Isn't it about time we got rid of homework, at least for the under 14s?

[Solopower1]

Just heard on the radio (PM Programme, Radio 4) that there are moves afoot to stop setting HW in France. They did this years ago in Spain. Didn't catch any more details (eg what age children) but they are considering lengthening the school day by half an hour so that the kids can do their HW before they go home.

Apparently there is no research that proves that doing HW benefits a child! (Which isn't to say that it doesn't, of course, but still).

I think it would be a great idea to abolish homework, at least for those under 14. It has always been a huge burden in our household, and caused so much tension. Plus the school day is really short. In Scotland there are no classes on a Friday afternoon - not even for sixth formers.

It wouldn't stop parents from going over their kids' HW if they wanted to, nor would it prevent anyone from doing any amount of extra research. What it would do, however, is make things just that little bit more equal. It's not fair, imo, that children from disadvantaged backgrounds who get no help (or might not even have anywhere to do their HW), are still expected to produce the same quality of work as a child whose parent does it for him/her.

What do other people think?

I would like to see homework for the under 11s stopped. I don't see the point, other than reading, and possibly spellings/tables to learn.

However I wouldn't want to see it done at the end of the day at school instead. Homework was something dd1 felt she could put her all into without having disruption round her, and sneery "creep" remarks because she liked to work well. For homework she could do her best, email it in, and receive the teacher's comments without any nasty impact from those in her class who didn't want to work.

Grimma - they can use the school computers during lunch break and playtime according to DD. But there is no one in DD's class without such access. It's a prep school so I guess some assumptions are made which may not be made in a state school. I guess the alternative would be to create a series of hand drawn pages if necessary?

Although ime most children in the state infant school (very mixed catchment, def not leafy green middle class type catchment only) I work at have computer access and access to at least Word, if not PowerPoint, and pretty much all have access to the internet on some way. I taught Word and PP last year to Y1 children and most had some knowledge of it - even if it was having seen the icon before or seeing a parent use it at home.

Word or an equivalent could be used to create a simple presentation of pages.

Sparkling I am LOLing at a Russell Brand stylie Prospero puppet And you being a regular at Hobbycraft What a nightmare. Is it a wooden spoon one? We once had to do them for bloody World Book Day. Without any suitable craft stuff.

Can you post a picture?

My children go to a prep school but for various reasons they don't have internet access at home or access to software. I wrote a note in to her teacher asking if any research based homework could be done with books and we go to the local library once a week where dd is allowed 30mins on their computers (library time limit per visit on a children's ticket)

Dd's entrance exams are over - awaiting results.

There are at least two other children in her class (twins) who don't have a printer at home

She is doing a history project at the moment but they work on it each week at home then take it into school, work on it in chads and bring it home again do she uses the school computers for printing.

I've just listened to the article on the radio. It was a bit of an odd discussion really, with a French woman representing French teachers talking about French style homework (grammar excercises etc) and a British man talking about the how wonderful homework is for encouraging curiosity and a love of learning.

You just can't compare the two. Only once in his 5 year history of (French) homework has DS been required to use anything other than the information in his school text books to complete his homework.

The argument about inequality is the only one that seems to apply to both countries.

I agree with your analysis of the radio report. Where do they get them from. They'd be better off talking to us.

Somme, what time does school finish each day in France? When I was there it was 4 or 5, depending on whether you had a free period at the end of the day or not.

I think homework should be the link between school and parent. DD is only P1 and homework is 5-10 mins a night but it let's me see her progression, strengths and weaknesses. I'm a SAHM so it fits easily into our day.

I am that anyone could think that homework encourages curiosity and a love of learning!

My DC who are now at secondary school have all types of homeworks - rote learning, exercises, research and projects, powerpoints, etc, etc. They just see it as a chore. The projects are seen as the worst chore

Solo, where we live it's 08.30 to 16.30 with a 2 hr break for lunch.

From 08.00 to 17.30 if the children go to the before and after child care sessions. Those who do stay after school have a 10-15 min play time and then go in to do their homework then they draw, play games etc.

Yes, I will take a photo when he is finished Tilly, He is currently having his beard trimmed.

The projects encourage procrastination, whining and general tension IMO.

I think banning it is a fantastic idea, I am very anti homework and luckily dd (yr1) only ever has to do reading which I am happy to do. A lot of my friends kids have spellings, writing and maths homework

I hate having to do any work outside my normal working hours (I am a nurse 3 days a week) and think kids need time just to be kids and, heaven forbid, play!!!!

Yes. If you have a diligent child they spend hours making them look beautiful (and contain all the right information, of course!)and whinging about the time it is taking, and if you have a less diligent child, they spend hours whinging about how difficult it is to find and present the information.

It was Dr Antony Seldon.

Dd doesn't start school till next year but DP and I have already thought about boycotting homework, at least for the infant years. Do you think this would be possible, or even desirable ?

Thank you, Somme. What do the children do at lunch time if their parents work?

In Reception you get bombarded with the high frequency words. Sheet after sheet of words to learn and colour in. It is never ending and did my nut in. Poor Ds1 (summer birthday) befriended a little boy with a September birthday and spent the whole year wondering how this other boy had whizzed through them.

And do they still have surveillants? (I loved the French system!)

I have never understood why people are against good homework, which I think is essential to learning. Good homework is not pointless worksheets and projects at too young an age (puppets? Why?), but reading every night from the very beginning of primary and maths (number bonds then tables), which are essential to mastering those subjects. Additionally, if the child is learning another language, practice is essential.

My DS had homework every night - no task which lasts more than 15 minutes, and is focused principally on mental maths and reading. It is not a chore to do, and requires no input from me except signing the homework diary off. Frankly, the nightly piano practice is much more of a headache, but I doubt that he would make any progress on an instrument if he were not given the "homework" of practicing it every night.

I would be absolutely against lengthening the school day. He finishes between 4 and 5:30 (depending on swim squad), and needs time to wind down with lego , spend some time with his family, and simply relax.

I am shock that anyone could think that homework encourages curiosity and a love of learning!
Well, it definitely did for me! Think it is all about the type and level of homework given, really.

I think it's all about the type of child TBH. My friend's daughter (Year 10) disappears upstairs when she gets home from school and studies until it's all done.

My DS (Year 9) does not.

yes, that too, sparklingbrook. We have two here, and it is the same - one who embraces it and one who doesn't. (I do still think they both would benefit from more and better assignments.)