These notes record additional comments made by parents on questionnaire replies.

'School B'

The comments are listed under the question which prompted them.

What do you think about the difficulty of the homework your child gets?

Multiple choice responses were: 'It's usually far too easy'; 'It's usually too easy'; 'It's usually about right'; 'It's usually too hard'; 'It's usually far too hard'; and 'Don't know'.

Parent's additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'It's usually about right' and added: "Some maths is too difficult."

"My child enjoys doing his/her homework."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Don't know'.

Parent's additional comments:

• One respondent replied 'Agree' and added "Sometimes."
• One respondent replied 'Agree' and added "But does need encouragement."

"My child completes his/her homework:"

Multiple choice responses were: 'Always'; 'Usually'; 'Sometimes'; 'Never'; and 'Don't know'.

Parent's additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'Usually' and added: "With a lot of persuasion."

"Homework for primary age children is a waste of time."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Don't know'.

Parent's additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'Don't know' and added: "Depends on age."

Which of these statements best describes your thoughts about homework?

Multiple choice responses were: 'I've not really thought about it before'; 'I've had concerns about homework and have discussed them with my child's teacher'; 'I've had concerns about homework but have not discussed them with my child's teacher'; 'I've thought existing arrangements are fine so have had no reason to raise any concerns'; and 'Something else.'

Parents' additional comments were:

• "Homework needs to be given more consistently, and perhaps with more structure, e.g. Mon: Science; Wed: Literacy; Fri: Numeracy."
• "Answers vary dramatically from child to child between the four of them so on this form it refers to the 10 year old."
• "My child sometimes finds the homework hard to understand."
• "It could be in a more variety of subjects. And made more important to them and sometime we don't know he has homework."
• "Work always given over a weekend."
• "Homework normally involves parents as they either help or assist or just take an interest in what they are doing. Marks/grades should be passed back to parents and homework should always be checked by teachers and returned to pupils not ignored or not checked for a few days/week etc."
• "My child copes well with homework, but some children are too tired after a school day to tackle more work."
• "Time to help is sometimes a problem but on the whole I try to do it with her."
• One respondent replied 'I've had concerns... and discussed them...' and added: "ABOUT MATHS!"
• "I dread the task each week of persuading my child to complete their homework. It takes a lot of effort from me."
• "No record of what is set if my son forgets it/doesn't show me. I have not much of an idea what has been set if not in diary."
• "Varies child to child because of ability not age."
• "We tend to place greatest emphasis on reading and on learning for spelling/tables tests with our daughter."
• "I believe that primary school children have a long enough day at school without having to do homework."
• "Have mentioned when homework is too easy. Teachers are very co-operative."
• "Some teachers are difficult to communicate with."
• "I think there should be a small amount of homework each week."
• One respondent replied 'I've had concerns... and discussed them...' and added: "I did discuss them but as yet there has been no change."
• "Maths homework sent home sometimes does not explain the tasks clearly."
• "When my child first started I was confused as to what things were for but we've got the hang of it all now."
• "Homework is extra help for my child towards her education."
• "Sometimes I haven't understood it so how can I help my child?"
• "I find that sometimes neither me or my child understands what he has to do. This can cause problems, as both parents work and don't always collect him from school, so we don't get to find out what to do."
• One respondent replied 'I've had concerns... and discussed them...' and added: "About having too much."

Which of these statements best describes what you think your child would usually say about doing a piece of homework?

Multiple choice responses were: "I took time over it and thought about what I did"; "I didn't do it"; "I did more than I really needed to because it was interesting"; "I did it quickly to get it out of the way"; and 'Don't know'.

Parents' additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'I took time over it...' and 'I did it quickly...' and added: "A bit of both above."
• One respondent replied 'I took time over it...' and 'I did it quickly...' and added: "Depends what it is."
• One respondent replied 'I took time over it...' and 'I did it quickly...' and added: "Depending on what subject."
• One respondent replied 'Don't know' and added: "It usually depends on the subject matter."
• "Varies from subject to subject."

"My child knows what he/she has to do for homework:"

Multiple choice responses were: 'Always'; 'Usually'; 'Sometimes'; 'Never'; and 'Don't know'.

One parent's additional comment was:

• "I have to ask or look in his folder myself."

"Doing homework helps my child to be independent."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Don't know'.

One parent's additional comment:

• One respondent answered 'Disagree' and added: "Child too young to do it unaided." (Child's age: 7 years)

"Homework is a source of tension at home."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Very often'; 'Often'; 'Sometimes'; and 'Never'.

Parents' additional comments:

• One respondent replied 'Often' and added: "I've two children and find it hard sometimes."
• One respondent replied 'Never' and added: "Apart from some maths."

"I don't feel that I have enough knowledge to help my child with his/her homework."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Don't know'.

Parents' additional comments:

• One respondent replied 'Sometimes' and added: "But I will ask teacher."
• One respondent replied 'Sometimes' and added: "e.g. techniques for teaching maths."

"I worry that I might be doing things that are unhelpful of harmful to my child's learning."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Very often'; 'Often'; 'Sometimes'; and 'Never'.

Parents' additional comments:

• One respondent replied 'Agree' and added: "Sometimes."
• One respondent replied 'Disagree' and added: "Apart from maths!"
• One respondent replied 'Agree' and added: "Depends on the subject."
• A second respondent replied 'Agree' and added: "Depends on the subject."

"Primary age children should never be punished in school for failing to complete homework."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Don't know'.

Parents' additional comments:

• "Children should be 'encouraged' never 'punished'."
• One respondent replied 'Don't know' and added: "Is it always their fault it's not completed?"
• One respondent replied 'Don't know' and added: "If the omission is intentional perhaps."

"I talk with my child about the homework he/she is doing."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Very often'; 'Often'; 'Sometimes'; and 'Never'.

Parent's additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'Often' and added: "If he shows it me."

"I help my child with his/her homework."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Very often'; 'Often'; 'Sometimes'; and 'Never'.

One parent's additional comment was:

• "If I don't help it doesn't get done!"

"I leave my child to get on with it."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Very often'; 'Often'; 'Sometimes'; and 'Never'.

Parent's additional comment:

• One respondent replied 'Sometimes' and added: "And then check."

"It's good for the relationship between me and my child to talk about homework."

Multiple choice responses were: 'Strongly agree'; 'Agree'; 'Disagree'; 'Strongly disagree'; and 'Not sure'.

Parents' additional comments were:

• "It always causes friction."
• "Sometimes we can talk about it - other times she doesn't want to!"

Which of these statements best describes your attitude to your child's homework?

Multiple choice responses were: 'It's great: I often enjoy the chance it gives me to do things with my child'; 'I resent it: I don't think school should be telling my child what to do at home'; 'It's okay: sometimes I'm involved and I'm happy with that.'; 'I'm not really involved but I think it's a good thing for my child to do'; and 'Something else.'

• "I like to feel I can support my child fully, however sometimes find time is limited due to work and child's other activities."
• "However sometimes it is difficult to fit it all in as I work full time and my child is often tired by the time we get round to doing it."
• "Sometimes he panics and he can't sleep if he hasn't completed it. As I have very little involvement at school his education is important and it would help if some things were explained more clearly so that neither he or myself get confused."
• "I like to be involved if she finds it difficult I help her to understand it."
• "I try to be as involved as possible, but working late and travelling with work sometimes makes me forget or be too late home to help. But that's my problem and I try to address it."
• "I don't enjoy it, because she doesn't like doing homework."
• "Homework is important but at age 7 I think it should be concentrated on the basics."
• "It can be difficult to find the time to fit it all in and to allow time for play but we manage."
• "Homework is good to the extent it allows for personal thinking outside of the school environment."
• "It has been a source of a lot of upset but a necessary reinforcement of curriculum content."
• "Can cause tension when child doesn't understand or does not want to do it."
• "I resent the battles and arguments it causes but not the fact that it is given out."
• "Good, helps me to see what she knows."
• "Sometimes it's a struggle to motivate my daughter to do homework, once we get on with it it is usually enjoyable."
• "It gives us a better insight to what our child is learning in school, methods used etc. therefore knowing how to support her work through homework."
• "When it's fairly straightforward and maths - it's a joy. If it involves too much writing it's a battle. I've always looked forward to helping with school work and find it disappointing if he doesn't want to do it or very minimally."
• "I think Year 6 should get a reasonable amount of work but this year my child has had lots some weeks and none others. It should be more spaced out evenly."
• "I am sometimes very surprised at the difficulty of the homework and lack of knowledge of how to do it."
• "I don't mind occasional homework and I always sit with him and help him but I have a huge struggle getting him to do any homework at all he finds his work difficult and is always too tired after school. At weekends I feel he needs a break from 'work'."
• "Can cause tension trying to get child started on task. With three children hard to give them all the time/support they need."
• "I don't resent it but it is difficult to fit it in around everyone's activities and reading."

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