Is homework a waste of time in primary school?

That is the issue aksed in the ATL Conference in Liverpool. Some teachers claim that homework in

primary school are a waste, for children and for themselves. This motion has been debated since yesterday.

Calling for its abolition for these pupils, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers states that,

"homework in the primary school is a waste of children's and teachers' time, which could be spent

much more better on effective learning in and out the classroom".

This would put teachers against the government which lays down homework guidelines for schools schools primaries as well as secondaries. It needs a clear policy statement, developed in consultation with the pupils, staff, parents and governors. "The foundation of effective homework practices are established early on and develop progressively across the key stages – effective homework practices can also be used to support effective transitionary links to the secondary phase," states the Department for Children Schools and Families.

It also declares that parents and social workers must play their part, "helping their children at home, monitoring homework, providing encouragement, and even assisting with the marking of homework".

In reading the directives you would have to guess that a review of the « research evidence » commissioned by the schools inspectors, Ofsted, concluded that the case for homework in primary school was « inconclusive ». A few studies have been carried out at primary level and results have been unexploitable, said the National Foundation for Educational Research.

The study says drily: "The suggestion that setting homework for primary-age pupils instills positive attitudes towards studying has received very little attention in the research literature." In other words, ministers are conducting an experiment with our children.

So, is homework a waste of time for UK young children?

Jean-Baptiste Bouché.