How Much Homework Should Children Be Getting?
Whether they love it or hate it, homework is an essential part of the school years for children of all ages. If you’re not sure whether your child is doing enough homework, or want to know that the amount they’re bringing home is normal, then here’s a useful guide to the typical amounts of homework schoolchildren of different ages usually get.
In the case of homework during primary school, sometimes there’s a degree of parental involvement encouraged, whereas at secondary age, homework is designed to be completed by the child themselves.
As children get older and move on to secondary school, it’s only natural that the amount of homework they receive increases. As not all children love doing homework, some parents worry when they don’t see any in action and fear that children aren’t bothering to do it.
To help parents get a clearer idea of the amount of homework typically given to children, the government have produced some guidelines regarding the average amounts per week and per day.
Typical Amount of Homework For Primary School Children
On average, primary school children receive about:- In years 1 and 2 – one hour per week.
- In years 3 and 4 – 1.5 hours per week.
- In years 5 and 6 – 30 minutes per day.
Typical Amount of Homework for Secondary School Children
For children at secondary schools, the level of homework gradually increases and incorporates revision for exams too. On average, they should get about:- In years 7 and 8 – 45 to 90 minutes of homework per day.
- In year 9 – one to two hours per day.
- In years 10 and 11 – 1.5 to 2.5 hours per day.
Other Homework Issues For Parents to Remember
It’s important to take into consideration that these pointers are only designed to be guidelines for the typical amounts of homework children receive. Sometimes children won’t always receive homework every day and some children may get through their work a lot quicker than others – so it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not doing it.Children aren’t expected to spend longer than outlined on their homework, so if you child seems to be spending ages on it each night, it may help to chat to them about why. It could be that it’s a subject they’re not getting on with, that their concentration is waning or that they simply need a bit of help with working out home strategies.
In the case of primary school children, homework can take a variety of forms, so don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t always involve written work. For example, homework could involve reading with parents, doing puzzles or solving a maths game.
Not all homework for secondary children will necessarily be written work either – although they’ll be considerably more than primary aged children – and could involve finding out information, making things, reading or preparing a presentation to give to the class.
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