How long should a year 3 spend on homework? (help/advice from any teachers would be appreciated.)

[LittleMissProcrastinator]

DS has just brought home his first piece of homework.
How long should we spend on it?
Should we do it till it is all done?
Should I be helping him?( I am trying but even I am finding it a bit hard)

We've just been told government guidelines are that yr 3 should have 90 minutes of homework a week. Only about 89 minutes too much imo.

Where are these government guidlines?

Does that include reading?

90 mins sounds like a lot.

2 x 20 mins + reading sounds more realistic to me.

DS has had two lots so far (Y3). His Maths one took him 20 minutes, his English 3 minutes. We probably spend 15 mins pw on his times tables and 5 mins pw on spellings. He reads about 15 mins per night.

Well we had our induction into yr 3 evening last night and were told our dc's should be doing:

• 20 mins reading a day at home
• 20 mins maths homework a week - sums etc
• learning times tables each week
• spellings each week
• from half term 20 mins science a week
• next term to also have 20 mins humanities a week

He has been given a word search which even I am finding it hard to find all the words as it is quite a big one. and we have a 2 year old who is being very distracting at the mo!
Should we perservere till most of it is done?

I wouldn't do more than 20 mins and write in his homework diary that he spent that much time on it.

Tip for next week, and subsequent weeks, OP: do a little a night, spread over the week if you can. There is nothing worse for either of you than getting to "The night before homework is due in" and having to do it all! I find with 3 DC and after-school stuff that it simply isn't possible anyway.

45 mins a night, apparently (so the new teacher says).

DD's school advises approx 20 minutes a night, plus some reading.

DD is now in Y5 and it has gone up to 30 min a night plus some reading. That, imo, is plenty.

Thanks all for your help. We have given up on it now as I feel he has spent quite enough time on it.(it's not finished). I have to get dd ready for bed soon.
then it will be ds bed time. I think I need to try to be more organised now he is going to get homework.