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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think two hours homework a night is not excessive for a year 10 pupil

438 replies

Challenger5 · 03/10/2022 20:49

DD 1 is adamant that two hours a night homework, is against her human rights. She has been stomping around, refusing to start her homework. DD 1 is being exceptionally rude to me swearing at me for sending her to a prison camp and claiming to be-having a nervous breakdown due to the schools expectations.

I am trying to calm her down and reason with her, that two hours a night is quite proportionate for a year 10 girl at a Grammar School. This especially as the school as stated her target grades are 7-9 in all ten GCSE subjects.

She has also informed me that her head of year as given her a after school detention, today for calling her English teacher a 'mean cow' for a poor homework mark. DD denies calling the teacher that, saying she was misheard when she pulled her face at the teacher.

DD is saying the detention is unfair and against her human rights because it is grossly an excessive punishment even if she had accidentally muttered 'mean cow' when the teacher spoke to her. DD argues that her face pulling was justified because someone has to stand up against the schools unrealistic and unreasonable levels of homework demanded.

OP posts:
muchprefersummer · 03/10/2022 21:11

Nothing negates her rudeness to the teacher - that's uncalled for and deserves a detention however I do agree that 2 hours homework is too much. My DS couldn't do that, not when you factor in his DoE that the school promotes and his sport clubs.

noblegiraffe · 03/10/2022 21:12

Magenta82 · 03/10/2022 21:07

That seems like an awful lot. Plus there is very little evidence that homework is useful or productive.

Not true, particularly at secondary.

There is evidence that shit homework has shit impact but if studying at home properly made no difference, why would anyone revise for exams?

I'd be gearing up to two hours a night in the run up to her GCSEs. Starting Y10 on 2 hours could lead to burnout before then. Is she actually having to do two hours a night though? Is she pissing around on her phone and could actually get it done much more quickly and to a higher standard?

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 03/10/2022 21:14

Whether or not it's too much, your child sounds like an absolute pain in the ass and disrespectful.

Pinetreesfall · 03/10/2022 21:15

Tell her she'll have to attend school with my eldest then - he gets anything up to 4 hours a night (in the same year as your DD).

We used to get between 4-5 hours a night and it was haaaard work!

Madcats · 03/10/2022 21:15

Admittedly Dd is bright, and focussed, but i honestly don't think she spends more than an hour/night doing homework in her GCSE year

Could your DC revise (via audio or flash cards/apps) on the way to/from school?

Original poster
Challenger5 · 03/10/2022 21:16

The school gives three homework tasks a night, English and Maths HW are 40 minute each and are given twice a week. The other subjects are timetabled one 45minute homework each week except, the science subjects which are assigned two 30minute homework tasks a week. a total of 9.5 hours of homework a week

OP posts:
Hawkins001 · 03/10/2022 21:16

Look at China's education system hours, ours are more relaxed.
if you want to achieve the grades, then they are not going to magic themselves

MistyBean · 03/10/2022 21:17

This brings back awful memories of grammar school. I had the same and it was just too much and caused me so much stress, anxiety and depression. I ended up quitting A levels as a result and could have really negatively affected my life. Luckily I re found my enthusiasm for education a great later and went to an FE college for A levels and new have two degrees and a professional career. I wish I had had time for clubs and societies, I'd have been so much more confident rather than being so shy and introverted too. I'm with your DD.

CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop · 03/10/2022 21:17

2 hours is way too much. 5 hours of lessons a day and then another 2 hours at home. No wonder she's pissed off.

Imagine if you came home from work and had to do another 2 hours of work every single evening.

KvotheTheBloodless · 03/10/2022 21:19

2h is mad, 45-60 mins is more appropriate. How are kids meant to fit in any after-school clubs, sports etc. if they've got all that homework?

LaQuern · 03/10/2022 21:19

Totally normal. She's GCSE first year!

And 'against her human rights'? Dear Lord, give over!! 😂

workingtowards · 03/10/2022 21:20

I agree that two hours a night is too much. If a child is made to work to levels that make them miserable, to whose benefit is that? She should have space to find and spend time on the things/subjects that she is naturally drawn to. The school’s priority will always be grades and quantity of qualifications. She is communicating very clearly to you that she is unhappy. I think you should listen.

roundtable · 03/10/2022 21:21

CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop · 03/10/2022 21:17

2 hours is way too much. 5 hours of lessons a day and then another 2 hours at home. No wonder she's pissed off.

Imagine if you came home from work and had to do another 2 hours of work every single evening.

That's why I'm on dd's side as I often bring work home and I hate it! Although I do agree she was very rude.

My Dc only got in from training at 7.30 pm. He'd be working all evening. People, including children, should have a work life balance.

Happyhappyday · 03/10/2022 21:21

This is kind of eye opening… I feel like everyone I know in the UK has gone on about all the work they/their kids do for exam. I’ve been thinking my school was very lax in comparison (not from UK). Before big exams I had a lot more.

I easily had 2 hours homework every night and no one thought it was unreasonable. I was very efficient compared to schoolmates too… highly academic high school where most kids went on to top unis (ie, Ivy League or similar).

Original poster
Challenger5 · 03/10/2022 21:22

Apparently, she is the spokesperson for the year group, who are all rebelling against the homework requirements!

OP posts:
declutteringmymind · 03/10/2022 21:23

Aaah. So she can't back down.

MrsHamlet · 03/10/2022 21:23

Challenger5 · 03/10/2022 21:22

Apparently, she is the spokesperson for the year group, who are all rebelling against the homework requirements!

She needs to find a more polite approach if she's going to challenge school policy.

HavfrueDenizKisi · 03/10/2022 21:24

2 hours a night isn't too much. DD is in Yr 10 and she probably has 90 mins a night but that can go up or down depending on what is set.

She is at a London Indie school which is selective and they get good GCSE and A level results.

Agree with those who say this is the year things ramp up and they have to put the work in to get good results (8/9s).

And there is no substitute for hard work.

Anyway I also agree with this age being one where they push back and this is probably part of what is going on here. She has to take the punishment and come to terms with the homework expectations I would say. Good luck!

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 03/10/2022 21:25

@Challenger5

i wouldn't tolerate her swearing AT me.

I'd back up the school re her behaviour. It's not confident & strong, it's rude & obnoxious.

m if she stopped procrastinating & messing about, her actual homework might only take an hour. I'd be contacting the school to see what the policy actually is.

At our school (independent) the teachers each had a limit as to how much they could set weeknights/weekends/or as a flexible project. So some nights there was very little and sometimes none or a lot more depending on how many had set homework & if it was 'next day' or after the weekend etc.

DC just got in with it, so I didn't bother tracking the amounts set.

I very much doubt she's set 2 hours every night.

teach her that there's a right way & a wrong way to 'stand up for yourself' and pulling faces & being rude are the wrong way! there's usually a process for students to raise issues. At ours they can email individual teachers or the house mistress (day pupil at largely boarding school) or HOS/HOY or a number of others. They're guided as to which is best depending on the issue.

but being a smart mouth is something she needs to get out of NOW.

MissMaple82 · 03/10/2022 21:25

I agree with her.. and I love the fact she sticks up for her human rights....

FangsForTheMemory · 03/10/2022 21:25

Goodness. At that age I was doing at least two hours every night, more at weekends. State comp, if you’re wondering. It will increase , too.

roundtable · 03/10/2022 21:25

MrsHamlet · 03/10/2022 21:23

She needs to find a more polite approach if she's going to challenge school policy.

Show quote history

I agree.

She might have to work on a persuasive response at home 😄

Sierra259 · 03/10/2022 21:26

9.5 hours a week - surely a couple of hours of that can be done at weekends so it's not 2 hours every school night?
Maybe it's a bit of a shock after a couple of years of interrupted learning/home schooling where they weren't building it up gradually every year?

Fahdidahlia · 03/10/2022 21:26

Its 2 hours a night......to also not do any work on weekend days. I work full time (admittedly as a teacher) and seldom get that luxury

SpotlessMind88 · 03/10/2022 21:27

That's too much. When will she have time for hobbies / extra curricular activities? Or even just down time for self-care?