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Primary School Scraps Homework For Pupils Over Stress Fears

Primary School Scraps Homework For Pupils Over Stress Fears

Gone are the days of homework consisting of spellings and times tables, at least for this primary school in Devon

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Who remembers the Sunday evening rush? Scrambling through your spellings trying to memorise them for a Monday morning test. Or even better, finding out you have to make a fully-fledged chair and you just know that the class swot is going to strut in with a wooden structure - sanded and varnished.

It just happens to be pure coincidence that his dad's a carpenter. I'm not bitter at all.

It was quite literally the stuff of nightmares. But imagine that entire hellish experience completely vanishing, leaving you stress-free and able to play out to your heart's content.

Mind you, these days playing out would be exchanged for another four hours on the iPad - at least for some kids that is anyway.

But one primary school is giving the no homework thing a whirl, believing that it 'causes stress'.

Instead, the children at Littletown Primary Academy in Honiton, Devon, are being encouraged to read for 20 minutes at home, in lieu of set homework.

Littletown Primary Academy have ditched homework and are asking pupils to read instead.
Google Maps

The school is trialling the changes between now and the end of the academic year. The only group that will be expected to continue their after school studies are those in Year Six (the serious year).

According to The Sun, a letter was sent home to parents claiming that weekly written maths and English homework have little impact, according to analysis.

It added that the after school graft causes stress to families and isn't always valued by staff.

Headteacher David Perkins said that spending 20 minutes reading at home every evening has a greater impact on 'pupil outcomes and life chances'.

Headteacher David Perkins explained that the decision to scrap homework was based on research.
Google Maps

Literacy subject leader Cathy Binmore told The Sun: "Reading is the foundation that underpins all other learning. Promoting a love of this will set our children up for a life of adventure and intrigue and will enable them to continue learning throughout their lives."

It is also hoped that the change will reduce teachers' workloads as well as taking the pressure off pupils and their families.

Littletown Primary Academy will now be raising money to buy more books which they hope will in turn encourage at-home reading.

Mr Perkins said: "Reading for 20 minutes a day can make a massive difference to a child's education but only if we can give the children the best possible books to inspire their love of reading.

"We want to reinvigorate our library with fresh and exciting books to read."

Featured Image Credit: Google Maps

Topics: Community, UK