Research School Network: How can parents help with homework? A short summary of recommendations from the EEF’s guidance report

The evidence around homework is interesting. We know that pupils who complete homework tend to be more successful, but we cannot say with certainty that this is because of the homework, or other factors. We also know that gains in primary from homework are more modest than those in secondary, and even in secondary there is massive variation in studies. (Read the EEF toolkit summary of homework for a fuller exploration.)

Looking at the EEF’s ​‘Working With Parents to Support Children’s Learning’ guidance report, recommendation 2 of the report is ​‘Provide practical strategies to support learning at home.’ According to the report, ​“the evidence suggests that schools should encourage parents to know about homework and support their children to do it rather than get directly involved in the actual assignments.” So what are the best bets for ensuring that this happens?

Communicate

When school communications are designed well, there are many benefits beyond simply the completion of homework. In order to be able to support pupils with homework, parents need to be aware of the homework that is set. As children get older, they are less likely to make parents aware of what is happening with homework, so schools which make this clearer are more likely to help parents to be able to show interest, support and encouragement.

Text messages are increasingly useful for communicating messages. One study cited in the guidance involving 15,000 students saw a threefold increase in parents speaking to their children about revising for upcoming tests. But there are pitfalls to overwhelming parents with too many text messages, so a coordinated response is important.

Schools should review current methods of communication and consider whether their messages are getting through. The guidance report gives a whole recommendation to how we should communicate: ​‘Tailor school communications to encourage positive dialogue about learning’.

Encourage routines

One message that should be given to parents is that they can support how homework is completed by creating homework routines. It is likely that a focus here can have greater impact than supporting with specific tasks and subjects. Parents can ensure that homework takes place in an environment that is conducive to effective concentration and effort. For example, a single space that is often used, praise and rewards which reinforce good habits and encouragement and advice when homework is difficult.

When these routines are put in place, it can help to develop self-regulation, something which is necessary to promote academic achievement through goal-setting, planning, resilience and time-management.

Consider what specific help looks like

These more general supportive steps will have the most impact, but that doesn’t mean that parents should never support with the specific task. However, interventions which have been designed to engage parents in homework have not been linked to an increase in pupil attainment. At secondary level in particular, parents may not be familiar with the most effective teaching methods and may have a harmful impact. It may be more effective to have parents direct pupils back to their teachers or to suitable sources for further help, such as online tutorials or exercise books.

Some schools have been successful in organising sessions for parents to learn about the best ways to support pupils. If organising these, you should d take into account the most convenient time e.g. out of work hours and consider the way that the invitation is communicated e.g. avoiding jargon and ensuring it actually reaches parents. Plan for flexibility e.g. by holding sessions at different times or venues. Finally, do everything to make things welcoming and less intimidating, particularly if some parents have had previously unsuccessful encounters with school.