Year 1 Homework

[Worriedmum888]

Hello,

My DC (and PFB 😄) has just started Year 1 at a good school in which Headteacher changed a couple of years ago.

The new head is all about “learning through play”.

Dont get me wrong, they should play a lot at this age, but at the same I feel that parents should go hand in hand with school and support any learning done there.

So, our school gives not at all homework, not even optional! We get a book to read, which is like a sentence in each page, like what they had by the end of reception. This is not even challenging!

We are half way term 1 and I have no visibility what they are doing in maths apart from a little sentence each week saying things like “we learn how to increase numbers up to 10” .

In the UK homework is a taboo topic with many advocates that it harms kids.

In this instance though I feel that kids are not challenged, are not reaching their full potential. We live in a heavily grammar area and academic excellence is important for those they want, but here we are not even given the opportunity.

We could have 5 words to practice spellings, a weekly phonics challenge or a maths sheet just to understand what is taught. That would have taken 30’ on a Saturday morning and I would have better visibility on what is taught and how to support school.

Am I paranoid? Please help me!

YABU - Yes you are
YANBU - No you are not

If unhappy with the current school why not move your child now to the school that does all this.
I would much rather my child went to a school that understood the need for down time.

www.gl-assessment.co.uk/press-office/press-releases/new-study-highlights-the-importance-of-reading-to-the-whole-school-curriculum/

Regarding your point about how reading helps with number bonds, it is a known fact that reading helps with maths. There are numerous articles online, such as the one here.

So it might actually be most beneficial to focus on a love of reading at home, rather than formal homework. This certainly worked for DC1 who (to quote their English teacher) "inhaled books". DC1 got a 1st from Imperial College in a STEM subject and is now working as a scientist. DC1 has always been very intellectually curious and is interested in a wide range of subjects including science (obviously), history, art, culture and travel.

I honestly believe a 1-1 20’ per day on say plus 2 additions to 10 would be more beneficial than in a classroom setting with 1 kid wanted to go to the bathroom, 1 that is thirsty, 1 that talks to his friend and 5 that look at the ceiling or carpet.

How can it be not?

And I fully get that many parents are not pro-homework or they don’t have the time or they don’t prioritise academic excellence, that’s all fine and promotes diversion in the end.

But how on earth not even to have the chance of helping my kid and supporting the classroom learning optionally?

We were given a few password codes to login in a random play/focused website, with no instructions how to use it, no assignments, just free style. Login if you want, scrap it if you are not into it!

Is this really a good school? Or does it require some improvement?!

Surely you viewed the school beforehand and were satisfied with their ethos, how happy the children were and the displays of work that they have up?

Is it a primary school? If so, view their Y6 SATS results and that will give you a good idea of how well their policy on homework works for them.

If you want more guidance then email the office, who contact the teacher and they will message with what resources will best support their classroom learning. DD has just started yr1. She goes swimming on a Wednesday and Rainbows on a Thursday. Quite frankly, with the reading (we get 2 linked books) to be done at least 3 times a week plus homework bingo once a week that's more than enough! Don't get me wrong I do what I can with games/life experience and there's at least a bedtime story at night but I work ft too so there isn't much time between getting home and bedtime.

@dizzydizzydizzy Well done to your daughter! Many kids are very bright, focused and academic. There are though others who need a bit of push, support and focus to achieve their potential.

As I said, I read to her, I always did and will do. I read 3 books each night and she reads me back one.

The book she reads me back is not the school book / the “one sentence” page, it’s more challenging, it’s at her level!

School is not even challenging her reading level, let alone supporting her maths!

Remember in this country DC start school at a young age, your DC is presumably only 5. Year one is much more classroom based than Reception so they are doing lots of hours of learning already each day. Remember, not all careers are maths/English focused. Lots require social skills, critical thinking etc. Don't fall into the trap of deprioritising other experiences that could be beneficial.

We have no homework in Year 1 and the autumn parents’ meeting is an opportunity to ask what you can be working on specifically for your child. You could raise it with the teacher to find out what particular materials they’re using etc. But maybe your child is ahead of the rest of the class in which case homework would not necessarily help? My Y1 child is still finding the one sentence per page books challenging enough. If it’s too challenging at this age they are more likely be put off.

Then do it! The school isn't stopping you. You absolutely have the chance.

As for the reading being too easy - Google the importance of prosody for reading.

Just saw your latest post. If your child is a super advanced reader at this age, sounds like she will be fine to get in to grammar school.

I prefer no homework because it means I get to choose which workbooks and online supplements to use. When the school assigns them, there’s less time to use resources you prefer

Year 1 was the most frustrating year for us as parents and for our child (although Year 6 is proving as frustrating as they have been ready for secondary for some time). The first term was mainly teaching the class how to sit in a classroom setting after the free play of EYFS.

I now have two kids who sit in the top 1% nationally. Reading is the most important thing. Once they can read then the world is their oyster. They can teach themselves languages, physics, philosophy.

I remember in reception being told both kids would need to learn to teach themselves and I'd agree with that.

That sounds great to me, year one is still very little! In many countries children that age would still be at kindergarten, not even at school yet

Honestly, I think you need to relax a little. Otherwise god help you in 10 years time.

Yes, in other countries they do start school and formal teaching later! Why a 5-6 year old then is taught at school that 4x4=16 ? Why school should not go hand in hand with home support when kids are ready for that? Why school says you are ready at 6 to know about multiplication but home says no keep playing, you are still little! While such a misalignment?

Why is it misalignment? Maybe it’s simply an acknowledgement of the fact that your child spends enough of their time learning in school, therefore would benefit more in their home time from play. Both are beneficial.

Yabu. If you want to do extra work with your child then fill your boots! I don't understand why you think your desires should imposed on everyone else's child.

Good. No year one child needs to be coming home and doing homework.

I’ve got a child in year one currently (my others are now 23 and 11 and neither of their primary schools did homework at all).

However, that doesn’t mean that no home leaning goes on at all. All my children have had age appropriate books which I read with them at home.

My 5 year old has a set of first reader books and she loves to read one to me and dh every evening. She also enjoys doing some simple maths.

But that is very different from the pressure of any set school homework.

oh and both my older two went to/are at grammars.

My ds was home educated until he was 10. We were travelling the world and he wasn’t interested in reading until he was 6 (he went from blending words to being a confident reader in two months). So no homework had no bearing on grammar school for either of mine!

Is it misalignment though, or are we saying 6 hours of learning is enough for a 5 year old? That maybe they need time to rest and give their brain time to absorb what they have learned rather than pummeling them with knowledge they have no time to process?

I’m sorry OP but your approach to this simply isn’t backed up by the research in this area; there are no discernible benefits to homework at KS1. You’re perfectly within your rights to fill in the gaps yourself at home as you see fit, but stating that parents who don’t share this bonkers approach “don’t prioritise academic excellence” is nonsensical.

May I then ask why all other primary schools I know give a bit of something for the kids to do?

Apologies if I am wrong but I don’t know any other school where I live that just gives the little reading books to kids and zero spellings or quizzes or weekly sheets!

Is this what you have experienced too? Because if I was that unlucky to bump into 3 other local schools that give a bit of “optional” homework and all other schools are against that, then fair enough.

My understanding though (and please prove me wrong) is that our school is one of the minority that gives nothing at home.

I would really value this information please.

And of course, I didn’t mean to say that any school has to put any formal or compulsory homework, but just to set up optional for those that are willing to do it. Again, not in a way that will interfere with their play time or experiences, but just to consolidate what is learnt at school and give parents the opportunity to work on any gaps.

Who thinks that 30’ per week would damage any kid?

Our school just has reading for Y1.

@FuzzyWolf Maybe our kids are classmates then 😆

YABU to be demanding homework and suggesting children aren’t being challenged without it.
YANBU to be concerned if your child’s reading books are not at the right level for her ability etc. Talk to the school about that rather than its homework policy.

But you can do homework yourself if you want to.

Your school should have told you what reading programs they are using if you want to supplement it at home, they will be able to tell you their curriculum plans for the year. You can also look that up on line - the national curriculum is hardly a secret - or just buy year one work books on line.

You don’t need the school to set the work for you.