A Parent’s Perception of Home Learning

A parent's perception of home learning depends on their child's education phase. In the Early Years and Foundation Stage, play-based home learning is inclusive, exciting and fun. It is also easily facilitated and supported by parents for the most part. All parents want their child to do well, thrive and achieve academically and in life. At this time, more than any other during a child's education, parents have the confidence and resources to engage with their child's education. When this enthusiasm is harnessed, and an explicit link between the learning that happens at home and school is explained and built upon, foundations are set for parents to engage in their child's learning and development for the future.

Sadly, all too often, this opportunity is missed. Either by schools who eschew play-based family centred homework for a more academic focus or by parents who don't necessarily understand or see the value of apparently 'simple' activities and don't prioritise playing actively with their child.

Parents have primarily been their child's principal and often only educators up to starting school or nursery. Both schools and parents need to recognise how much learning has already taken place before this point. This needs to be discussed and celebrated as the family learning unit expands to teachers and school staff. Instead of developing partnerships to support learning, the teaching baton is typically handed quickly and firmly over to the school.

Parents very much take the lead from school in teaching and learning. Many parents of primary-school-age children report positively about the experience of having regular contact with a member of staff who knows their child well. Still, some parents quickly lose their confidence in their ability to support their child's learning. Parents are sometimes overwhelmed by the language of the curriculum - phonics remains a mystery to many! Therefore, this is a perfect time to acknowledge and support the role of parents and establish foundations for a parent-school learning partnership that needs to endure throughout the entire schooling journey.

But often, this doesn't happen. Instead, we frequently hear frustrations. From teachers, that parents are not supporting their children or that they set homework because parents ask for it. From parents complaining that homework is too challenging, too easy, too much, too little, and the cost and time implications of providing costumes/equipment/ingredients. But listen closely, and what you hear is parents asking to be engaged in their child's learning and teachers valuing parents' input and support. What is missing is connection, communication, knowledge and understanding of how to work effectively together.

Schools are often under the misapprehension that their parental engagement is good because they have an active PTA, good attendance at events and plenty of parent volunteers for activities. And of course, this kind of support is fantastic for schools. But at best, it is parental involvement in school life and not an opportunity that all families can access. Every parent must have the opportunity, knowledge, understanding and skills to support their child's learning.

As children move through school and become more independent, the often-daily contact with teachers appropriately disappears. This reduced contact with school coincides with a reduced understanding of the curriculum and parental confidence in how to support their children. Homework gets 'harder' as anxiety about the pressure to perform and meet academic targets increases. This can lead to increased stress at home, spiralling quickly into a daily 'battle' around homework.

Left unsupported, this can sour all other essential opportunities for conversation and learning. Add to this that the language used by teachers becomes increasingly riddled with educational jargon, unexplained acronyms and unfamiliar teaching methods, and the gap becomes even wider still.

Overwhelmingly when parents are asked what they want for their children, it is for them to be happy, to do their best and have friends. We know that teachers value the importance of this too. Opening two-way communication channels, building effective learning partnerships, and committing to their maintenance will go a long way to ensure all children are supported both at home and in school to meet their full potential.