Year 5 how much homework?

[MrPickles73]

My year 5 is at an independent school. I'm concerned he's not being sufficiently stretched in maths or english. He is top maths group and top spellings group.
His homework for the week:

• write out definitions for the spellings and learn them
• learn 15 french words
• Timetable Rockstar
• every other week geography homework

He has had 2 pieces of writing homework for English all term. He knew his timetables by end 1st term year 3.
The French homework he finds quite challenging and the geography homework is good (involves some research and writing).
However in maths playing TT Rockstar is fine but surely he should be doing something more challenging as well? We would like him to sit a scholarship exam next year and he is ahead for his age but I'm concerned he's losing ground. In previous years in addition to more maths they've also done English projects where they have to research and write about something which was really good and he enjoyed.
How much homework are other year 5s getting? Thankyou.

Statistically homework has no impact in primary. If you want to give him an advantage have him read as much as possible with as much as possible variety. Buy some primary maths challenge books and if he enjoys it he could work through them.

I wouldnt be happy aboyt loads of TT rockstars if he is really quick already.

Our school uses mathletics.

He does read a lot and enjoys reading. We have done work books in the past but it's a struggle to get him to do extra work that his friends are not doing..

I just wondered how much homework other schools are setting in year 5. He enjoys the TT Rockstar but I can't see it brings anything other than entertainment!

Most schools aren't doing much homework on primary. It doesn't have any benefits and gets in the way of other things kids want to do outside of school.

My Year 5 DD currently gets 20 spellings to learn, TT Rockstars, MyMaths usually 2 pieces, a comprehension sheet and has to write 5 reading comments. They also have a project sheet linked to their IPC topic which is termly.

I think that's quite a lot but we are used to it as my elder daughter left 4 years ago and always got a lot of homework too.

Writing out definitions for the spellings is surely "writing" homework?

In Year 5, average homework was

• read every night
• 1 piece of maths (expected to take 20-30 minutes)
• 1 piece of English (expected to take 20-30 minutes)
• practice timestables to improve recall

Is it an independent where they will expect everyone to sit senior school exams in about a year's time (or a school with a senior bit everyone just carries on to?) If the former, I suspect you may see the work start to ramp up. I remember at my friend's DCs' Year 5 school they had 2 hours a day in the Easter and May half term holidays.

Redskyatnight that sounds about the same us.

They used to sit an exam to the senior school but now they carry on without the exam but we need to sit the exam to apply for a scholarship.

My Y5 DS is at a totally (academically) non-selective prep. He currently has 2-3 sheets of literacy activities related to a spelling rule and 1-2 sheets of maths per week. They have 'prep' time at the end of school each day so very little of this ever comes home, as is the school's intention.

I am incredibly grateful for this. DS competes in a sport which very often takes up all of every weekend (think 6am - 7pm Sat and Sun) for which I pull him out of Saturday school. He also has two evenings when he has school extra-curriculars after prep. No way could we fit in more pointless homework.

However, we have now started using BOFA in the holidays for VR and NVR practice for pre-tests in Y7 as they don't do this at school.

BOFA has maths and English too- you could consider this if you want some extra work.

My DD is also year 5 independent. She gets much more than this. Sorry am trying to wrestle her and her sister to bed, but just to add my tuppence worth. Haven’t heard of timetable rockstars, she does Mathletics which seems to be across the whole of the curriculum, and becomes increasingly challenging, she’s done it since year one.

Vinoandbrie I'd be interested to hear what homework she gets.. when you have the time. Many thanks

Vino can she only work in her year group in mathletics?
I find it frustrating you cant carry on to the next year

Oh, Times Tables Rock Stars...

I thought your schools were using some kind of 'MS Project for kids'... (sorry). Ours are all well past primary age but I think their (state) school had just about got to MyMaths before the middle one moved on.

On the English front, could you e.g. try get you DS to produce a piece of creative writing a week, working in all of that week's spellings?

Presumably you have indicated to the school that you don't think they are 'stretching' your DS sufficiently?

Last year, Y5 private (international): reading, spellings plus definitions, mathletics (some fixed activities, and anything else you fancied - the whole lot was open), and one piece a week - either science or geography or history.

his year: Y4 English state - spellings plus reading, plus one maths sheet that takes about 5 mins. TTRS is available.
Y6 English state - reading, plus one maths sheet a week, plus one English sheet a week - each taking about 15 mins. No spellings.

Last yr, yr 4 same school different teacher there was reading, spellings and definitions, maths sheet and every 3 weeks some kind of research topic with writing e.g. vikings. It seemed to involve more creative writing and more maths (other than ttr). And she made good progress. This year I get the impression she is spinning her wheels. I will ask in January for some stretch and homework. We can do work books etc at home but she is reluctant to do stuff unless the school sets it (another parent has said the same of their child)