Homework
Making home learning calmer for everyone. What the evidence says about primary homework, why it can be so hard after a long school day, and how families and schools can keep it purposeful rather than painful.
The Education Endowment Foundation's review of the research finds that homework in primary school makes a small difference on average — much less than in secondary — and the evidence is less secure. Short tasks linked to class learning, like reading and practising number facts, seem most useful, and reading together and talking about learning appear to matter more than finishing every worksheet. Homework can be very hard after a long school day: children are tired, some have held it together all day, and getting started and organised is genuinely difficult for some. There is no national requirement to set primary homework, so if it is causing nightly distress it is worth talking to school.
Everyday things you may see
These are observations, not labels. One on its own means very little; a pattern over time is worth talking about.
- Tears or arguments most evenings over homework.
- Difficulty getting started, even on short tasks.
- Forgetting what the task was or losing materials.
- Exhaustion straight after school.
- Work taking far longer than the teacher intended.
- Avoiding homework that feels too hard.
Supporting your child at home
Small, achievable things that make a real difference — no special resources needed.
- Food and a break first
Most children need a snack and downtime before they can think again.
- Same time, same place
A predictable routine reduces daily negotiation.
- Short bursts
Ten focused minutes with a timer, then a break.
- Help them start
Read the task together and do the first bit alongside them.
- Know when to stop
If it ends in tears every night, stop and tell school.
Five evidence-informed ideas
Practical, realistic and usable in a mainstream classroom tomorrow.
- Link to class learning
The EEF finds homework works better when it relates directly to lessons.
- Short and focused
Reading and short practice over long projects.
- Accessible independently
If a child cannot start without an adult, the task is testing the home.
- Give feedback
Acknowledge and use homework rather than collecting and forgetting it.
- Adapt for need
Adjust homework for pupils with SEND as you would in class.
What is often assumed — and what the evidence says
At primary, the average impact is small; quality and relevance matter more than quantity.
Tiredness, organisation, task difficulty and home circumstances are common reasons.
The EEF suggests a positive home learning environment matters more than parents teaching or policing work.
If homework is consistently not returned or causing distress, talk with the family before applying sanctions.
Agree homework adjustments in support plans and make sure every adult who sets homework knows them.
Homework difficulties alongside wider concerns about attention, memory or literacy are worth raising as part of the bigger picture.
Go deeper when you want to
The complete professional guide to homework — research, classroom practice and implementation.
OpenSearch the strategy library for immediate, practical classroom ideas.
OpenPlain-English guides, scripts and printable tools for families.
OpenThe mental notepad that lets a child hold information in mind long enough to use it — and the small changes that make the biggest difference.
Planning, flexibility and impulse control — the mental machinery that lets a developing brain get things done.
What we mean by attention, why it wanders, and the classroom conditions that help it hold.