We believe there are benefits of homework. Homework is an essential part of learning. Research has shown a disparity between students who regularly engage with homework and those who do not. Furthermore, regular homework is proven to attain a higher academic level. Quite simply, homework that is planned and relevant has proven to be extremely beneficial. This article will explain the reasons why homework is important.

The UK Government recommends homework

Until 2012, the Department of Education recommended:

• An hour of homework a week for primary school Key Stage 1 children (aged 4 to 7).
• Half an hour a day for primary school Key Stage 2 children (aged 7-11).

Many primary schools still use this as a guideline.

The benefits of homework for kids

There are many reasons why homework is important. Homework has immediate short-term benefits such as an increase in grades. It benefits in the long-term by helping students develop life skills including organisation, time management and goalsetting. Furthermore, it encourages learners to effectively use resources including dictionaries and grammar reference books, and their online versions.

Research shows that homework also benefits factual knowledge, self-discipline, attitudes to learning and problem-solving skills.

Our online homework

Most of our homework is to be completed online. We use a variety of resources such as words games, puzzles, missing letters, and word scramble. Students have told us they enjoy doing online homework. They prefer it to printing out worksheets. Additionally, sometimes it is necessary to provide printable worksheets, however, we do try to keep this to a minimum.

We set homework to reinforce what students have learnt in their lessons. Our students only have lessons for one to two hours per week. Therefore, they spend less than 4 per cent of their study time with us. Leaners are awake for 70 hours a week. We ask for a maximum of 45 minutes of this time. We are constrained by time and use homework to extend the learning beyond our lessons.

How we define homework

Homework is the additional study time students spend outside the lesson. It is used to reinforce or apply newly acquired skills and knowledge. It can also include practising activities. Homework helps students develop the necessary skills of independent study.

When should homework be completed?

Students should aim to complete homework within 48 hours of receiving it. This ensures that they fully understand and remember what they have learnt. It also gives them time to re-read notes or research information. Our homework is not a test; we aim to develop students’ learning. Therefore, homework is important to aid information retention and extend their learning. Homework also gives us much-needed information on how each child is progressing and whether any intervention is needed.

Finally, why our homework is critical

Homework improves critical thinking and understanding. One of the key reasons why homework is important is that it helps students to study independently. They learn to organise their studying while reinforcing and consolidating what they have learnt in the lesson. Through homework, tutors may identify gaps in a student’s knowledge. This allows them to develop and plan lessons according to all students’ needs.   

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