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It’s often reported that today’s children spend too much time indoors, looking at computer and TV screens. How much of this ‘indoor time’ could be down to too much homework? From my perspective, as a primary teacher, I think that formal homework can wait - certainly until a child is well into Key Stage 2.

I taught in a faith school with a rigorous approach to homework. From Year 1 onwards, children had weekly spelling tests and tasks each evening, which were supposed to include written work. Some of the children could barely read the alphabet, let alone produce a piece of writing each evening! Ìý

The pressure to give out homework was mainly from the parents – it seemed to be an indicator that the teacher and pupils were getting ‘value for money’ from the school. ÌýMore than once, a parent complained to me that the homework I had set was too easy – and this was for 5-year-olds. What happened to just playing and relaxing after a busy day at school? Ìý

There is an alarming trend for pushy parenting to be the norm. An over-emphasis on homework is one aspect of this trend, which includes the increase in Ìýand the rise of after-school clubs. But is this really ?Ìý

As parents and teachers, we need to examine whether the homework given is actually meaningful in terms of a child’s learning. For primary school age children interaction and input from others is very important – ‘busy work’ like worksheets, will all too often bewilder the less able and bore the rest, without anyone really benefiting.

Of course, there are things that need to be learned by rote and practised at home, from recognising the alphabet and learning times tables to memorising dates and information for exams in later school years. But surely burdening small children with up to an hour of work each night, will lead to a tired child, not a more intelligent one.Ìý

I understand that as children get older, formal homework is necessary, but if someone reads with a young child at home and takes an interest in what they are learning (ie talks to them!) then that should be enough early on. So let children do what they like after school, being allowed to play freely and to discover things for themselves is just as important for learning as reciting times tables. And it’s more fun too!

Hannah Hunter is a member of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Parent Panel.

Check out the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Parents article on 'How to help with homework'.

Listen to debate on Woman's Hour about 'Homework in primary schools'.

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