moving from school with very little homework to one with lots - advice please!

[racingheart]

DS is moving up to an academic secondary school from his laid back village primary. He really wants to go there and knows there's 1-2 hours homework a night, but I don't think the reality has kicked in.

I want to help him into a routine where he just gets on with it so he has plenty of free time to play/socialise/relax etc.

He'll be home each night by 4.45pm and goes to bed at 9.30pm. With half an hour for tea - that leaves 1-2 hours for homework and 2-3 hours free time.

I'd really appreciate any advice on how to structure the time. Straight from school? half hour break then do it before tea, leaving clear time after tea to rest before bed?

For now he's cut right back on his after school activities, but he'll still have a club one night a week, sport at weekends and music practise.

I can't see how he'll fit it all in and don't want him to get stressed or overloaded.

Has anyone's DC survived and thrived in a similar situation?

He needs to plan for his homework. My DCs do this in schools in year 7, with a blank timetable for all the hours of the week. They colour in the school time, and then block out other activites (including sleep and travel and eating), and then they see where they have to fit in homework and socialising.
It is much more likely to work if he decides how to spread it himself. Don't cut back too much on after school activities. It is all about prioritising.

I always got one of my musical instruments practiced before going to school.

Hi,

thanks for your replies. I really like the idea of blocking out his own time and seeing where it all fits in. That makes him both responsible and aware. think we'll do that. I also want to suggest to him that week days are for working and weekends for play. There will be shorter terms and longer holidays at the new school, so he will have plenty of time to have fun overall, just less term-time, weekday fun.

Mistle, he currently practises piano before school every morning and that works really well for him, but once he starts at the new school, he'll be out of the house by 7.15 each morning, and realistically I don't see him fitting his piano in before then, at least until he's settled into the routine.