"But they have to have homework to reinforce what they have done in the classroom."right or wrong at ks2?

[zizou]

Just that really. We inadvertently moved into what seems to be the most hot housy, poncey London borough of them all. Clue; it is mentioned on here quite a lot and this year has a massive problem with school places.

DDs school - used to be loads of homework, then removed most of it, and NOW DUE TO PARENTAL PRESSURE IS REINSTATING IT!
I am a lone voice crying nooooooooooooooo!

I have so many arguments against primary homework, but noone else in the vicinity seems to share them. What do you lot think?

I think a little homework is good as it prepares them for secondary school - and it gives parents the opportunity of seeing what their child is doing.
Personally, I don't see the point of huge homework projects that parents end up doing most of though - as I think that defeats the object.

At ks2, to be honest, I don't have a problem with it.
Partly because it is a way of me seeing, on a regular basis, what they are working on at school. As opposed to relying on ds to give me the lowdown
Ds has about 15 mins worth twice a week, plus something that might take a bit longer at weekends.
And it is good practice I guess

I was educated elsewhere in the UK and homework was a big thing in primary school there (still is, as far as I know) so when my children started primary I was quite shocked at the lack of homework. I think it is really important to reinforce what they have learned at school and to help you see what stage they are at. At ds1's parent-teacher meeting last week I told his teacher his homework was inadequate and she told me lots of parents object to there being any homework! I don't know who was more shocked - her at my statement or me at hers!

I hate the fact that my girls get homework. I remember coming home from secondary school with homework for the first time - aged 11 but I still managed to get excellent O'levels (showing my age here!) and A' levels.

Hometime is for playing not more work!

Prepares them for a life of unpaid overtime

Someone once told me; don't know if it's true, that one of the first acts of the newly elected socialists is spain in the 80's was to make homework illegal for children under 14 because 'they should be playing'

Too right

Message withdrawn

I bloody hate marking it that is for sure

DS is at KS2, has reading book daily, changed once or twice a week, spellings weekly and a writen homework on a friday, to be given in on tuesday, either maths,science or english based.....so , not more than 90 minutes over the week, which i don;t think is unreasonable

we want schools to reinforce good behaviour and discipline, why can we not reinforce the work they are taught, it is not just up to the teacher to make sure the children are educated, parents; responsibility too imo

Being also from a 'homework country' I agree with ElenyaTuesday.

In Germany, where I went to school, there's normally homework from day 1. Children normally start school at 6 years old, but then they 'really' start, there's no playing at school apart from the actual playtimes.

Not only is there actual homework, but many many parents do extra practice with their children on top of homework, particularly those who want to attend their children grammar school type schools after primary(it's not quite the same as more pupils attend these sort of schools in Germany).

My mum did exactly that with me, lots of extra exercises, dictations and so on. Probably it wasn't lots but felt so as a child, but on the other hand I can't remember really hating it either.

With regards to the actual homework given by the teacher, my classmates and I found homework absolutely normal and we just had to do it, even in primary school, and although I did not always like the extra practice, it certainly helped me a lot and I did get into a grammar school (and stay there successfully).

So I'm also quite shocked by the lack of homework in the UK. Having said that, the school day here is longer than a primary school day in Germany (but then they start earlier as well, arond 8am).

Particularly as my dc are not the ones who just pick up things, I'd like there to be more homework to reinforce things they learnt at school.

But for ds2 it's only reading (yr1) and ds 1 (yr 3) has only homework once a week but then spends quite a while on it. Little and often would be better in my opinion.

As a parent, I feel completely uninformed about what my children do on a day to day basis. It's impossible to support them properly.

Btw, I happen to be a secondary school teacher as well (although no longer teaching) and am still in favour of homework.