Canceling Homework in Primary school

[CambsMummy]

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?

Sorry I just think if Tiffin a top Super selective Grammar can stop homework (which used to take their boys 4 hours a night), then there are no problems for Primary.
I had no homework at Primary - except occasional spelling tests. I didn't struggle at secondary. We actually looked forward to being grown up and getting homework at secondary (but then we still played playground games at secondary in those far off days).
My DCs primary stopped homework. Too late for DS, but DD1 was there, she copes with homework at secondary much better than he did.

My kids also have a very rich life out of school that they don't ask for extra school work. After all there is always music practice or theory, or for DS creating your own computer games, DD2 making something or designing your own census, Or even reading a book (which is what I used to do at their age).

It's seems a bit odd for the head to bow to pressure from complaints and abusive behaviour but if the end result is to not have homework I'd be happy, happy, happy.

All they need is to do reading, spelling and tables at this age, oh and maybe the odd exciting project to think about.

1/3 of parents like homework, 1/3 hate it and another 1/3 don't do it!

FWIW, HW at secondary is engaging my DS was more than primary HW which was just maths and literacy (to get good SATS). Boring.

I am in the don't do it category, I think head is to be applauded too.

My ds's school have a minimal homework policy. Times tables, reading and spelling test revision is all we get. Occasional project homework but this is just gathering info.

No homework here. [Means bit in the dark about what ds does all day as says 'can't remember!]. On whole a good thing though I think.
Every now and then a homework project which I hate as all parents invited to look at them. Takes a stronger mum than me not to compare [internally!] and think 'oh shit'....

'It's seems a bit odd for the head to bow to pressure from complaints and abusive behaviour but if the end result is to not have homework I'd be happy, happy, happy.'

Why odd? As you can see, many teachers here are happy to support a no homework policy, and we sometimes get a bit tired of parental complaints and demands related to homework.
Usually along the lines of not enough, too much, shouldn't happen at all, the wrong sort of homework, not marked fast enough, there's a spelling mistake...
How lovely to have a head that says 'Right, end of homework'
Puts that choice right back into the hands of the parents.

I've read a few times that there is no evidence that homework increases achievement (don't ask me where - don't remember).

My DD is 6 - she gets online maths homework, spelling list, online spelling practice, sight words, 15 mins reading a night, plus a presentation weekly. I think its too much. She is not a very confident reader yet, and so it takes her a long time, and she needs help with reading the maths problems too, so it takes me a long time, and makes our evenings stressful.

If she is really tired or stroppy, she writes her spelling list and does her reading before bed - nothing else. Even that takes 30 mins which is so much for a small child after a busy day.

Good on the head I say! Its hard for parents to say 'no' to homework when they know all the other children are doing it. I know I don't want DD percieved as being from an unsupportive or 'problem' household. But if the teacher didn't give any homework, I think it would be great.

yes, and as others have said, there is so much other than homework that children can and should be doing. Playing with siblings, talking with parents, cooking, chilling out, reading for pleasure, sports clubs, music lessons and practice...

My DD likes her weekly swimming classes and I think has the makings of a good swimmer, but we are stopping them, in part because we can't cope with the stress of swimming+homework in one evening. Such a shame!

"Sorry I just think if Tiffin a top Super selective Grammar can stop homework (which used to take their boys 4 hours a night), then there are no problems for Primary."

But they haven't "stopped" homework - what is 1/2hrs compulsory independent study if not homework? What are the independent study challenges if not homework???

"After all, in a substantial number of jobs (probably the majority) you do your set hours, you come home, and then you do what you want."

Well the number of unpaid overtime hours that people work these days has increased dramatically........ok they're still "at work" - but it's still not within set hours. Plus even if they do get to go home bang on the end of their shift, what about secondary (and University if they go) they will be expected to do coursework and homework outside school, and revision.

Where I work we stopped homework sheets/ projects last Summer.

Pupils now have spellings and tables to practise and and there is a strict reading at home policy (right up to year 6). Pupils must read at home at least twice a week including the holidays and if the book is forgotton or parents have not signed the book they have a lunchtime detention. We still get alot of parents complaining about that- "how dare you put my little PFB in detention- I don't have time to hear him read..." etc. (You don't have 10 mins free each week to hear your DC read? )

As for year 7 being a shock- My DD is at a high performing grammar school and gets very little homework as do many of her friends in a range of other schools in the area. I think the trend seems to be moving towards less in general.

I have read research that shows that homework in Primary schools has little impact on achievements and indeed can prove counter productive; it is also said to have a fairly minimal impact on achievement in secondaries. The countries with the highest achievement (Japan, Denmark, Czech republic) set the least homework apparently.

We are making the transition from primary to secondary - 2 DCs moved, one to go.

The primary gives homework but it just seems so unfocussed. It's a stress which doesnt seem to do a lot of good. It is only since the sats revision has started that the homework has achieved a purpose and direction. However I can see that this is fine for an academic child but not for all.

For the DCs at secondary the homework is focussed and does seem to add. Also, they do not seem to be over-burdened by it.

I have always thought that homework should be banned at primary school. I agree with the head and love the idea of a campaign.

I think homework serves a purpose. Engaged, involved parents who reinforce numberwork, encourage reading etc do not like (and don't really need) homework. They're effectively doing it anyway.

However homework does mean that those children who come from homes where learning isn't valued or encouraged as much, or where parents struggle with basic numeracy/literacy and so can't help as effectively as they'd like to or parent who just don't know how benefit from the structure of homework to provide reinforcement of what is being done at school.

Unfortunately it's children in group a, who are often way ahead of group b in any case, who do the homework.

Sounds a brilliant idea to me. I can see why the Head doesn't want the hassle. I think that Primary schools only gave it in the first place through pressure from parents-it just means that the pendulum has turned and now it is being abolished through parental pressure.

I have to say, with the number of threads I see on MN complaining about the teaching and lack of support and picking up of issues, in primary schools that so many are so willing to drop, what for many it would appear (aside from maybe 3 parents evenings a year) to support their child at home with what they are learning in school.

Maybe it's how the homework is set and inforced that makes the difference. DS1's Maths and Literacy (though this is sometimes actually History or another subject) is also something they have been learning in school that day/week. It is handed out on a Thursday and they have a week to complete it. 10 minutes a day is all it takes, though sometimes he does it at the weekend and spends 1/2 each weekend day - still leaving plenty of time for other things. It gives me an opportunity to see what he's doing, and the ease (or not) in which he does it helps me to see where he's struggling as well rather than just waiting for the next parents evening.

He also, voluntarily, spends time "revising" on the iamlearning website that school has signed up to.

I've never really had to help DS1 do anything with his homework, other than ask him if he's got any/done it, and supervise him doing it. And no - he's not super academic (currently he's going to be lucky to get 4c's or even 3a's in subjects at the end of year 6 ).

DS2 is in the infants where they apart from reading and spellings only get sporadic homework to do. However, even though he's in the top maths set that gets taken out and given harder work to do he still wants more challenging stuff to do at home. Roll on Juniors where he gets set homework each week, I'm fed up of the strops because DS1 has got homework to do and he hasn't

I think in YR6 they do step up the level of homework, partly in preparation for SATS

I would relish the thought of a reduction in homework from my dd's school but dd would be up in arms. She enjoys doing it and goes and gets it from her bag and sits down to do it without us telling her to. But I really struggle to see how its making her progress any faster than if she didn't do it.

DS on the other hand gets no homework (apart from reading) and its totally right for him. He can't manage to even sit down and read every night, maybe 2 or 3 times a week. This more laid back approach has resulted in a happier child and he's learnt more in the last 5 weeks with this approach than he learnt in 1.5terms with the full on approach.

Take from that what you will.

Times tables, daily reading & science experiments; I can get the point of all that homework. I don't even object to worksheets (DC seem to like them).

But "draw a picture of your favourite storybook character", "read for 15 minutes and write about what you've read" -- load of pants and lead to big battlezones. DSs never had favourite story book characters, & they found descriptive writing boring beyond belief.

Homework in primary school is a waste of time. Tired children tend to take their frustrations about having to do something so utterly pointless on their parents and not on their teacher. It just seems to breed a whole lot of resentment.

I support homework and I know my DCs would miss it if not given.

I think its crazy to cancel it altogether and let the kids face another new challenge at Y7.

LOATHE homework for all aprt from exam years ( teacher)

hate it at primary( mum)

my idea is to have private working time at end of school day 20 mins alone suervised

would
a) stop resources going missing
b) let less advantaged kids ge on with hit
c) let weaker kids get help
d) stop teachers wasting time chasing it up

I would be happy I think as long as the infants still get reading books sent home as at that age I think they need to be reading at home regularly.

ooh where's the school - I want my DD to go there!!

I support no homework for primary school :o

The problem for me with the decision the head has taken is that for the last 5 yrs of my children attneding the school we have been repeatedly preached to the benefits of the children doing homework. I suppose I am surprised at the complete change in opinion of the head. Also the letter sent out to inform us of this change states that this decision has been taken due to parents being abusive to members of staff regarding homework (or moreover punishment for non completion) I find it worrying that some parents have in affect bullied the Head in to this position.
Currently my child enjoys plenty of after school activites, and thankfully we have yet to have a real stand off situation over homework as he has always enjoyed showing me what they are learning at school. I think that from mini projects, and holiday tasks esp it has helped me to understand the areas he has enjoyed as well as things he could do with more support in.

Primary homework, apart from reading - is a complete waste of time and is only set because parents think it's important. Give the Head a bouquet!