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Original poster

With a month to go before the 11+ should I be asking the teacher for some lenience re homework? Or not?

11 replies

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2008 18:26

We have a month to go before the 11+ and ds is doing a test paper a night. He is also having a tutor twice a week. We started working on this a year ago and are now in the final bit. He is regularly passing the papers but still needs to work on certain types of questions. His speed is finally good.

His teacher apparently said today "if anyone has a good reason for not doing the homework please get your parents to write a note". Now, first of all, does this sound likely? And secondly, would it be reasonable for me to write saying we are concentrating very hard on working for the 11+ and therefore would like to slack off on the homework for a month? Or do you think she just meant "don't give me any rubbish excuses, nothign less than a note from your parents saying you had a broken neck will do"?

I think I know what the answer is, he has to do both, the homework and the tests. The fact is, right now I consider the tests v important as we only have a month to go.

TIA for any advice. I think tthe answer probably is that he just has to buckle down and do both isn't it?

Up until now he's only had 1 piece of homework once a week so this is all new.

OP posts:

Soapbox · 08/09/2008 18:31

DD is doing both at the moment (she has one entrance exam in mid Nov and the others are in Jan). She gets about 1.5 hours a week from her tutor, which she tends to get out of the way on Sundays and then does her homework from school during the week. She's coping well with it, but I wouldn't like to see her doing much more!

The time consuming bit on test papers is the story writing and English comprehension - the verbal adn non verbal reasoning she can do pretty quickly!

How long does a test paper a night take? How much is school homework?

Original poster

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2008 18:35

Test paper is only 50 minutes.

Homework is prob an hour and doesn't have to be in til Thurs. Hmm, it's not much is it, he just ought to do both.

OP posts:

Soapbox · 08/09/2008 18:50

Could you let him skip a day of test papers the day he does his homework?

DD has about 30-45mins a night home work, so hasn't got a huge amount of time to fit in tutor stuff during the week. Especially as she is now in the senior school squad for hockey and netball, for which practice doesn't finish until 5.30! It is nice to be asked to join the next year up - but we didn't quite know what we were signing up for

Original poster

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2008 21:24

Thanks Soapbox. I'm not going to ask the teacher. He will have to do both.

OP posts:

clam · 08/09/2008 21:30

Was it you posting a while back about DS saying his teacher had said you were pushing him too hard, and you felt DS was being a lazy so-and-so? Apologies if that's not you, but if it was, then it's more complex.
Either you insist he does both, he flips, downs tools and scuppers his chances of the 11+. Or you give him the benefit of the doubt, ask for a bit of leeway with the homework, but make sure he make up for it after the exam is done.
But, for the record, homework isn't compulsory at KS2, and there are moves afoot in some schools (ours included) to restrict it to just spellings, tables and reading. Would get my vote as a teacher and a parent, actually.

Original poster

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2008 21:32

Clam, yes it was me! And he has actually got his finger out and is being brilliant and is trying very hard at the 11+ stuff AND actually seems to be doing v well at the tests and enjoying the challenge of it. He seems to have realised that a) it's important and b) he CAN do it if he tries. And he wasn't trying before.

OK, maybe I'll go in and talk to the teacher on Weds. Is a different teacher nwo to the one who said he shouldn't be put under too much pressure.

OP posts:

Original poster

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2008 21:33

And I DO understand, I wouldn't want to do both either! I think I can be around for a chat with the teacher on Weds so will try to do so. Thanks Clam.

OP posts:

clam · 08/09/2008 21:36

Good luck. It's only another month. I would let the homework ease, myself...

Peapodlovescuddles · 08/09/2008 22:56

If he's going to thrive at a grammar school I don't really think you should be having this problem...
I think he needs to buckle down and do both.

but good luck with the 11+ wickedwaterwitch jr

roisin · 09/09/2008 18:23

WWW - this sounds really positive about his 11+ performance. Hope he continues to have a positive attitude and improve.

Big party when the exams over?

I would continue in the default setting of him doing the homework too, but if it becomes very onerous, then drop a note to the teacher at that point.

Original poster

WideWebWitch · 09/09/2008 20:43

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Have made appt with teacher for later in the week and will ask teacher for her view then, will not present it as 'we'd like to get out of homework'

OP posts:

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