making a sword / shield, baking a cake, making potions, ordering teddies into size order etc. It covered all aspects of lessons. Meant we could choice length of time to spend depending upon how busy our week went.
We would also get fake / real words sent home in preparation for the phonics test

Oh and have an online maths portal and bug reading online thing. I have expressed my concerns to the teacher who didn’t really say much to be honest, we do the reading and most spellings but do struggle with the rest on I don’t want him doing the online stuff unless mandatory screen time like tablet or laptop turns him into a monster.

The words are words like
Where
That
Children
Look
Said
Little
There is some easy like
So
Do
Me
You
Him
Her
She
He

My year one has ten spellings a week, plus homework sheets (last weeks was three this week is one) but we have no less than 4 reading books that we have to get through per week. I agree that they seem to have been thrown in at the deep end to catch up what the missed.