There is much debate amongst academics about the benefit or not of homework for primary school aged children, but it has become commonplace in the majority of schools and the school homework provision is looked at by inspectors visiting the school. Many parents find that getting children to complete homework is quite stressful and struggle to find the time after school or at weekends when children may be engaged in other activities and hobbies but is it worthwhile and does it benefit pupils?

The justification for setting homework for primary school pupils is mainly in giving them the opportunity to practise a skill that they have been working on in class such as sentence construction or a new mathematics method. It may also be used for children to practise given spellings or times tables skills that require repetition if they are going to be learnt. The child can be encouraged to explain the homework to their parents and this in turn will be a valuable learning tool. However, if the child is unsure about the task set by the teacher, parents have the chance to work with their child to complete the task and to communicate with the teacher any difficulties the child has experienced in order for it to be revisited in school.