Primary school homework should be scrapped, say teachers

Scrapping homework for primary school children would benefit pupils, teachers and parents, school staff have argued.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), members of the union argued that extra work at a young age could lead to bad behaviour caused by undue stress and pressure.

Furthermore, it was suggested, people in teaching jobs do not always have the time to mark the work.

The motion, which was proposed by former nursery and reception teacher Cecily Hanlon, also suggests that primary homework strains relationships between children and parents, who should instead be playing with and reading to their children.

"Our policy is that primary school children should not be doing homework. Children should be out playing, climbing trees and scraping their knees," ATL general secretary Dr Mary Bousted was quoted by the Guardian as stating.

The BBC reported last year that Tiffin Boys' School decided to limit the amount of homework its pupils did so they could devote more time to independent learning.

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