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Primary education

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Canceling Homework in Primary school

108 replies

CambsMummy · 30/03/2011 22:16

I am looking for advice/opinions on the decision that the headteacher of my sons school has made regarding homework. Due to some parents complaints and abusive behaviour towards teachers regarding making their children complete homework tasks the head teacher has now stopped homework altogether. To me this seems outrageous, I am aware there is no legal obligiation, but to me this seems absolutley crazy?

OP posts:
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MaryMotherOfCheeses · 30/03/2011 22:25

That sounds very odd.

Has the head actually said "from now on we won't send homework" ?

Is this infants or juniors?

tethersend · 30/03/2011 22:29

If I were you, I would celebrate.

A great decision by the head, IMO.

Goblinchild · 30/03/2011 22:29

I love the idea of a primary school never setting homework.
I want it to become a Mumsnet campaign.
Tables and reading, with topic research if they want to do it. Nothing else.

Goblinchild · 30/03/2011 22:30

Well, that's two teachers, where are all the rest?

emkana · 30/03/2011 22:30

I would absolutely love that.

tethersend · 30/03/2011 22:31

yy to a campaign- have thought exactly the same thing.

Don't think it'd get much support, though...

happywheezer · 30/03/2011 22:31

As a former teacher myself, I think it's an excellent idea.

squidgy12 · 30/03/2011 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MerylStrop · 30/03/2011 22:33

I would applaud that.

MollieO · 30/03/2011 22:36

One of the leading peeps in the country doesn't set homework at any age and has the same day length as other schools. If I could afford the fees I'd be sorely tempted to move ds.

I don't understand why there is homework in primary school. There never was when I was at school and it didn't affect my education.

MollieO · 30/03/2011 22:40

Preps not peeps!

IntotheNittyGritty · 30/03/2011 22:44

Our school has also stopped issuing homework. It is pointless and achieves nothing.

Only exception should be practicing numberwork in daily life situations, practice counting, tables, problem solving, and reading everything they can whether its recipe books, toy magazines, newspapers, trade magazines, whatever interests them. Whether it is a school scheme or books chosen at home, reading anything will help.

Children need to have fun and play after school, be with their friends and family. You can still do "homework by doing the basics as mentioned above".

There is no point to children filling in worksheets, it upsets them, demotivates them and causes so much family friction.

For those parents who want their child to study at home there are thousands of options available that are interesting without having stuff sent home from school that doesnt interest them.

Teachers have so much to do and know the hassle it causes. They know which children will do the homework and which ones wont. The ones that do the homework are often the ones that dont need to do it. The ones that could perhaps do with the extra help quite often are the ones that dont get it at home (obviously this doesnt apply to all families).

If a child needs "homework" it should be specific tasks assigned to that child to help with a specific topic being covered in school as additional learning support.

Any homework they do get should be investigative project work only.

My opinion only!

elphabadefiesgravity · 30/03/2011 22:50

What a sensible, enligtened, head.

I too would be applauding. Homework at primary level has no advantage in terms of educational echievment and can even be detrimental to outcomes.

lostlady · 30/03/2011 22:55

I too would celebrate: they are school for many hours of the day and should be doing other things when not there. Happy daysGrin

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 30/03/2011 23:00

Happy to be the odd one out! Grin

DS gets one spelling list, one maths sheet and a reading book. Year 5. Seems ok to me, but then yes, we don't have a huge problem getting him to do them and they don't demotivate him.

Goblinchild · 30/03/2011 23:01

It wasn't what you expected, OP?
Homework in primary is a waste of time, done when the child is tired and stops parents interacting with their offspring.
Save it for Secondary.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 30/03/2011 23:04

No!! Dreadful idea - maybe stop it at infant age (Reception-Yr2) if you must. But not all the way to YR6. They then hit YR7 and then what - are completely flooored by the amount of work that needs to be done, with no concept of the idea that homework has to be done, It's not a long gap from YR7 to GSCE's and then they'll have coursework and will be expected to managed their school work outside of school as well.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 30/03/2011 23:07

not to mention the prospect of having to try and convince a hormonal, stroppy 12yr old that - no - you can't go and play - you have to do your school work. At least if they've been gradually introduced to the idea from primary it's not such a huge battle.

sundew · 30/03/2011 23:08

I fall in between - I think homework for KS1 is pointless but agree that children need to start getting into a routine of doing some homework before starting secondary school.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 30/03/2011 23:10

plus - it saves parents of children like my DS2 (7) who begged me to buy him a book for practising his maths and literacy during the holidays while I was in WH Smiths finding one for DS1 (who really needs extra input at home as well) having to find stuff for them to do that stimulates them enough. If the teacher sends him work home it saves me the hassle of being told

"it's too easy" "I'm bored" "can you find some more" Grin

cory · 30/03/2011 23:14

Agree with Baroque and sundew, by the time children are in Yr 5 or 6 it is useful to start some preparation for secondary- otherwise it's going to be one massive shock. Have a Yr 6 ds atm; wouldn't want to think of his reaction if he had never done any homework and suddenly was told to do those long projects spreading over weeks I know he'll be getting in Yr 7.

DramaInPyjamas · 30/03/2011 23:14

My 5 year old is always asking her teacher for extra homework.. She would get quite upset at it being stopped altogether.

cory · 30/03/2011 23:15

A Yr 6 child is simply nothing like a Yr 1 child. They have hormones. Shock

elphabadefiesgravity · 30/03/2011 23:15

Never did us any harm not havinghomework at primary. Then again we didn;t have it piled on at secondary in the same way as the poor burnt out kids do these days.

I really think that we have got education wrong in this country.

IndigoBell · 30/03/2011 23:16

No homework is a brilliant decision, lucky you.

May your children enjoy lots of time playing.

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