AIBU to wish primary schools would do away with homework

155 replies

Mondaymoanday · 19/01/2026 19:16

When I was at primary, kids would be expected to learn some spellings, read, do times tables, maybe do a termly project at home. I hate how much family time is lost to busywork homework.

OP posts:

Blondeshavemorefun · 21/01/2026 10:49

we have
ttrs - maths - 5mins
reading - 5 mins
spellings for the week. Usually look/do them every other day 5 mins

so 15m in all. Everyone has that spare whether in one go or 3 x 5

weekend 2 pages maths and a math sheet timed for 5mins and often done in 2/3

this is all done before 2hrs of gym which is 4 times a week - 3 after school and one sat

if they have time to watch tv - iPads / play - chill. They have time to do 5 mins a day of stuff x3

it’s good practice for when at secondary school and get lots

Original poster

Mondaymoanday · 21/01/2026 13:04

Spellings, reading, times tables, telling the time, helping in any areas kids struggle with etc is run of the mill stuff, that many parents do anyway and I’m fine with that. I don’t even consider that as homework. It’s all the stuff on top of that, plus the treadmill of school admin, and random requests. It’s also the “fun stuff” they send home e.g. “there will be a skipping rope challenge next week, with some children selected to compete with other schools, so please upload a video of you skipping for x minutes”. That’s not a big add-on to their other homework, but would be helpful to know with more warning. We order a rope off Amazon, it arrives after dark the next day and video taken in the dark and pouring rain to meet homework deadline.

OP posts:

Clumpled · 21/01/2026 15:24

PeachBlossom1234 · 21/01/2026 08:50

Me and my ex had this exact conversation on Monday night (he comes over on a Monday to sit and do homework with DD10). Our school has removed homework as being mandatory, but they ask if we have time to do it - I can't help but think though that when I was at primary school (I'm 43) I sat a desk from 9-3 and I learned the work that was put in front of me.....my 10 year old rarely sits at a desk, they do a lot of free learning, they have learning "stations" and can pick and choose so I think a lot of the homework is making up for the slack that they're not doing during school hours. I have the view that you get out what you put in, so we do extra learning at home on top of the worksheet that they send home.

Another point is that my DD is in her penultimate year of primary and still writes with a pencil - I am 100% sure that I had graduated to a pen by her age in preparation for high school, we've been writing homework in pen for practice.

I may be old fashioned, but I think there should be more sitting and doing real work..... (yes I know not all kids learn well that way, but sitting and working are actually key skills that most of us need to have for our working lives)

Wow, that's the complete opposite of my own experience as a child and now. It's interesting how different schools are. I feel like in the 1990s we just floated about from collage to a bit of Heineken maths to a bit of music with very little direction. Now I feel my class spend so much time at desks (vast majority of the day if doing history/geography/RE/science in the afternoon) despite being only age 7. We don't waste a second. The curriculum is undoubtedly more challenging than what I did, as an old in the year high achiever, at primary too.

IdaGlossop · 09/03/2026 16:23

Have you probed what's behind her reacting in this way to the homework? With all the other things she willingly does, it sounds out of character. Of course she must be encouraged to do it. If you aren't seen to be supporting the school at this early stage things will likely get tough when she goes to secondary.

Needlenardlenoo · 09/03/2026 16:25

Smaller classes, uniforms, and primary homework among the least effective ways of boosting school performance - The Sutton Trust https://share.google/e3jVKLFGvC7A9bqqO

Smaller classes, uniforms, and primary homework among the least effective ways of boosting school performance - The Sutton Trust

Reducing class sizes, setting homework during primary school, and introducing school uniforms are among the least effective ways of improving school results, according to a new ‘Which?’ style guide for education published by the Sutton Trust today.

https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/smaller-classes-uniforms-primary-homework-among-least-effective-ways-boosting-school-performance/#:~:text=Smaller%20classes%2C%20uniforms%2C%20and%20primary,of%20pupils%20across%20the%20world.

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