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Secondary education

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Original poster

Is homework legally enforceable in state secondary school?

113 replies

Firecarrier · 16/02/2024 11:11

Would appreciate any factual answers regarding this.

I'm not particularly interested in debating the merits (or lack thereof) of homework, I have done lots of reading around this subject and my desire is to tell his high school that I will not permit our evenings to be dominated by homework when he has been there all day.

They have a rather ridgid system with class teams which sends us pie charts etc showing behaviour points etc.

Their system means a child will get a detention if they do not hand a piece of homework in.

For clarity, my son's behaviour in school is not in any question whatsoever and he is doing quite well, it is literally just the homework and possible consequences I am asking about. I say this to clarify that this specific thing I am asking about need not negatively affect other pupils.

I am in England if it makes any difference.

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
DespairAgony · 16/02/2024 11:12

Teacher here, I sincerely doubt it.

SoupDragon · 16/02/2024 11:13

Why is his homework dominating your evenings?

Rosesanddaisies1 · 16/02/2024 11:15

I doubt it's legally enforceable when it's not legally enforceable to attend school. but why is it taking over 'our evenings', it's his homework. And really, he's not there all day. School finishes at 3.30

HermioneWeasley · 16/02/2024 11:15

If you don’t support the school and what they are doing you should have chosen a different one.

Seeline · 16/02/2024 11:15

say this to clarify that this specific thing I am asking about need not negatively affect other pupils.

Well if he hasn't done the research for the next day's lesson and the teacher has to waste time explaining stuff to him, or he hasn't done his bit for a group project etc, it could well impart on other pupils learning.

drspouse · 16/02/2024 11:16

HermioneWeasley · 16/02/2024 11:15

If you don’t support the school and what they are doing you should have chosen a different one.

And if they had no choice of school?

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 16/02/2024 11:16

Do you mean: Can the police be sent round if your child doesn’t do his homework?! No!

If your DS didn’t do my homework though, he’d find that there were a number of occasions where he couldn’t participate in the next lesson - if I’ve set reading homework, it’s so we can begin the next lesson with a discussion of what’s been read; if I’ve set a written task, we might begin a lesson with some peer or self-assessment of that. So his learning and progress would be negatively affected in the sense that he’d then miss out on chunks of subsequent lessons.

MrsHamlet · 16/02/2024 11:17

I say this to clarify that this specific thing I am asking about need not negatively affect other pupils.

Except it does if your child doesn't write the essay I set for homework, and doesn't do it in detention either. Because then someone else plays the same game...

...and the upshot is that I now have set essays in lesson time instead so I now have less direct input time.

FlabMonsterIsDietingAgain · 16/02/2024 11:18

Not legally enforceable in the sense that there is legislation that mandates homework completion, but if there is a school policy then the school can act if that policy isn't followed. This would mean that if homework is required to be completed according to the policy and hasn't been then they can follow the documented disciplinary process, if it continues then they can follow the escalation, that could mean eventually suspensions/exclusions or permanent exclusions.

TeenDivided · 16/02/2024 11:20

I think school can enforce it's own expectations, including detentions if work is not done.

My DD2 had almost no energy left after school, but luckily her schools set limited homework for lower sets, and then the pandemic came anyway.

Unless your DC has SEN I suspect you need to find a way round this, as just refusing homework won't end well.

Options as I see them (if no SEN)
. Use a homework club in school for homework
. Don't fight at home but let school impose whatever sanctions are necessary
. Talk to school about any other ideas they may have
. Look to move schools to one with a different approach
. (Home Ed)

ohtowinthelottery · 16/02/2024 11:21

I don't suppose school uniform is legally enforceable either, but they will have a policy for non compliance the same as they will for homework. If you choose that school you are signing up to their policies by default.

MermaidEyes · 16/02/2024 11:25

I'm not sure how old he is, not doing homework in year 7 and 8 might not make a hell of a lot of difference, but certainly by year 10 he'll need to be using 'his' evening for homework and exam revision. So best he's already in a routine of doing it earlier on in the school.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 16/02/2024 11:26

Well if your DS avoids having to do anything outside class (with your blessing), that will stand him in very good stead for being independent at University or Work.
Go ahead.

EarthlyNightshade · 16/02/2024 11:27

Did you sign a home-school agreement when he joined?
Were you not expecting homework, or is it that it is taking too much time that is the problem?
What year is he now?
My view is that schools should set relevant homework (there are examples above) and I suppose then I would wonder why you would not want him to have watched the video or done the research (or whatever) needed for the next class.
If it's "make a cake in the shape of a castle" type homework, then I would have more sympathy with not doing it, but even then, if you signed an agreement, you've not got much wriggle room.

LIZS · 16/02/2024 11:27

ohtowinthelottery · 16/02/2024 11:21

I don't suppose school uniform is legally enforceable either, but they will have a policy for non compliance the same as they will for homework. If you choose that school you are signing up to their policies by default.

This. Maybe it would be better to ask for clarification of the policy, duration it is expected to take and help your ds come up with a timetable to manage it. It is unusual for homework to be due next day so he should have a little flexibility . Do they allow study at lunchtime or afterschool club?

Sparklfairy · 16/02/2024 11:27

Rosesanddaisies1 · 16/02/2024 11:15

I doubt it's legally enforceable when it's not legally enforceable to attend school. but why is it taking over 'our evenings', it's his homework. And really, he's not there all day. School finishes at 3.30

I had a long commute (first/last stop on the bus route even though school was the nearest grammar) and left the house around 7am and didn't get home til after 5pm, often later if bus broke down/terrible city centre traffic.

I was knackered and year 7 and 8 hardly did any homework, and yes, I was frequently in detention. I'd got my shit together by year 9.

OP what year is he in? Pretty sure my school had 20 mins per subject per week in year 7, up to an hour per subject per week at gcse.

3WildOnes · 16/02/2024 11:48

They can enforce their school policies. So if he doesn't hand homework he may get detentions and if he didn't attend these this could lead to being suspended. I doubt that you could challenge this legally.

puddingthehump · 16/02/2024 11:56

At my son's school if this is repeated behaviour they try to intervene to see why it isn't being completed. There is a homework club immediately after school meaning children can work together just like they would if they were at home. It would start with detention then intervention. But they would be required to do homework and submit it. Unless there is SEN at play then the intervention comes in earlier.

Secondly, doing homework and getting into the routine of it means they improve their research skills and as they get into their GCSE years they do revision for tests and improve their grades which in turn gives them more options.

Thirdly, how is it dominating your evenings? What time does your child get out of school? Mine were out at 3.10pm, how long is the journey home? Mine were home at 3.35, that leaves a lot of time until they go to bed. Homework should be completed easily, if it isn't then the child needs to talk to the teacher about why it is taking them all evening. And yes mine did sports so not just home with all the free time in the world.

BoohooWoohoo · 16/02/2024 12:07

Not doing homework in y7/8 is one thing but he needs to be able to revise by the time that important tests like gcse come around. Universities often require pre reading of future lessons so he may not be able to access uni if he still resists in future.

As the others have said try and work out what the problem is. If it’s doing school work at home then he needs to complete homework at school eg homework club. If the homework is too hard then you need to provide a note saying that he’s worked on it for 30 minutes and that is all he could get done. I assume that he has a quiet place to study and that there’s a routine time (after dinner here)

whyalltheusernames · 16/02/2024 12:07

Secondary school homework here is ridiculous. My dd has to do it all on an app. The maths is set out that if she doesn't get a correct answer it won't allow her to move on. She struggles with maths and I am terrible at it.
It always ends up in me emailing the teacher and asking for it to be printed because then at least she can show where she is going wrong.

Etincelle · 16/02/2024 12:09

Schools are allowed to give detentions as they see fit. People have posted links to the government website stating this before. I don't have the link available but have seen it posted.

Skiphopbump · 16/02/2024 12:14

My DS was struggling at secondary school. If he didn’t do homework he wasn’t sanctioned.

This was discussed with the school and then each teacher was informed.

Baircasolly · 16/02/2024 12:14

Presumably you've signed a behaviour contract with the school? This states expectations (which would normally include homework) and the sanctions if those expectations aren't met.

I don't think homework is legally enforceable (as in, you're not going to have police knocking on the door if he doesn't do it!) but there will probably be consequences at school if he refuses to do homework. This will likely involve him having to stay in at lunchtimes to get the work done. This would probably be easier for you, but pretty miserable for him.

Baircasolly · 16/02/2024 12:17

Ps you can probably reach an amicable agreement with the school as to how much homework is reasonable for your child. But it's unlikely that they will agree that "zero" is a reasonable amount.