Children's perception of homework 'grows more negative with time'

Almost four out of 10 (39%) fourth-class students reported that there was 'no point' in doing their homework. This figure had grown to 56% by the time they reached fifth class.

Children’s perception of homework grows more negative with time, with more than half reporting it is of little use to them by fifth class.

While girls tend to be more positive about going to school than boys, boys and girls both share similar "dubious views” on the value of homework to their learning.

The perception is also shared among children in different types of schools here, including disadvantaged schools (Deis) and non-Deis schools, according to research carried out at University College Dublin on behalf of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

The landmark ‘Children’s School Lives’ study follows 4,000 children across almost 200 schools throughout their primary education to learn in detail about their experiences.

Children taking part in the study were asked about the value of doing homework in fourth class in 2021 and again in fifth class in 2022.

In fourth class, almost a third (31%) reported that they don’t “learn much” from their homework. This figure had grown to almost half (49%) by fifth class.

Almost four out of 10 (39%) fourth-class students reported in 2021 that there was “no point” in doing their homework. This figure had grown to 56% by the time they reached fifth class.

Wider interviews confirmed these “dubious views” across all age groups of the children taking part, the study noted. 

“Children described homework as ‘boring’ and something that takes time off from things that matter more to them including play and time with their families and friends,” it said.

While older children had suggestions on how to make homework easier, rarely did they discuss it as a tool to help them with their learning.

One first-class student, a girl in a Deis urban school, told researchers: “My Mam says if we’re finished our homework we’re let play outside but we never finish our homework early, so I hate it." 

'I just hate homework'

Another girl in fifth class said: “I also just hate homework. I do enough in six hours.” 

A fifth-class boy in a non-Deis urban co-ed school said: “Because you spend almost five, wait, 30 hours a week in school and I don’t think like when you go home [that] we should have as much homework.” 

Some children who were more positive in their views about homework told researchers about how they viewed it as “an aid to reinforce learning or to aid preparation for secondary school”.

One boy in fifth class said: “Well, I do find sometimes homework can be a real drag but to be honest we are revising things and I guess as we get older it would be good to have those hardwired into our brains but to be honest some days I honestly just don’t want to do homework.” 

Another fifth-class girl in a rural co-ed school said: “I think maybe only on certain days because you do need to get prepared for secondary school… Yeah, I’d say you should scale up the higher you go like every two classes that gets a bit more.”

The study also found that children tend to feel listened to at school, but are not listened to in decision-making as often or as much as they would like.