Top tips for a learning household
Learning aids to support carers to help children to learn at home based on age
- Working together (PDF 2.5MB) - learning pack for parents of children aged 5 to 10
- Getting into homework (PDF 1MB) - folder pack for parents of children aged 8 to 13
- Coaching your teenager (PDF 2.84MB) - booklet to help parents of teenagers aged 14 to 19
Activities and information about learning in the home from the Family Learning website (external link) - set out in year groups and specific subjects.
Communication skills
Tips for good homework habits
- find a quiet place at home to use as a homework area. It needs a flat surface, a good light source and the right equipment eg pens, pencils, ruler, scissors, glue
- plan a homework timetable and agree on when your child will do their homework
- allow your child to have something nutritional to eat before starting on homework
- discuss any homework tasks with your child and how it connects with what they are studying at school
- turn off the TV - but you could have music on if they find it helpful
- allow your child to find the answer in order to get a task finished. Instead, explain how to look up information or find a word in a dictionary
- follow the method your child uses at school not the one you used. It could confuse them
- ensure homework does not become a chore. Keep it fun and make it a special time that you both look forward to
Based on BBC website homework habits.
What helps at home?
Children might have their own preferences about where and when they work. Here are some questions you can discuss with your child to help you both find their best way of working:
- Where do they feel most comfortable?
- In the bedroom, at a desk, on the floor, on a beanbag?
- Where are they least likely to be disturbed?
- In the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the living room?
- Can they work better on their own or do they like company?
- Is it helpful to work together with friends who have the same homework?
- Can they work in the same place as an older or younger brother or sister and encourage each other?
- When are they most likely to concentrate?
- Straight after school?
- After the evening meal?
- Before going to bed?
- Early in the morning?
- Do they like to listen to music as they work?
If working in the home is difficult find out if the school has an after-school club for doing homework. This would offer somewhere for your child to do their homework, get help from teachers and get access to books, materials, computers and printers.
Page last updated:
March 14, 2022
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