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Original poster

How much 'homework' is necessary in Reception?

28 replies

undercovamutha · 21/11/2010 20:56

My DD is in reception, and is a summer baby, and she is SHATTERED after school every day.

I can't do a thing with her! She won't have
a rest or nap, but instead is obviously so tired and is badly behaved as a result. Its all I can do to keep her from a tired meltdown during the period between school and tea. She will happily go to bed at 6.30pm and sleeps til nearly 7am.

She has been getting quite a few reading books to bring home, as well as flashcards and phonics stuff. She is keen in theory to look at the them in the week, being enthusiastic after school, but when we start she is far too tired to look properly, and it just ends in tears. On the weekend, she is not interested at all.

I have not been worrying about it cos she's only just 4 and it really doesn't seem an issue to me if she hasn't mastered all her 'homework'. I'm more concerned about her being happy and rested tbh. However, we have now had a comment in her notebook to say she needs to practise flashcards more and is rusty with the reading books.

Surely this isn't a problem for a reception age child?

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Teacher401 · 21/11/2010 21:02

None! We don't give homework in reception. Reading books yes but they can be read by the child or the adult to the child.

Goingspare · 21/11/2010 21:04

10 mins reading a day when my children were in Reception. Are you told how much time you're expected to spend on it?

My older girl, with a September birthday, was fine in Reception, but the May-born one found the first term absolutely shattering, though it got a lot easier after Christmas.

Perhaps have a word with the teacher, explaining how tired she is, and that you don't think she's ready yet for much homework. There can't be any reason to panic over her reading yet, and you don't want her to start hating it.

DreamTeamGirl · 21/11/2010 21:07

MY DS was always exhausted after school at this stage.

We used to just relax totally after school and straight after tea when ebergy levels were highest do literally 5 mins or so on his book, then I would read it to him before bed as well

If she isnt coping just put that in her reading record. She is very young still

bigchris · 21/11/2010 21:09

I'd read them with her in the morning over breakfast and at the weekend

elphabadefiesgravity · 21/11/2010 21:10

Just reading. Nothing else is necessary.

gabid · 21/11/2010 21:14

We never had homework in R, just reading books one every 3 weeks or so, which DS never read. I thought reception should still be quite playful, although they seem to do all the phonic sounds and most read simple sentences at the end of the year.

Some summer born children seem to be a bit young though - the main thing is that they are having fun, otherwise you may spoil their fun of learning.

DS is in Y1 now, still refuses to read school books (he reads them well at school though so the teacher has backed off). I do feel it is important that he reads and does his spellings regularly now, but can't get into any routine as he gets tired, doesn't want to etc. There is sometimes a bit of other homework but we don't spend more than 5 min on it.

Flowergarden1 · 21/11/2010 21:32

We have a couple of reading books a week, and we look at them in the morning over breakfast or at the weekend.

Obat · 21/11/2010 23:17

My dd is in YR too and she comes home with a range of books every week and she has also been identified as one of the high abillity child in her class. so she tends to get more than others. but this weekend she complained there is too much work for her in school, so not sure my self whether to mention this or to keep encouraging her.

Valpollicella · 21/11/2010 23:25

DS has a homework timetable Hmm

This includes his phonics and letters stuff (ie a booklet a week), a book every night that we have to then write back in his reading book about, he also gets a 'game' a week. Shall dig it out from the depths of the shelf and post it here if I can find it

Its all so full on and I am being really quite slack about it all, as by the time I've got him home (2 nights a week where he elsewhere during the day) it's nearly 7pm and I cannot be doing with reading that book to him and pointing out the phonics, when all he wants is a 'proper' bedtime story. The other days he is tired and doesn't need me 'teaching him'. He's happy enough pointing out letter/phonics and numbers to me other times.

So I shall continue being slack as I really don't think they can cram that much learning in all day, especially summer born Reception children (as DS is too)

Clary · 21/11/2010 23:32

Yes agree with those who say morning is the best time.

It need only take (in fact should only take) a few mins, after breakfast and once dressed and ready?

(of course this only works if you are able to walk them to school; if breakfast club/childminder/work come into play then it may be tricky!)

Kewcumber · 21/11/2010 23:37

DS has about 6 letters a week (they rotate them) to sound and practice writing, and three "reading" books a week (ie describe the story Oxfprd reading tree type stuff) AND Ds is still only half time until after Xmas. I do one reading book each on Friday, Sat and Sun and 5 mins a day on letters.

They do get to choose 3 story books a week but no pressure to read them or write about tehm etc just to encourgae the childrne to getinto books (if they aren;t already).

The more I hear about some other schools the more I like ours!

Valpollicella · 21/11/2010 23:37

Exactly Clary, you're right Grin

When DS and I don't get home until 6.45pm ish, and then have to leave the next day at 7.35am...there's really not that much time.

I honestly think they shouldn't be expected to do anything in Reception year. There should be encouragement to read books together but nothing more.

When you think most European countries don't start until aged 6...

I think it's so hard for the younger ones as it is. As well as the youngest born in the year boys. Homework on top of it all tbh I would be struggling

Kewcumber · 21/11/2010 23:38

and the school has a grade 1 offsted report which I know isn;t everything but presumably they are doing something right

colditz · 21/11/2010 23:38

None is necessary. They should be learning through play throughout reception.

PoppetUK · 21/11/2010 23:51

I definitely wouldn't stress.

At this age I would make sure she is read to every day for 10 mins.

You can help by talking about what sound something starts with, count out loud and stuff like that.

I have to say homework can be tough in our house with 6, nearly 5 and a toddler 18 months tearing through the house!!!! The only quiet time is after he's asleep and by then it's too late.

We now do most of it at the weekend when baby naps and in the holidays.

Before we moved back to the UK I had to do extra work with my DD and we would do it before school. Dressed, breakfast, 15 mins homework, teeth, school.

SamJones · 22/11/2010 00:14

I would have a word with her teacher to explain the situation, and just not worry about it.

If she were a couple of months younger she wouldn't even be there this year. I think it is ridiculous to expect homework at that age. Its not even mandatory that she attends till her next birthday anyway. A friend of mine had twin boys born in June, and she kept them off school on Wednesdays for the the first term because otherwise they were on their knees by Thursday.

And they (now 12) are both bright boys doing well.

Original poster
undercovamutha · 22/11/2010 18:05

Thanks everyone - you've put my mind at rest. Will try to get a routine going if possible, of about 5-10 mins a day and see how that goes.

OP posts:
Ealingkate · 22/11/2010 18:13

I would recommend reading the Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn, if you're a reader.
Fascinating stuff about how we basically all accept homework, while most people think it's a waste of time. Also, there isn't any research which shows anything more than a slight positive effect (but, most shows a negative effect of homework on primary school aged children).
That being said, reading with your child and encouraging a love of books is recommended obviously.

rebl · 23/11/2010 10:09

undercovamutha Sounds like your dd gets a very similar amount of homework as dc. My dd is also very tired after school and is always asleep by 6:30. We also struggle to do a lot in the weekends. We've started reading her book when she gets home before she's got changed. I do sometimes write in her reading book that we would like to keep her book for another day (it gets changed as soon as its been read at home) mainly because she's tired and I think she would benefit from reading it again. We tend to do her flashcards 2 or 3 times a week in the mornings if she's up early enough. This appears to be enough for my dd and she's progressing well as far as I know.

FreudianSlimmery · 23/11/2010 10:28

I am always amazed when I read these threads just what a massive range of homework amounts there is! I will definitely be asking when I look at the schools round here.

Kewcumber · 23/11/2010 10:43

You can always keep one of the books back at our school they just change whatever they send in and they do resend books that are the smae home occasionally (deliberately) explaining that its good for the childrens confidence to read a book again when they understand it better the second time.

What are on teh flash cards - not just letters?

civil · 23/11/2010 11:10

We just had reading books and a word tin. We also had the jolly phonics letter stuff to do, but this was optional.

We were encouraged to do the reading books a few times a week, but not if the children were too tired.

The guidelines were good - along the lines of - do what you can, but not too much. Keep reading bedtime stories and not worry too much about reading books.

Many schools don't send reading books home until after Christmas.

redskyatnight · 23/11/2010 11:13

DD's school encourages you to read with your child "daily, every other day, weekly, or as convenient for you". Which I always thought was as sensible attitude - DD devours her reading books so we read daily, but DS was often resistant so we were more flexible.

The also have one piece of "homework" each week but it is strictly optional and takes 5 minutes. It is things like drawing a picture of something they like doing, bringing in a brightly coloured leaf etc.

rabbitstew · 23/11/2010 11:18

Different children have different needs. The school sends homework out because some children and parents want it and home reinforcement is generally helpful. However, home reinforcement is not helpful if it ends in tears and I'm sure any teacher would agree with that. Homework is not compulsory. Good communication with the teacher is - she doesn't know if you are not bothering or if there is a reason for the lack of practice at home. Make sure she understands you are a reasonable parent trying to support the teacher's aims but are finding difficulty with this, and see how reasonable she is in return! She should give you tips herself - you are learning how to help your child just as much as your child is learning!

rebl · 23/11/2010 11:24

rabbitstew makes a good point. If my dd is too tired to do anything I always make sure I write in the reading book still just saying that dd was too tired to do anything. I figured that that way the teacher knows that we do actually care about the work being sent home and we're not just ignoring it.