Are we doing the right thing?

Discussion of the 11 Plus

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
NJG

Are we doing the right thing?

Post by NJG »

My 11 year didn`t pass - long story. Thinking about 12+
My issue is that he now goes to our local upper school whch isn`t bad all things considered. He only seem to get 20 minutes or so homework per night - if that! Most of it seems pretty pointless anyway.
We have taken it upon ourselves to buy all of the ks3 workbooks and every night we give extra work from these books so that he`s doing at least an hour. Are we being unreasonable? Obviously he thinks so. Are we being too pushy - can you be too pushy? Will he ever like us again? Will it make any difference?

I realise this is not directly an 11+ topic but all of his grammar school friends seem to be getting 2-3 hours per night.

What do you think?
Clare
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:43 am

Post by Clare »

I think about 1 and 1/2 hours a night is about standard.This equates to three pieces.

Our grammar gives four pieces on a Monday and three pieces the rest of the week.
Jed

Post by Jed »

We have one daughter at grammar and one just started at comp (not upper). The daughter at comp gets about 1 hour per night - sometimes doing 2 hours in one night and then nothing the next and sometimes speading it out. Most of it so far has seemed relevant (although we tend to let her get on with it and just encourage her to ask if she gets stuck.) The grammar probably gave a little more, although the elder daughter works faster.

20 minutes does seem quite minimal. Are they just working up gradually? Will they be setting for some subjects soon?

Jed
Catherine
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:47 pm
Location: Berks,Bucks

Post by Catherine »

1h 1/2 is also what my son gets from his grammar. His friends who go to an upper school have just a bit less.
May be your son's school is just taking it easy for the moment and will increase later on. But I think that you are right to be concerned.
You could talk to the school and ask them what's their long term policy on homework.
If you are not happy, seriously condider the 12+.

I don't think that asking your son do a total of one hour a day is unreasonable, but children tend to accept homework more readily when it comes from the school than from the parents.
If you son is very upset, may be you could cut down until he is used to it. Just a suggestion....
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear NJG

Is your son completing his homework at lunch time or on the bus? My children often took this route, particularly my boys! They therefore came home with 'little' homework, they kept this up all the way through their grammar. Didn't do them any harm. In addition some teachers set homework that is to finish class work. if they keep up to date in class, again little homework.

Are you from Bucks? Should you wish to take the 12 plus route there are some threads on this topic in the Bucks section.

Patricia
njg

homework

Post by njg »

thanks for replies.
he walks home so i`m assuming he can`t do his work on the way!!!!!
he is a worker so it`s possible that he finishes classwork in time, i still think that they should back up classwork especially for the more able.

i have raised my concern with his tutor - who said she`d look into it and have made notes in his homework diary to various class teachers.
we feel like we`re on our own and my son certainly thinks he is the only one who has to do extra work - not sure if this is true.

it`s a tough one. i did the bare minimun at school and i`m still paying for it now whereas my husband worked very hard at grammar school and did extremely well so it`s hard not to let experience cloud us.

maybe our fears of an upper school are now being realised which is a shame because i`m a real advocate for good local state schooling.
Bournemouth

Post by Bournemouth »

My son just started grammar and has been getting 1/2 or 3/4 hr homework each night on average. Some of it is finishing off. He's not a particularly fast worker.
The school told us they would start off gently. I expect this will probably double after half term.
HP
Posts: 438
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:06 pm

Post by HP »

Hi NJG

My daughter has been getting about 15 pieces of homework per week!! She spends varying amounts on each piece, maths takes about 15- 20 minutes as she is very fast. Written pieces take her much longer as she is dyspraxic and dyslexic. Have to say that I was worried at her spending well over an hour on one piece of literacy only to learn today that she has been given a merit for outstanding acheivement on that particular piece of work :shock: .

Moral is I guess - you only get out of something what you put in, but you have to want to put in the effort. I know I would do the same in your position and present extra work and I don't think my daughter would mind. My son however is totally different and judging by the info we were given at the induction evening at our secondary school a lot of boys do adopt a more laid back approach :roll:

Have you asked him why he doesn't want to do a bit extra, is it a possibility that he's worried that its not cool to be seen to be clever? Perhaps you could persuade him to treat it as ongoing revision to avoid masses of cramming at exam time.

HP
Helen

Post by Helen »

Why this obsession with the amont of homework children get, just because a chikd spends 4 hours a night doing homework doesn't mean they are going to a better school. I have 4 children 1 at grammar, 1 at comp and 2 at primary. The happiest is the one at comp she has little homework, great friends, loves going to school.
Catherine
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:47 pm
Location: Berks,Bucks

Post by Catherine »

I am a keen supporter of homework, of course not any homework for the sake of it, and a reasonable amount.

Homework extends the amount of learning without using a teacher. 1h1/2 out of 5h hours lessons is substantial enough to make a difference, but doesn't draw on the school resource of teachers.

In addition, learning by yourself and in your own time has some advantages over school work: It allows to spend more time and the weakest areas and more in the others, and to concentrate and learn in peace.
It also teaches self discipline.

Of course, it needs to be well thought about, assessed and given importance by teachers
Given equal lesson quality, children who are given intelligent homework are bound to make more progress.
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now