Year 7 shedloads of homework - wise Mumsnetters, how much is too much?

[yumskimumski]

DS spends a whole day of each weekend doing his homework. I thought perhaps that it was because he is an inefficient dreamer - and actually that is part of the problem - but it's not just that. I'm making him do the homework during the week as and when it comes in, but there's still this shedload to do, issued on a Friday, by Monday. He's at a large, ambitious comprehensive, and he's in a high band which is pushed like hell. My friend's daughter, at a very well regarded private girl's school where the majority get As and A*s doesn't have any homework at all, at least not currently. Will doing all this homework achieve anything? What's it for? It's certainly put a spoke in the weekend and cut down on sporting and cultural activities - but aren't these just as important? Will it teach him time-management and generally force him to be efficient? In which case I can see some justification.

Mm, mine had lives outside of school too!! They did their homework - things went a bit nuts occasionally and we did have family time - we needed it sometimes!! There has to be a fine balance between homework and family needs. It's a wonder that we don't all go crazy with trying to sort it all out!! They don't give you any manuals about how to cope with this when you leave the maternity unit do they?!!

DS yr7 in good academically high standards state school.
He gets 15-30 mins most nights, although there's a 'tradition' of easing them in gently in the first term or two, then starting to increase the amount later in yr7. He does most things the night its set - his aim is only to have an hour to do over Sat/Sun.

I can't fault them so far - the pastoral support and 6th form 'buddy' system has/is working really well and he loves it there.

Haven't they go enough on their plates learning to get/from a new place, new subjects and organisational abilities needed (!) new clubs and activities to join in etc. this term?