How much homework should my dd1 get in Yr1? Weekly spellings tests?

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She gets wretched flashcard things, plus spellings each week, to be tested on Fridays, plus a school book to read each night. I roundly ignored the flashcards in Reception and let dd1 read to me whatever she wants, but I can't get round the spelling tests. As far as I am concerned at 5 her time at home should be spent playing with her siblings and chilling out, not worrying all week about a bloody spelling test.

How do I handle this? I am totally opposed to homework for a 5 yr old but her teacher is very strict and I don't want dd1 to get it in the neck b/c of me.

Well, I was told today that dd1 is doing so well with her reading that provising I put in her record book that she has completed her reading book then she can pick and choose her own books from now on as the teacher won't be listening to her reading that often from now on! Dd1 was desperate to learn her spellings at bedtime but as she had to prepare carefully for the second visit of the tooth fairy tonight I put her off.

I would dearly love to talk to her teacher but last yr when I tried to tell her Reception teacher that I wasn't fussed if dd1 did her homework or not I was told that as every other child would do it, she had to as well. The teacher this yr is terribly strict and I think my best policy is to do and say as little as possible.

BandS, same here in Belgium. 'Proper' school starts at six and so does homework. After a few months they are given a homework to do every night, plus spellings, plus something to learn. Rarely anything to read as it's expected that you'll do that with your children in addition to everything else. Also exams twice a year and if you fail the year, ie get less than 60%, you have to redo the whole year. Reports are given out at the end of the year in front of the whole class starting with the one with the most points down to the one with the least (the percentages are given out too). At least this is the case in my daughter's school.

I spoke to soon, Ds came home with numeracy, 10 spellings to be done every day of the week (and ds thought 8 times each night - will check that out) and reading. tbh i think over the weekend homework is a bit harsh as they need a break and also in my situation ds stays with his dad who does no homework with him and never has. Means that ds tries to catch it all up on a Sunday.

My dd is in year two but is still doing what they did in year 1. That is to read every day for 10 mins, she comes home with spellings which they call bear words on a friday and she is tested on the thursday, and also get maths home work once aweek. further down sombody spoke about the magic key books i,m afraid to say my dd still had them in her stage 9 books she has just started stage 10 so i do hope there not in there

Y1 children shouldn't really be getting anything other than reading imo - in our school they bring books home from reception, one library book to share with parents and one 'reading' book (although they're not expected to 'read' it unless they're ready iyswim). That carries on in Y1 - in Y2 they get one piece of homework a week but it's usually pretty simple and acts more as a way of letting parents know what the children have been doing in class that week. DS2 has just started Y3 and his homework this week was to draw and label items in a healthy lunchbox and say why they were healthy.

I think our school's attitude is spot on - reception and year 1 are both based on learning through play and even Y2 and 3 are still pretty relaxed - and the school just got an outstanding OFSTED so fingers crossed this may be the way of the future

My DS gets 4 words to learn to spell a week with Test on a Friday, a Home work sheet ( puzzles, or writing or maths) to do on a Friday to be back by Thursday and 2 books to read...we never manage 2 books

oh and I do the spellings in the car ..whenever we park up at school....how crap am I ???