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How Much Homework Should Your Child Be Getting?

By: Jack Claridge - Updated: 23 Sep 2023 | comments*Discuss
 
Ehomework Ehomework.co.uk

More often than not our children tell us they have too much homework but it is important to take into account what exactly the government and the Department of Children, Schools and Families have set down as the appropriate amount of homework to be done by children at home.

It is also worth noting at this juncture plans which are afoot to reduce the amount of homework that children have to do and these plans are nearing finalisation.

Why Does My Child Need to do Homework?

Homework is set for a number of reasons; the main reason being that it encourages children to learn on their own and also to improve their own independent learning skills. In other words homework is set to encourage children to work on their own and not simply rely on a teacher setting them work within a classroom environment.

In addition to this homework is designed to help back up what is learned in the classroom and to show that the child in question is capable of understanding – and is understanding – what is being taught to them within a classroom environment.

How Much Homework Should My Child Be Bringing Home?

Depending on the age of your child will depend on how much homework he or she is set during the course of a school week. Of course it is important to remember that homework is not only a means of allowing your child’s teachers to see how they are doing; it is also designed so that you – the parent – can also see how they are progressing.

As we have already mentioned the amount of time spent during the course of a week producing homework depends entirely on the age of your child.

Primary School Children

If your child is attending a primary school they will be expected to produce between thirty minutes to two and a half hours worth of homework in the school week. This breaks down as the following:

  • Year 1 & 2 : 60 minutes per week
  • Year 3 & 4 : 90 minutes per week
  • Year 5 & 6 : 30 minutes per day

Secondary School Children

By the time your child has reached secondary school education he or she will be expected to produce between one to two and a half hours of homework per day. This may sound a lot but you should also take into consideration that during their time at secondary school they will also be expected to produce coursework and revise for examinations.

The times break down as follows:

  • Year 7 & 8 : 30 to 90 minutes per day
  • Year 9 : 60 to 120 minutes per day
  • Year 10 : 90 to 250 minutes per day

This may perhaps sound like a lot as we have already mentioned but you should take into consideration that coursework for GCSE examinations also play a large part in the amount of time spent on homework whilst in secondary school education.

Motivating My Child When It Comes to Homework

As many parents know trying to keep a child interested in something like homework especially when there are such things as video games, television shows and the Internet to distract them can be difficult. It is important to remember that your child has a limited attention span especially when the subject might not be something that particularly grabs their attention.

With this in mind it is reasonable to allow them to take breaks if they are struggling and also to spend time alongside them trying to offer guidance and support where possible.

If you are in any doubt as to the amount of homework your child has then you should contact their form teacher or head teacher and ask as to how much homework is being allocated during the course of a week; this is not an infringement on their ability to learn but simply a helping hand at a time in their life when it is needed most.

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I'm in year 9 and we get 17 pieces of homework a week (3 a day, 4 a day, 3 a day, 4 a day, 3 a day.) each take around 45-1 hour to complete. Personally, I think that's way too much to set and I know that it's going to increase and the time to complete it will just take longer and longer. I have to spend my whole time at home in my room, eating food right before I sleep so it's all cold just to get all my homework complete when it is set to avoid it stacking up.
lol - 23-Sep-23 @ 2:58 PM
My daughter has just started year 7. She can get 2-4 pieces of home work per day each from 30-45 mins then at least 20 mins reading a day. To make it worse it's almost all on line and get help they have to go on you tube. I support home work. However it should not all be on line and no way should it be linked to you tube. So much for parents restricting screen time. If you have a child that struggles then forget family time.
Dm2234466 - 24-Sep-19 @ 8:08 PM
My 8 year old (year 3) daughter gets almost no homework. We are ,and always have, pushed her to succeed, life isnt easy, making it easy is setting them up for a harder crash later. My child does 5 days normal school, Sunday at a chinese school, every night we give her 3 hours of homework, (english, verbal and non verbal reasoning, maths, chinese) half an hour of piano practice, some jujitsu lessons if there is time and if she behaves well, and on fridays an additional hour with a piano teacher. My wife is chinese and so we push our child. There is a reason the chinese have a higher IQ than their western counterparts.
lightend - 2-Jul-19 @ 9:39 PM
My daughter moved to secondary school in Wales in January 2019. Since then she has had one or two pieces of homework a week. She had a term in secondary school in England and had about at least 5 pieces of homework a week. Why is there such a big difference between English and the welsh system. My son has no homework at his primary school in Wales. In England he had English and maths homework once a week. A concerned parent
Bevelk - 3-Jun-19 @ 5:24 PM
I am up at 1am doing homework and I am going to bang my head against my books
MakkaPakka - 6-Nov-18 @ 12:53 AM
Are these comments a Joke! My son gets very little home work in year 10 and what he does get he completes at school in about 15 mins at lunch time now and again. He has his own study plan and works through key subject areas to advance his knowledge. I as his parent discuss challenging areas and focus on areas of complexity so he is ahead of the game. Exams aren’t until year 11 so there is no exam pressure, zero stress and success is measured by feeling at ease and learning how to study and enjoy understanding the concepts. In year 11 I’m aiming to reduce study time around exam time as the learning has happened over a 2 year period and feeling stressed can cause a mind blank under exam conditions. This is a dangerous strategy to take people. If you learn foundation, knowledge sticks. Learn early and chill
Kevin - 11-Oct-18 @ 7:05 AM
@Worried parent - don't schools normally stop revision when children have exams coming up? My child does 2-3 hours per night - it's standard.
Rache - 26-Mar-18 @ 10:57 AM
My girl is in year 11 she is doing 3-4 hours a night then doing revision after. Today is a weekend we had to force her to stop doing homework . She had approx 14 hours today doing it. And she says probably be at it for about 8-9 hours tomorrow. Both me and my wife think this is to much for a 15 year old. She has no time for anything other than this not even thinking about the stress she is under for exams as well
Worried parent - 24-Mar-18 @ 9:52 PM
@Myajade121 - I have to get up early to do mine. I get up 7am work until 8 oclock then get ready for school and leave at 8.30. It is the only way I can get it finished :(
Maia - 19-Feb-18 @ 2:35 PM
I'm in secondary school in year 7 and I have 2 homework per day so that's ten aweek. I struggle to actually socialize with all my friends or have family time. I also struggle to have family time as well so while they are properly outside getting fresh air or jumping on the trampoline I'm stuck inside with tons of homework to do. I really want to make a schedule for my homework so I have more time to communicate, What should I do?
Myajade121 - 17-Feb-18 @ 10:11 AM
@Sk8er - it's the extra-curricular activities that are the tough part. My son is in a school play and the rehearsals take up so much time. More if you have the lead part, as you (congrats). Once the play is over, you should go back to normal. You just have to prioritise and put your lessons first. Extra-curricular activities can only be done if you feel you can take them on. I know it may seem difficult, but it is also good training to help you to learn to prioritise your workload and manage several things at once. Best of luck.
ElleR - 13-Feb-18 @ 2:35 PM
I'm in year 7 and, though my homework isn't nearly as tough as some of the other comments, I still struggle. I do activities every evening and got the lead part in a school play. I can only see my two best friends at lunchtime so that's what I do then. Though despite my timetable being practically full (not as bad as others but still, I'm struggling) I still have to do homework. I've had to stop three out of school clubs and am unable to join any after school ones. Yet my teachers still (metaphorically) bite my head off if I tell them I'm struggling. I've only just joined secondary schooland they are already stressing me out. I'm also practically falling asleep in class because of it all, I'm awful in mornings when i am tired so am often late to school. I've so far avoided detentions but I can see my teachers getting frustrated.
Sk8er - 12-Feb-18 @ 4:31 PM
I am in year 9 and regularly do 4 1/2 hours of homework PER NIGHT. Calculating the total homework that I do shows that I generally do 16 hours of work outside school a week. This is more than DOUBLE the government recommended level of homework. Half of the homework seems pointless, time consuming, and frustrating such as finishing work that was too long to be done in an hour. Most of these consist of essays that force you to regurgitate information and never actually learn anything.
Gmax - 17-Jan-18 @ 8:03 PM
@Sky - wait until you get to year 10, you won't be going to bed LOL x
HanNM - 14-Dec-17 @ 11:32 AM
I get 10 pieces a week. If it's week A, this includes two pieces of art homework with a minimum of 2 hours. However, lately teachers have been lengthening the homework. Throughout exams, they only dropped to 8 a week. They expect us to do clubs at the same time as well! (optional, but frowned upon if you don't) I get up at 5am to do homework. I'm Year 9, is this normal or crazy?
Sky - 13-Dec-17 @ 6:44 AM
I note that the advice given to students mainly revolves around seeking assistance to plan or structure their day. If they receive 4 hours plus of homework per day, then their day will consist of: School Dinner Homework Shower (no time for a bath) Bed I really don't see how that can be restructured, other than having dinner during or after homework. 4 hours of homework per day is completely unacceptable and the likely cause is substandard teaching.1.5 hours maximum is more than enough. I also find it surprising that Admin are advising kids to give up extra-curricular activities, in order to do excessive amounts of homework.Would they be happy working from 9am - 10pm, 5 days a week, with no doubt more to do at the weekend? There has to be a balance, with time for kids to relax and unwind, otherwise they will become extremely stressed.They are still children and that should not be forgotten.
Disco - 23-Nov-17 @ 7:56 AM
I end up with at least three hours of homework per night and 6 hours per day at the weekend. I am in Year 9. Ridiculous in my opinion
jkb - 15-Oct-17 @ 5:41 PM
My son is severely dyslexic. He's in year 8. Each night we do an hour a night and at least four hours every Sunday. Note the "we" Almost all the homework he is given is written so I have to scribe it for him. This is not independent learning and it is hell for both of us. I really do not see the point of homework. Either lengthen the school day so they do the extra work there - or do away with homework,
Clairepen - 1-Oct-17 @ 7:33 PM
@Skrapz - poor you. That's a long day :( Can you do some in your lunchtime?
Edie - 28-Sep-17 @ 12:18 PM
I wake up at 6.30 am get home at 6.00pm and I have 5 pieces of homework a night the only spare time I have is at the weekend. :(
Skrapz - 27-Sep-17 @ 8:28 PM
Im in year 9 i wake up at 6.30 am go home at 6.00pm and have 5 pieces of homework a night.
Skrapz - 27-Sep-17 @ 8:25 PM
I am going to be in year 9 and you get 80 mins of homework on Monday ( 2 pieces of 40 mins).On Tuesday you get 40 mins homework (1piece) and Wednesday you get 40 mins (1piece). I get 3 hours on Thursday ( 4pieces of 45 mins) but it is due in on monday so I get the weekend as well as Thursday night.This is a total of 400 minis/6.6 hours a week. we get 50 to 60mins to do homwork at the end of the school day because we finish school at 5.00 o'clock. we get 70% of this amount taken away 2 weeks before the christmas and end of year exams because we are expected to do 45 mins of revison and night ( 120 mins of revision on the weekend). The anount of homwork was about 2 hours less a week last year and 20% less revison. Year 10 and will have 1 hourmore homwork and 100 mins of revision every week and 200 mins a week before exam week.I don't know about year 11 but I think it's manly revision.
georgedaboss123 - 5-Aug-17 @ 11:08 AM
Molly23 - Your Question:
I am in year 8 at the moment and I do 15 subjects at school. (not by choice)I have to wake up at 5:30 every school morning to do homework, then I go to school and do my extra curricular activities, get home at 5:30 (or later if there is a fixture like there quite often is then it is 6:30 - 7) start hwk at 8 and get yelled at by my parents because I am not asleep by 11pm. I repeat this everyday, and at the weekends I don't have any "free time" because I'm still doing homework. Yet, I still cant hand my homework in on time. I have tried to explain this to my teachers, but they say that everyone else is able to do it,so so should I. I have recently have to stop 3 clubs that I do (2 week time, 1 weekend) because I am getting so stressed. I would really really appreciate some help here.

Our Response:
Do you have someone you can sit down with an plan your day? You might want to approach your parents and tell them you need their help as your work schedule is currently counter-productive. If you speak to them on an adult level and ask them how they suggest you make the best of the situation, they may just realise you are seriously under pressure. If they cannot help, a teacher/school mentor/homework planner will be able to try to help you with your timetable. If you are struggling, you may have to drop some more extra-curricular activities until you have your subject and homework workload under control. Yes, other students may be coping, but not everyone is the same. Your teachers should realise this and take time to help.
eHomework - 5-May-17 @ 1:47 PM
I am in year 8 at the moment and I do 15 subjects at school. (not by choice) I have to wake up at 5:30 every school morning to do homework, then I go to school and do my extra curricular activities, get home at 5:30 (or later if there is a fixture like there quite often is then it is 6:30 - 7) start hwk at 8 and get yelled at by my parents because I am not asleep by 11pm. I repeat this everyday, and at the weekends I don't have any "free time" because I'm still doing homework. Yet, I still cant hand my homework in on time. I have tried to explain this to my teachers, but they say that everyone else is able to do it,so so should I. I have recently have to stop 3 clubs that I do (2 week time, 1 weekend) because I am getting so stressed. I would really really appreciate some help here.
Molly23 - 4-May-17 @ 7:37 PM
I am only 12 and yet I am doing up to 4 hours of homework a day. I have now been diagnosed with severe anxiety due to the pressure of exams and homework and I'm not even a teenager yet! I get at LEAST 10 pieces of homework a week and that includes tons of essays. I sometimes wish I could give up on school.
Leia - 4-Mar-17 @ 1:58 PM
@homeworkisruiningmyl - Have a word with one of your teachers and they will be able to help you construct some sort of a timetable. But good luck - you will go on to do great things I'm sure as you are obviously very bright. Jill.
JSB - 27-Feb-17 @ 12:01 PM
I'm currently in year 9 at a grammar school, one of the best in the country. I've noticed that the step up from year 8 to year 9 was huge in terms of homework, and we currently get approx. 17 pieces a week, ranging from essays and projects to answering questions and completing work at school. I'm fed up of this, as I also love sports and drama. I am now starting to have to sacrifice my extra curricular activities just to complete my homework on time. As soon as I get home from school, I work practically non stop until about 10pm. Even this isn't enough- I then have to wake up at around 6am the next morning to finish homework due in on that day. It is ridiculous. And even with all this, I still find my self working over the whole weekend. I never have time to go out and do things I want to do on my 'free day off'. I wish I only got 60 mins a day but the reality is I do about 4 hours, if not more. Homework is making me so stressed and I'm worried because my GCSE courses haven't even started yet. I don't know what to do :(
homeworkisruiningmyl - 26-Feb-17 @ 2:47 PM
I'm really worried as my year 10 son never has homework ever. And not just year 10 the last 2 years has been very slack. The only homework I've ever seen him do is maths and that is like 20min tops. I know all coursework has stopped now for GCSEs and I'm worried teachers now don't know what to send home for homework as they aren't sure what or where they are with this new exams. Any help would be fab.
Goldi - 8-Jan-17 @ 4:56 PM
I'm in year 8 and I get so much homework! Yesterday was Friday, and I was doing my homework from 5 PM to 1 AM, just so that I couldn't enjoy my weekend! It's too much... I never get to do any hobbies or things that I really enjoy.
Georgia - 7-Jan-17 @ 11:30 PM
Don't have to do any homework it's not a legal requirement
Rebel79 - 11-Nov-16 @ 1:21 PM
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