Should I complain about the amount of homework dd, age 4 has got this weekend?

[littleducks]

DD is 4 and in reception. She gets one reading book per week which she is expected to read at least twice.

Normally she gets one sheet of A4 work, words to write out, a few very basic sums etc. All fine, she tends to do it all but homework was described as 'optional but we will always look at work done at home'

Homework is normally sent home on Fri, but this Monday she came home with a weather chart to observe the weather daily all week cut out and colour symbols and stick on a chart.

Then on Fri at pick up, outside classroom door is a brand new 'homework chart' with each childs name and each weeks date and a sticker awarded for handing in. DD has a sticker as do a few others but by no means all the class.

She then brings home another 2 A4 pages of homework, labelling a flower diag, a sum to write out and solve from pictures and a 'discussion point'

Of course she wants to do it all due to sticker chart and has done...but i think its too much and the presssure is not fair.

AIBU?

She probably will be tested at end of primary for school choice, does that mean i should expect more work?

DS1 in reception doesn't get homework unless you count the reading book. He has 4 or 5 reading books a week.

Summerrain's regime sounds extraordinary - have never heard of reception getting so much and think it goes against all modern thinking about EYFS. I agree that the chart is unhelpful - effectively this makes the homework compulsary - they should be more honest.

Formal worksheety homework in YR????

Sounds utterly ridiculous.

You should always raise the amount of homework as an issue with class teacher if you find it too much. Often, schools respond to a vocal minority who want lots of homework leaving the rest to put up with it. As a teacher, I found feedback hugely helpful, when politely and constructively voiced.

Just finished speaking to SIL and read DS's homework to her as it seemed more like year 1. She concluded it was more than her year 1 has ever got. Hubby and I spent some time this afternoon splitting up the kids so reception son could spend his time sounding out many words. I know that a lot of the class would have struggled with this homework.

Just want to add that I'd have an issue with the homework chart / sticker reward. I might get shot for this but I've had to make decisions before now on which homework will get done and for which child. I never handed in homework for DS on many occasions before Xmas. I find it really hectic in our house to get homework done so I like it to be simple, short and at DS's level :)

I spoke to the headteacher at dd's school when the witch teacher in Reception told the children that if they didn't do their homework, they would be moved down on the behaviour board.

I was furious. It's one thing to have a reward/sanction system when children are old enough to do homework independently (e.g year 5 or 6), but to use sanctions when it is entirely up to the parents whether homework gets done or not is completely wrong.

Actually, I disagree with regular homework for primary school children, except for reading, until they are in year 6 (and I'm a primary school teacher!).

For goodness sake, behaviour boards are for behaviour. Not sure I agree with public and long-lasting records of behaviour, but to link with homework? I've heard it all.

I mentioned it at drop off....but i dont think it went down to well to be honest

Apparently as long as one piece of work is done they will get the sticker as apparently the point is to get the children into the routine of handing it in

The teacher had a handful of work this morning, much more than normal so i suppose from their side it is effective

my kids yearn for more homework, they get a tiny amount
I end up making up 'homework' stuff for them at home

I hate hw for infants ,I would have refused to do it with her.
I do understand that she wanted to do it though ,my dd was like that.

Thats the thing, alot of stuff we get is printed off the internet (no problem with that it is good resources) so I could do that if I wanted dd to have more work

WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much for reception.

They should literally be taking home a word tin or reading book and nothing more (except perhaps the class bear-what we did this weekend type thing).

I would first of all speak to the teacher and then, if no good, maake appointment with head.

I assume it's a state school because private school would probably have a lot more homework.

In reception, they're still in the foundation stage; leading them on from preschool. In Key Stage 1, DS only gets reading books every day and one piece of numeracy and literacy over a 2 week period.

The weather thing though is interesting and I guess they sent it on Monday so they could look at a whole week's weather.

The wall staicker thing is NOT good though. I would defo complain about it. Schools are supposed to be inclusive and this will onlt single out those little ones who parents don't agree with HW or who didn't get chance to do it.