Online homework for primary school: a teacher’s guide

What the evidence says

The Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit finds that homework has a positive effect on average, but a smaller one in primary schools than in secondary schools.

Two findings matter most for planning. The quality of the task counts for more than the amount of work, and homework helps most when it is part of what is being learned in class rather than an add-on. Pupils also gain more when they get good feedback on what they did.

What that means for online homework

• Keep it short. A few focused rounds a week is better than a long task children rush through.
• Tie it to what you taught this week. Set the topic you have just covered so it reinforces the lesson.
• Set a clear amount. “Do 2 rounds” is easier for a child and a parent to understand than “do some practice”.
• Give a due date, so the work has a shape and you know when to look at it.
• Look at the results and say something. Feedback is where much of the benefit comes from, so a quick word at the start of the next lesson is worth more than extra tasks.

A simple weekly routine

• Early in the week: teach the topic, then set the matching online work with a due date at the end of the week.
• Midweek: check who has not started, and remind them kindly or give them time in school.
• End of the week: look at who has finished and which topics the class found hardest.
• Start of next week: give brief feedback, then use what you learned to plan the next lesson.

Making it fair for every pupil

• Not every child has a device or a quiet place to work at home. Offer a short slot in school, such as a lunchtime or breakfast club session, so no one is left out.
• Make signing in simple for young children: a short username and a PIN, printed on a card, works better than an email address and password.
• Make parent involvement optional. Some families will sit with their child and some will not.
• Let each pupil work at their own level, so the same task is neither too easy for some nor out of reach for others.

Setting online homework in Primary Scholars

• Create a class, then add pupils one at a time or from a roster. Each pupil gets a username and a PIN, and you can print login cards for the class.
• Open the class and choose “Set work”. Pick a subject and topic, the number of rounds (1 to 5) and, if you want, a due date.
• Pupils see the work on their home screen when they sign in, and start it in one tap. Each pupil works at their own level in that topic.
• The class page shows how many pupils have finished each piece of work, and lists the ones who have not, including anyone part way through.
• Pupils in a class are never limited by the family plans, so there is no cap on rounds for classwork.

How much online homework should a primary pupil get?

There is no fixed amount. The evidence says quality matters more than quantity, so start small, for example two short rounds a week on the topic you are teaching, and adjust to your class.

What about pupils who do not have a device or internet at home?

Offer a short session in school, such as a lunchtime or breakfast club slot, and let those pupils use it. Do not make the homework depend on every family having a device.

How do I know who has done it?

In Primary Scholars the class page shows, for each piece of work, how many pupils have finished it and who has not, including anyone part way through the rounds you asked for.

Where is pupils’ data kept, and who controls it?

The school decides what the service is used for and is the data controller, and the provider acts on the school’s behalf. See the privacy policy for what we collect and why.