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Secondary education

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Original poster

Summer homework for Sep Y7 starters - how much is normal?

52 replies

reup · 04/07/2014 19:37

At a transition day my son was given a 25 page booklet covering all subjects. There are a few simple pages, several projects and some tasks will involve several hours work. Overall I can imagine it being at least a weeks work (6 hours etc) Is this the norm? He's my first at secondary.

(There is also a spelling mistake and one awful sentence that barely makes sense)

OP posts:
littlesupersparks · 06/07/2014 07:39

Call them and ask what he should prioritise. Make no bones about the fact that he will NOT be completing all the work. Either that or just don't do it. And seriously? A two week transition? Never heard the like !! Crazy talk!!

Original poster
reup · 06/07/2014 07:49

That's optional and free- some sort of government initiative, lots of fun days out- must be great if you have to work. Though I expect those people have already booked play schemes or something.

OP posts:
picnicbasketcase · 06/07/2014 07:55

DS was given a booklet of tasks to complete at his Y7 induction day last year. Obviously I made him do the work over the summer holidays. As far as I know, it was never handed in, marked or even looked at in lessons. He wasn't pleased.

roguedad · 06/07/2014 13:31

We were just sent a summer reading list asking for a couple of book reviews chosen from a diverse selection of books. Our son seemed quite happy with it and I was pleased to see the school sent a modest task.

pointythings · 07/07/2014 14:48

DD1 got none and I hope DD2 won't get any either - the omens are good, DD1 got nothing going from Yr7 into Yr8.

This year the school has a voluntary induction week in the first week of the summer holidays - I wonder just how many will turn up, given that the requirement is for them to be in full uniform Hmm. DD2 would not have been going even if we had not already booked a holiday in Devon. The summer holidays need to be just that - holidays.

Swanhildapirouetting · 07/07/2014 18:21

Sons' school set a reading project which had lots of questions, and a long booklist. Maths booklet to complete and a very short science project. We just scribed the dyslexic son's work. But we had the advantage of elder son's broken arm the previous time, so we also scribed his work. So much easier! If I had to do it again I would write a letter saying I was differentiating for my younger son's ability, and concentrating on just one project, if I was in your position.

You are quite right in thinking there will be very little feedback. They did display them on Parent's Eve though Grin

I think the thing is to make them work for YOUR child, is your child getting anything out of projects? Keep that in mind rather than thinking you have to do them for school's sake.

Some children do like a bit of a ongoing project or two in the holidays and some children don't get the chance to do much in the holidays so school work is as interesting as anything else on offer. I think that is the rationale behind it. Personally I find it incredibly intrusive to be asked to do this sort of stuff in the holidays. Reading yes, but not long long writing tasks unless you want to.

pourmeanotherglass · 08/07/2014 23:09

Wweren't given anything at the transition day in June, or told about anything - so unless they post it, she's got the summer off. I'm not sure they've done any actual work since SATS, so it will have been quite a long break,

mimbleandlittlemy · 09/07/2014 13:50

DS was given an extensive booklet for the Y6 - Y7 holidays last year (for our local comp). He had to read and do a short review for at least 3 books, do a comprehension, some easy wordsearch, lots of maths, fill in a sheet for geography about how he might travel to school, some science stuff. There were questions marked as extension questions, which he did. He did it n dribs and drabs across the holiday with a bit of a rush at the end, which is very much his way of working but he didn't get particularly stressed about it.

The school meant business though - there were detentions for those who had not handed it in by the end of the second week of term with one boy in his class being made to complete the work in his lunch breaks.

pointythings · 09/07/2014 14:12

mimble did the school let parents know in advance that this was going to happen? Seriously, I would not send my child to a school that did this. Summer holiday work should be reserved for Yr10 and upwards, when they are working towards GCSE/A-levels.

mimbleandlittlemy · 09/07/2014 17:23

It was given out at the induction day and parents were talked to about it at the interviews and again at the parent induction evening. I certainly didn't have a problem with it and neither did any of the other parents I knew and it seems to be fairly standard round us (London borough).

EbaneezerScrooge · 09/07/2014 17:35

I wouldn't bother about it. If he wants to do it let him and help him if he asks. Shouldn't have to do it though. Its too OTT. Ive never heard of Yr6/7 having summer work.

donkir · 09/07/2014 17:49

Although ds didn't get any summer homework last summer you need to be aware that 6hrs homework per week is pretty standard when in year 7. At ds school they do alternate weeks. Week one he has homework almost everyday with Friday sometimes getting 4 different subjects then the next week he'll only have a few bits.

pointythings · 09/07/2014 18:17

donkir they do get more homework in Yr7, but that's really not a good reason to make them work through the summer holidays...

donkir · 09/07/2014 18:45

I wouldn't class 6hrs homework spread across 6 weeks holiday excessive. When in primary school ds would have to do a holiday diary which would take this amount of time.

Original poster
reup · 09/07/2014 19:20

6 hours would be a breeze. I estimate 20 plus in the booklet my son was given.

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pointythings · 09/07/2014 20:10

Bloody hell. And detentions if they haven't done it... So glad we aren't London, I know the schools do well there but at what price. My DDs have a life and do very well at school too.

Hatetidyingthehouse · 09/07/2014 20:20

They are just trying to get them into good habits and give them an idea of the topics they'll be studying and maybe give them a head start so def worth doing.
However I wouldn't hold your breath for it to be collected in or marked. Although you never know

Hatetidyingthehouse · 09/07/2014 20:21

Whatever you do don't be negative about him doing it as the time will come when you have to nag him to do his homework

goats · 09/07/2014 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
reup · 09/07/2014 21:02

Ha ha at "there will come as time when you'll have to nag him". I:ve been nagging him about homework since y1! That's part of the reason I'm dreading it so much.

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pointythings · 09/07/2014 21:50

I don't think you need holiday homework to teach good habits. If they haven't got good homework habits by Yr6, you're already behind the curve.

And some DCs will always need nagging about their homework - mine get one nag/question, which is 'Have you done your homework?'

Then if they don't do it, they take the consequences. DD1 is a bit scatty and has had one or two marks in her planner this year about homework - about homework she has done but forgotten to hand in, dozy mare! - but she's diligent about doing it. DD2 is even more diligent. We make set times for it weekday evenings and at weekends so there's no overload and it works just fine.

paddythepooch · 10/07/2014 07:33

Dd has booklet of tasks from local comp. one task for each subject. Eg design a poster on what science means to you, make a scrapbook on what London means to you, design a computer game. All interesting stuff clearly designed to gauge ability and encourage independent thinking. V different from type of homework we've had at primary. Am thinking it will provide fodder for days out. I would say c12 hours work in total.

Will be a chore and involve endless nagging but I don't mind. Mind you ask me again in late august ...

AmberTheCat · 10/07/2014 09:04

Goodness, that sounds excessive. My dd is starting Sec in Sept, and we've now had induction days and parents' welcome evening with no mention of summer work, so I don't think anything will be required.

I'd definitely check the status of it with the school - is it required or suggested? Do all children have to do it? What are the benefits? What are the consequences if they don't? I probably wouldn't bring up the grammatical errors (though they would irritate me), but I'd certainly bring up things like the photocopy being too dark to read and other things that would make it difficult or impossible to complete.

I think optional transition summer camps are a completely different thing. My dd has signed up for a week of outdoor activities, which sounds fun and a great way to get to know her new schoolmates.

Purpleroxy · 10/07/2014 09:17

I would do it with him to cut down the amount of time it will take. So that way you can get it handed in as requested and not cut into too much of the summer. It isn't worth starting off on the wrong foot or in a confrontation with the school IMO so I would just do it ASAP so you can get it over with and not stress over it. It sounds more than most people get but you have been asked for it so I would do it.

soddinghormones · 10/07/2014 09:19

Dd is going to a v academic school in September and there has been no mention of holiday homework at all

Ds went to a different school (also v academic) and had something short set for each subject eg learn numbers 1-10 in Spanish plus names of colours, find out about someone you admire from history, your favourite city and why for geography etc They were asked to put it all together in a portfolio and bring it in on the first day and as far as I'm aware it was never marked or looked at again - pointless!!