Our aim is to offer a manageable and effective programme of home learning to our pupils. We recognise the need to protect their mental health and well-being and believe that, at the end of a long school day (often extended by after-school clubs), children should be given the opportunity for adequate rest and ‘down time’. This ensures that they can start the following day refreshed and ready to work. As such, homework should contribute to the learning experience and instil good work habits for the future.

Homework is most effective when it is completed with an adult so one-to-one support can be given. Children benefit most from adult-child conversations where they acquire new vocabulary and language structures to form and share their thoughts and opinions. Sharing a book is a fantastic way to do this by discussing the characters, setting, predicting what might happen next and the plot. Also, identifying any new words you and your child come across as you read and what they mean. As a result, in our opinion, shared reading for at least 20 minutes a day is the most important form of homework for a primary school aged child. 

Quantity of homework

The table below provides a guideline for parents and pupils about how long should be spent on weekly homework.