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The beginner's guide to primary-school homework

What’s the point of homework?

For many families, homework is a nightly battle, but primary schools set it for a variety of reasons. ‘It helps to consolidate the skills that are being taught at school, and provides children with additional revision opportunities,’ explains head teacher Steph Matthews of St Paul’s CofE School, Gloucester .

‘It also gives children an opportunity to explore learning in an unstructured setting, encouraging them to be independent and follow their own lines of enquiry.’ In addition, homework creates a partnership between school and family, giving parents an insight into what their child is learning.

How much homework should my child get in primary school?

In the past, the Department for Education advised that Key Stage 1 children should do an hour of homework each week, rising to half an hour per night in Key Stage 2. This advice was scrapped in 2012, giving schools more freedom, but many still follow the old guidelines.

In Reception , formal homework is rarely set. However, children are likely to bring home books to share with the family, first reading books, and/or keywords to learn.

In Years 1 and 2 , children are likely to have one or two tasks per week. This could be literacy or numeracy worksheets (for example an exercise where children have to compare the weights of different household items), a short piece of writing (such as a recount of a school trip) or work relating to the class topic (find out five facts about the Great Fire of London ).

In Years 3 and 4 , most schools set two homework activities each week: typically, one literacy (such as a worksheet on collective nouns, or a book review ) and one numeracy (a worksheet on bar charts).

In Years 5 and 6 , children may have two or three pieces of homework each week. ‘The amount begins to increase to prepare children for SATs and the transition to secondary school,’ says Steph. These activities might include maths worksheets, researching a topic, book reviews and grammar exercises.

Alongside formal homework tasks, most children bring home reading scheme books from Reception onwards, with weekly spellings and times tables from Year 1 or 2.

Learning logs and homework challenges

Not all schools rely on handing out worksheets. Learning logs or challenges are becoming more popular: children are given a folder of suggested activities – from writing a poem to building a model castle – and must choose a certain number to complete throughout the term.

Other schools ensure that homework ties in with the current class topic. ‘We have a themed approach, and set homework activities that give opportunities to explore the topic in a fun way, for example, designing a method of transport that Phileas Fogg could use to travel the world,’ explains Steph.  

Modern homework methods

Unsurprisingly, technology is playing an increasingly important part in homework. Some schools use online reading schemes such as Bug Club , where teachers allocate e-books of the appropriate level, or subscription services like SAM Learning  to set cross-curricular tasks.

A growing number also set homework electronically , with children logging into the school website to download their task.

What if the homework is too much – or too hard?

If you feel your child is overloaded with homework, speak to the teacher. ‘Forcing children to complete homework is counterproductive, because they come to perceive it as a chore,’ says Rod Grant, head teacher of Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh . ‘This makes learning appear boring, arduous or both, and that is really dangerous, in my view.’

Most schools publish their homework policy on the school website , telling parents exactly what to expect. ‘Teachers should make their expectations very clear in terms of deadlines and how long it should take, and should also differentiate tasks to suit the level of the pupil,’ adds Steph.

No homework at all?

If your child doesn’t get any homework, you may feel out of touch with his learning, or concerned that he isn’t being challenged. But there are good reasons why some schools don’t set homework, or set it only occasionally, says Rod. ‘Although homework can be beneficial, family life tends to suffer as a result of it being imposed,’ he explains. ‘ If a school isn’t providing homework, there’s plenty that parents can do at home instead : reading with their children, doing number puzzles on car journeys, using online resources, and so on.’

Parents may also worry that without doing homework, children won’t develop study habits for later life. ‘There is genuinely no need for a six-year-old to get into a routine of working at home; there’s time to learn that later,’ Rod advises. ‘Parents need to relax and encourage children to love learning – and that comes when learning is fun, relevant and engaging, not through doing homework tasks that are unchallenging, or secretarial in nature.’

Homework: advice and support for primary-school parents

For information and support on all aspects of homework, from managing other siblings to helping with specific subjects, head to our Homework area.

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In primary schools

Time-saving resources that supplement your primary school’s curriculum.

MyMaths is a whole-school interactive resource for use in the classroom and at home that is easy to use alongside any other maths resources to consolidate learning.

A whole school solution

A whole school solution that sits perfectly alongside all UK National Curricula that is easy to use alongside any other maths resources and schemes.

Develops pupils’ skills

Activities develop pupils’ confidence and fluency in maths, through hundreds of lessons and self-marking homework tasks, worksheets, and games.

Tracking progress

The online Teacher Dashboard helps you see, at a glance, all homework and assessment activity completed by pupils, allowing teachers to track progress; wherever they are.

Support for teachers

Online guidelines and webinars are available as part of our service for your school so you can get up and running on MyMaths right away. More information .

Digital homework and practice

Ready made tasks with instant marking which provides immediate feedback for pupils and teachers. Questions are randomly generated within carefully chosen parameters to provide limitless opportunities for practice. A traffic light system in the Teacher Dashboard allows teachers to see at a glance which pupils are on track and who needs intervention.

Try a Homework

• KS1: Introducing number and place value homework
• KS2: More addition and subtraction homework

Learning resources

Each homework task is paired with an interactive lesson which can be used to provide support for intervention groups, for catch up or to support parents who wish to help their child. Video lessons enable older children to seek support independently.

Try a lesson

• KS1: Introducing number and place value lesson
• KS2: More addition and subtraction lesson

Times Tables

Help pupils become secure and prepare them for the multiplication tables check with the Times Tables booster pack. Automarked tasks for practice and assessment of each times table, culminating in separate activities for mixed practice. Try a 6 times tables worksheet

Preparation for KS2 SATs

Help pupils prepare for the KS2 SATS with mixed practice exam-style questions using the dedicated KS2 SATS practice booster pack. Check progress against the Year 6 end of year objectives with the Year 6 booster pack. Try a Mixed assessment worksheet

MyMaths in action

Cumnor primary school.

Diane Axford from Cumnor Primary School talks through how teachers at her school use MyMaths to set and track pupils’ work online, and why parents and pupils love using MyMaths at home.

It’s almost like having another teacher in the classroom. Sally Smith, Maths Lead at Old Town Primary School

Pupil Portal

Individual pupils can see the homework tasks they have been set and when they are due, rate their understanding of homework resources and see feedback from their teacher in the Pupil Portal.

Parents can also follow their child’s progress, check their homework requirements, and try the lesson content if they want to refresh their own maths skills.

Teacher Dashboard

The Teacher Dashboard is a powerful management system teachers can use to track individual pupils’ progress, monitor and assess classes, allocate specific curriculum-matching work, and leave comments to encourage pupils.

The handy traffic light system is a quick way to review if pupils are on track reach their goal.

Booster packs for targeted assessment

Booster packs provide extra practice for specific areas for improvement, target key areas of the curriculum in preparation for national tests, and are ideal to use for summative assessments.

Pupils can work through these independently or teachers can assign them through the Teacher Dashboard.

MyMaths games are an ideal way of motivating pupils to consolidate their maths skills while developing an enjoyment of maths.

Each game is tailored to engage pupils, provide a little bit of fun, and a lot of practice to develop fluency.

Ready to join MyMaths?

Or want to try MyMaths?

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• Childcare and parenting
• Schools and education

The national curriculum

Key stage 1 and 2.

Compulsory national curriculum subjects at primary school are:

• design and technology
• art and design
• physical education (PE), including swimming
• ancient and modern foreign languages (at key stage 2)

Primary schools must also provide:

• relationships and health education
• religious education (RE) - but parents can ask for their children to be taken out of the whole lesson or part of it

Schools often also teach:

• personal, social and health education (PSHE)
• citizenship
• modern foreign languages (at key stage 1)
• sex education - parents can ask for their children to be taken out of the lesson

Tests and assessments

Year 1 phonics screening check.

The check will take place in June when your child will read 40 words out loud to a teacher. You’ll find out how your child did, and their teacher will assess whether he or she needs extra help with reading. If your child does not do well enough in the check they’ll have to do it again in Year 2.

Key stage 1

Key stage 1 tests cover:

• English reading
• English grammar, punctuation and spelling

Your child will take the tests in May. You can ask the school for the test results.

You’ll be sent the results of your child’s teacher assessments automatically.

Key stage 2

Your child will take national tests in May when they reach the end of key stage 2. These test your child’s skills in:

The tests last less than 4 hours. You’ll get the results in July.

The school will send you the results of your child’s tests and teacher assessments.

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The Top 10 Free Maths Homework Help Sites and Apps For Primary School Children And Their Parents! (UK)

Ellie Williams

Finding the best free maths homework help sites online for your child can be tricky as a parent. Here we review the 10 top UK maths homework websites and apps that are free, packed full of homework help for primary school children – and may even teach parents a thing or two along the way! 

We’ve all been there.

It’s 7pm on a Sunday night and you are struggling to persuade the kids to get their maths homework done, take a bath and get their uniform ready for the morning.

Regrettably, we can’t help with the last two battles on that particular list, but if it’s anything to do with primary school maths or maths homework you need help with, rest assured we’ve got you covered. Every week thousands of 6 to 12 year olds are improving their maths skills, furthering their knowledge, and learning to love the subject with their personal tutor on our KS2 Maths Intervention Programmes. We live and breathe the subject, talking to parents and teachers about nothing other than maths every day!

So it’s not surprising that parents often ask us for recommendations for cheap or ideally free maths homework help online.

This blog post is the list we now give out when asked!

How we compiled our list of maths websites and apps

To compile it we specifically looked at all the online maths programmes, websites and free maths apps that are focused on the national curriculum. This is because we believe it’s a lot easier for UK parents and kids to find their way around sites that refer to Year 3 or KS2 then Fourth Grade or other public examinations.

We also asked parents for their recommendations and of course used our network of expert teachers to give us any additional secret teacher tips on the top free maths websites and apps that they recommend to parents to help with homework. (Number 8 is most definitely a big hit with teachers! As is our bonus entry in at number 11.)

Most of these home learning sites are free or so cheap as to be almost free, and we guarantee that the methods used here will be up to date with national curriculum, in line with most schools’ moves towards a maths mastery approach to teaching, and a great way to make sure you’re able to provide your 6 year old or your 12 year old with the specific help their maths homework might require. 

FREE KS2 Maths Games Printable Resources

Printable resources to be used with our 26 of the best fun maths games to use at school or at home blog activities.

Here is our list of the top ten free maths homework websites and apps suitable for children and parents in the UK (ie the sites support the national curriculum):

• Third Space Learning Maths Hub (resources from maths tuition experts)
• BBC Bitesize – KS2 Maths (everything)
• Primary Games Arena (games)
• Hit the Button (times tables and number bonds)
• Math is Fun (worksheets)
• Primary Resources (oldie but a goodie!)
• NRich (problem solving and challenge questions)
• TT Rockstars (competitive times tables)
• Maths Zone (portal to lots of maths games and quizzes)
• Ashcott Primary School (videos from pupils for parents)

Read on for more detail on which free maths website is good for maths games, which worksheets, and which will challenge children of any ability to think deeply, reason and problem solve.

1. Third Space Learning’s Online Maths Hub – thousands of maths resources for teachers and parents

The Third Space Maths Hub contains thousands of downloadable home learning resources and videos , many of which are free. Lots of free maths worksheets practice SATs papers, mental maths activities and even short maths in minutes videos that break down for non-specialists like parents and support staff at school, how to help children with maths.

2. BBC Bitesize – maths homework help online for children of all ages

What’s the website about?

BBC Bitesize is the gold standard when it comes to getting help for your child with their maths homework, and it’s good for parents who are struggling with the new curriculum being used in schools too! It’s not just getting to grips with whether your child is in Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 1 – but what about the methods now used? Chunking anyone? 

The first incarnation of the Bitesize website was launched back in 1998, and over the last 20 years the BBC has built up a sterling reputation amongst teachers, parents and children alike as the place to go for free homework help online.

Handy to know

All topics on the Bitesize website are organised by year group and curriculum, so you’ll be secure in the knowledge that your child will be working at the right level. Short videos make the learning enjoyable and accessible, and the sheer amount of information on offer on this website should make it the first stop for maths homework help!

Take a look at the BBC Bitesize website here.

3. Primary Games Arena – learn maths through games online!

At Third Space Learning, we believe that children learn best when they’re engaged and empowered by learning, and Primary Games Arena delivers this with a huge helping of fun too.

It is a free website that encourages children to play online maths games linked to their homework.

What’s more, children can play against other students. Forget Fortnite, these games will sharpen their maths skills without them even noticing!

Primary Games Arena breaks down the games on the site by both age (school year group) and by topic. This gives you as a parent the ability to pair up the maths game with whatever topic your child is learning in school, forming a fantastic learning partnership. This may seem like a unique way to get maths help online, but it certainly works!

Head over to Primary Maths Arena by clicking here .

4. Hit the Button – excellent website and app to practise times tables and number bonds homework

Perfect for helping your kids get their heads round the basics in an engaging way, Hit the Button is an interactive maths game with quickfire questions on:

• Number bonds
• Times tables
• Doubling and halving
• Division facts
• Square numbers

The games work against the clock so are great for developing your child’s mental maths skills at primary school.

Another reason we like this website is that in addition to the fun and interactive nature of the maths games, it also has a dedicated section on parental tips and tricks for the best ways to support your child throughout their learning.

Hit the Button can be found here.

5. Math is Fun – A simple but very useful free maths homework help website

Math or maths? Don’t be put off by the US spelling, as this site will reinforce learning for the UK curriculum in a lively and engaging way.

It’s topic based rather than year based, but it is an excellent site if your child needs to revise a particular topic because each one is written in a clear and precise style.

As well as being a great place for your child to get free maths homework help online, Math is Fun also gives you the chance to see how well your child has digested the material they have learned through a number of questions on each topic.

There’s also a section of the site dedicated to downloadable worksheets, and we love this too! 

Check out the Math is Fun site here !

6. Primary Resources – Everything you’ll need for maths homework help all in one place

We love Primary Resources because its no-nonsense maths worksheets are perfect for free maths homework help. It’s a long standing favourite website among teachers but there’s no reason why parents can’t use the exercises and maths practice activities too.

Worksheets are sorted by topics and level, so you can be confident that whatever topic from the primary maths national curriculum for KS1 or KS2 your child practises with you in the evening can be applied in the classroom the next day.

Check out the Primary Resources site .

7. NRICH – When the maths homework requires some support on problem solving! 

NRICH is a free maths site born from a Cambridge Maths Project to encourages children to think like mathematicians, become ‘good thinkers’ and generally develop curiosity about the world around them. It’s 

It was originally founded by a group of teachers and provides free maths activities for all ages and abilities – secondary as well as primary. There’s a particular focus on problem solving and reasoning, key principles of the new national curriculum for KS1 and KS2. The step-by-step explanations are perfect for anyone who is pursuing that elusive ‘I get it!’ moment.

NRICH is a great site for challenging high achievers. Thanks to the breadth of topics and tasks on there, you will be able to really challenge your child whilst ensuring that they can get the right level of maths help online.

The NRICH website can be found here.

8. Times Tables Rockstars – so cheap it’s free homework help website and app to support learning times tables and multiplication

One of our favourites, and although it’s not strictly free, it’s only £6 per year for family membership. Times tables are the absolute bedrock of maths learning; mastering them can have a direct impact on how well kids get to grips with the more complex maths further up the curriculum, so it’s worth nailing them early on.

Moreoever, from 2020 all Year 4 pupils will be required to sit a short Multiplication and Times Tables Test/Check as part of the new government assessment regime. Worth getting a head start now!

In Times Tables Rockstars, you earn rewards through mastery which can be ‘spent’ buying accessories for your online avatar. This is often the most popular part, of the whole process!

Times Tables Rock Stars can be found here.

9. Maths Zone – The ultimate site for free maths homework help with links to lots of other websites 

Maths Zone describes itself as ‘cool learning games’, and it’s just that.

Need some help with frustrating fractions homework? There’s a free maths game for that on Maths Zone.

Place value proving problematic? There’s a free maths app for that too….

Absolutely jam-packed with fun ways to learn more about maths, this site is ideal for children that like task-based learning and are motivated by tech, as the games are fast paced and full of action.

Each game starts with a short video to show how it’s played, so this should result in fewer calls of “Mum/Dad, I don’t know how to do it!” coming from the living room.

Maths Zone and all of its amazing games can be found here.

10. Ashcott Primary School – Online maths homework help fresh from the mouths of primary pupils!

Ashcott Primary is a school with a big heart that’s based in Somerset. What we love about the maths homework help on their page is that the videos explaining core maths concepts are all done and narrated by the kids, and are very clear and helpful.

With the content on the site coming from a school, you know for a fact that the teaching strategies involved here will be aligned with what your child has been taught.

The Ashcott Primary School website is available here.

So that’s our top 10 list of free online maths homework apps and websites – hopefully something to suit all children, whether they’re puzzle-loving logic fans or rapid action game adventurers.

Any more we’ve missed? Let us know!

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Since 2013 these personalised one to one lessons have helped over 150,000 primary and secondary students become more confident, able mathematicians.

Learn how pupils make accelerated progress or request a personalised quote for your school to speak to us about your school’s needs and how we can help.

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Primary school children get little academic benefit from homework

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Homework: a word that can cause despair not just in children, but also in parents and even teachers. And for primary school children at least, it may be that schools setting homework is more trouble than it’s worth.

There is evidence that homework can be useful at secondary school . It can be used to consolidate material learnt in class or to prepare for exams.

However, it is less clear that homework is useful for children at primary school (ages 5 to 11) or in early years education (ages 3 to 5).

What is homework for?

There are no current guidelines on how much homework primary school children in England should be set. In 2018 then education secretary Damien Hinds stated that “We trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set”.

While there is not much data available on how much homework primary school pupils do, a 2018 survey of around 1,000 parents found that primary pupils were spending an average of 2.2 hours per week on homework.

The homework done by primary school children can include reading, practising spellings, or revising for tests. Charity the Education Endowment Foundation suggests that the uses for homework at primary school include reinforcing the skills that pupils learn in school, helping them get ready for tests and preparing them for future school lessons.

Homework can also act as a point of communication between home and school, helping parents feel part of their child’s schooling.

However, the 2018 Ofsted Parents’ Panel – which surveyed the views of around 1,000 parents in England on educational issues – found that 36% of parents thought that homework was not helpful at all to their primary school children. The panel report found that, for many parents, homework was a significant source of stress and negatively affected family life.

Little academic benefit

Not much academic research has been carried out on the impact of homework for children in primary school. The available meta-studies – research that combines and analyses the findings of a number of studies – suggest that homework has little or no positive benefit for the academic achievement of children of primary school age . A central reason for this seems to be the inability of children to complete this homework without the support provided by teachers and the school.

Some research has suggested that primary pupils lack the independent study skills to do homework, and that they are not able to stay focused on the work.

What’s more, homework may actually have a negative effect if parents set unrealistic expectations, apply pressure or use methods that go counter to those used at school.

Homework may also increase inequalities between pupils. High achievers from economically privileged backgrounds may have greater parental support for homework, including more educated assistance, higher expectations and better settings and resources.

However, it is possible that setting homework for primary school children has benefits that cannot be easily measured, such as developing responsibility and independent problem-solving skills. It could also help children develop habits that will be useful in later school life.

A common task set for homework in primary schools is for children to read with their parents. There is some evidence that this has a positive impact as well as providing enjoyment, but the quality of interaction may be more important than the quantity.

If the purpose of homework is to develop the relationship between home and school and give parents more stake in the schooling of their children then this may well be a positive thing. If this is its purpose, though, it should not be used as a means to improve test scores or school performance metrics. For the youngest children, anything that takes time away from developmental play is a bad thing.

Rather, any homework should develop confidence and engagement in the process of schooling for both children and parents.

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Maths Homework

4,000 uk schools use emile, set a learning outcome, track progress, class battle.

Teachers can choose from practising recall of number facts to using Emile’s unique learning mode to learn new number facts to playing real games based on Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Tetris or Flappy Bird .  

Emile's Unique Learning Mode

Introduction.

New number facts are introduced one by one in order. 

Students have to use the scaffolding and information on screen to locate the answer.

The number facts are still shown briefly on screen but this the students are quizzed in a random order. 

Students need to recall the number facts without scaffolding. 

Students have to recall the number fact under time pressure. Having completed the previous 3 rounds and recalled each number fact successfully 6 times, students typically excel in round 4 demonstrating clearly that they have learnt the number facts. 

Mobile & Tablet Friendly

Scheme of work agnostic, uk curriculum aligned, detailed progress tracking, maths mastery approach, games, tests & learn modes.

Simple RAG Data that can be exported or printed showing when your students logged in, how they performed across multiple attempts and week by week tracking. 

Emile’s simple RAG data shows in an instance where YOUR students need help. 

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Compare data against other schools all on one screen. 

See how Year 5 students are progressing against their contemporaries in different classes or different schools. 

Built with help from MATs, you can now see which class knows the times tables best. 

Data that Informs Teaching

Learning gap analysis, easy to roll out across a school/mat, ensures maximum progress, target weaknesses, engage students with games, improve year 6 sats results, run school competitions, multiple schools results, class battles.

Replicating a class test, teachers can launch a class battle!

Set a topic, a date/time and watch as your students are drawn into a Battle!

League tables and competitions motivate students along with trophies and ranks. 

Study by the University of Manchester

The University of Manchester were given access to all the results and progress made within MTC with Emile from January 2020 to April 2020 by over 4,000 UK schools . (All the data was of course anonymised in line with our Data Protection Policy and GDPR.)

The raw data showed that over a 4 month period, students increased the percentage of correct questions by nearly 25% .  

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Maths Learning Resources

Free for parents and fun for children! Discover a library of primary school maths worksheets, games, tips for parents, and more! Perfect for learning remotely, preparing for the 11 Plus exam, and making progress in maths.

• Key Stage 1

The Homework Debate 2021: Do Primary Schoolers Really Need Homework?

The homework debate resurfaces every year without fail. It is a popular topic with parents, primary school teachers, online tutors, and politicians alike. Should homework be banned? Is homework at primary school necessary? Do pupils receive enough education in class that homework is nothing but a waste of time? – These are all questions that you have no doubt heard before.

Is the homework debate even relevant in the context of COVID-19? As an  online maths tuition service  for KS1 and KS2 pupils, we believe so! Sometimes we set our students homework. We believe that this debate is more relevant now than it has ever been. Let’s discover why…

Helping Kids 'do' Mental Maths

Courses are running from June 1st – June 5th , 2021 .

In just two classes, our tutors can help your child develop fast calculation skills, applying them to all types of maths problems!

“Homework should be banned!” – The call to action

Our children are too tired!

Is it the case that we put too much pressure on children these days? At the age of 7, UK primary school pupils are expected to sit their Key Stage 1 SATs test. This continues in primary school up until Year 6 when they are expected to prepare for and sit their Key Stage 2 SATs test.

Some parents argue that this leaves little time for kids to wind down at home. When can they find the time to indulge in sports, hobbies, and creative interests if their time is consumed by homework? Let’s not forget the added stress caused by the UK Coronavirus lockdown.

Primary school homework does more harm than good:

A BBC Newsround report from 2018 consulted education experts on their views of the homework debate. Nansi Ellis, Assistant General Secretary at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers argued that homework gets in the way of all the good things kids enjoy. It does not always boost performance in class.

She also highlighted that it demands a lot of parents, not only their time but also of their own educational understanding. This sometimes backfires as the methods of learning in school twenty or thirty years ago are likely not the same as those taught nowadays. This can risk causing further confusion.

BBC Newsround’s own survey of the homework debate and how much homework primary school pupils receive found that parents thought:

Where is the proof?

The same BBC report saw Ellis claim that while teachers setting homework is in theory supposed to better results, there is no proof of this being the case. Rosamund McNeil from the teacher’s organisation NUT highlighted that cases abroad support this. In Finland, pupils are set minimal homework but it remains one of the most educationally successful countries in the world.

The homework debate is not just about students – it’s about teachers too!

Homework is time-consuming. Teachers must plan it and mark it, in addition to preparing their classroom lessons and reporting on pupils’ progress. Time constraints can force teachers to work late into the night at home which opens an entirely new can of worms. Overworked teachers are less effective in class. Perhaps it would be more efficient for schools to ban homework altogether.

The other side of the homework debate: Why our kids need homework

It has long been the view that homework acts as a supplement to what has been taught in class. It is an opportunity for pupils to review areas of work they might not understand, focusing their learning.

Homework for primary school students is a good thing!

Homework can be fun and imaginative, an opportunity for parents to bond with their children over education. Take the classic example of counting peas on the dinner plate to learn multiplication tables. Homework does not always have to be completed in a book or on a worksheet. It can often reflect the creativity of the teacher who can inspire children to take their learnings and apply them to the real world. Pricing a shopping list is an awesome way to practise maths while acquiring life skills!

In May 2021 we asked our social media community for their thoughts on this debate. More than two-thirds agreed that homework should not be banned. 

The UK is falling behind the rest of the world:

Once upon a time the UK may have had the best education system in the world. Now is not that time. Studies suggest that  UK literacy and maths rates are falling  while in other countries they continue to rise.

As a result, many teachers and parents agree that our children require further encouragement. This is not the time to ban homework in the UK. Especially when we take into consideration the months of lost learning caused by the COVID-19 UK lockdown. This is the time to help primary school children catch up, and homework can support the effort.

The homework debate in the context of COVID-19

We touched on this earlier before considering both sides of the argument in the UK homework debate. However, with home learning more popular than ever, is there still a place for homework in UK primary school education?

The homework debate solution: Online tuition

It’s engaging for children; it reflects what they have been learning in class and saves time for both parents and teachers.  Online tuition has soared in popularity through 2020  and 2021, and could be the solution for people on both sides of the homework debate.

Read more :  How online maths tutors are helping KS1 & KS2 pupils succeed.

In the UK there are tons of tuition services helping to provide kids with a competitive edge using an extracurricular push. You can view a list of the top 15 here:  Discover the UK’s best online tutors.

If you have any comments or questions regarding this topic, please feel free to let us know in the comment below or in our Facebook group  UK Primary School Maths – Tutoring & Tips,  we will reply to you as soon as we can.  

You may also like to read:

How Think Academy’s Online Maths Courses can Help Your Child Better Prepare KS2 SATs?

Top 5 Back to School Tips  Compiled by Think Academy’s Education Experts for 2020

KS1 SATs – How to Prepare Your Little One for Their First Test!

Primary School Maths Tutors – Tips for Parents: How to Find the Right Tutor with the UK’s TOP 15 Online Maths Tutors!

Free Maths Worksheets for Years 1 - 6

Download and print our teacher-approved study packs, for free!

You may like

Making Sense of Your Child’s End of Year School Report

School Starting age: Scotland vs England

• Uncategorized
• Preparing for the 11 plus exam
• Choosing a School for Your Child
• Primary School Education News
• Key Stage 2
• Free Learning Resources
• Online Maths Tuition
• Remote Learning

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Follow me on Twitter @mbarrow

Woodlands Junior School, Hunt Road Tonbridge Kent TN10 4BB UK

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• Schools, pupils and their characteristics

Introduction

This release contains the latest statistics on school and pupil numbers and their characteristics, including age, gender, free school meals (FSM) eligibility, English as an additional language, ethnicity, school characteristics, class sizes.

The publication combines information from the school census, school level annual school census, general hospital school census and alternative provision census.

For data on funding, including information, allocations and the conditions of grant for pupil premium are available at: Local authorities: pre-16 schools funding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For information on school workforce, including teaching and support staff, their characteristics, teacher retention and pay, qualifications and details of the subjects taught in secondary schools, see: School workforce in England

Headline facts and figures - 2023/24

The number of pupils in schools in england has increased.

There has been an increase of 18,200 pupils across all school types from the previous year, to nearly 9.1 million pupils. This includes all state-funded and independent schools. The number of schools has increased slightly, by 11 to 24,453.

Free school meal eligibility continues to increase

24.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, up from 23.8% in 2022. This represents 2.1 million pupils.

1.6 million infant pupils were recorded as taking a free school meal on census day

Of those, almost 1.3 million are not normally eligible for FSM through the criteria above and received them under the Universal Infant FSM policy. This is a similar pattern to previous years.

The average class size for infant pupils (reception, year 1 and year 2) remains stable

Infant class size has decreased slightly to 26.6 from 26.7 from 2023 to 2024. This reflects a period of general stability in infant class sizes since 2020/21. There is a statutory limit of 30 pupils in an infant class.

Explore data and files used in this release

View or create your own tables.

View tables that we have built for you, or create your own tables from open data using our table tool

Data catalogue

Browse and download open data files from this release in our data catalogue

Data guidance

Learn more about the data files used in this release using our online guidance

Download all data (ZIP)

Download all data available in this release as a compressed ZIP file

Additional supporting files

All supporting files from this release are listed for individual download below:

School level underlying data - 2023/24 (csv, 22 Mb)

One row per school at January 2024 - includes school information and pupil characteristics including headcount, year group, age, sex, FSM, ethnicity, language data at school level, and young carers

School level underlying data - class sizes - 2023/24 (csv, 10 Mb)

One row per school at January 2024 - includes class size data for infants and key stage 2, and primary/secondary split

Schools and pupils

State-funded primary schools and state-funded secondary schools – Primary schools typically accept pupils aged 5-10 and secondary schools aged 11 and above, but there are increasing numbers of all-through schools,  who take pupils of all compulsory school ages. These schools include academies and free schools and are included in the totals for secondary schools. State-funded special schools – these are schools which provide tailored provision for pupils with special educational needs. Alternative provision is defined in the  Alternative Provision Statutory Guidance as  education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; education arranged by schools for pupils on a suspension; and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.  These placements are typically for children unable to attend a mainstream or special school.  Where this publication refers to state-funded alternative provision (AP) schools , this includes pupil referral units or alternative provision academies or free schools. Local authorities can also fund places not maintained by the local authority. Alternative provision is covered in more detail in the “State-funded AP schools and alternative provision” section below. Independent schools and non-maintained special schools – these are registered schools which do not receive government funding. They often charge fees for pupils to attend. State-funded nursery – these are nurseries maintained by the local authority in which they operate. Other nurseries, such as private and voluntary nurseries, are not included in the school census. Schools with a nursery attached will complete the school census as a school rather than as a nursery.

There are almost 9.1 million pupils in January 2024, an increase of 18,200 from last year

Increases are seen in the number of pupils in state-funded secondary, AP schools, special schools and also in independent schools, however, decreases are seen in primary schools and nursery schools. This is primarily driven by demographic changes, following a peak of births in 2013, with higher numbers of children reaching secondary age and lower numbers of pupils moving into primary school. 

The primary population is projected to continue to drop to the end of the projection period in 2030, whilst the secondary population is projected to increase until 2024 then slowly begin to drop (see the Department's pupil projections release).

The number of pupils in state-funded nursery has continued to decrease (by 2%) to 36,700. 

The number of pupils in state-funded AP schools has increased by 20% to 15,900. The number of pupils in state-funded AP schools is similar to pre-pandemic levels. AP schools typically have high mobility with pupils having shorter spells than in other schools.

The number of pupils in special schools has increased by 5%, to 157,000, continuing the trend of increases seen in recent years.

The number of pupils in independent schools has increased by less than 1% to 593,000. 

The number of schools has decreased

There are 11 more schools across all sectors than in 2023. There have been increases in the number of secondary schools (8), special schools (an increase of 15 state-funded schools but offset by a reduction of 2 non-maintained special schools), and independent schools (13). There have been reductions in the number or primary (19), nursery (2) and AP schools (2).

The number of pupils attending academies (including free schools) has continued to grow, along with the number of academies. While 43.5% of all schools were academies, over half of all pupils (56.2%) were attending an academy. This is due to higher proportions of secondary schools being academies than primary, with typically much higher numbers of pupils. At January 2024:

• 42.7% of primary schools are now academies or free schools, accounting for 44.2% of the primary school population
• 81.9% of secondary schools are academies or free schools, accounting for 81.7% of secondary school pupils
• 46.8% of special schools (excluding non-maintained special schools) are academies or free schools, accounting for 43.6% of special school pupils 

For up-to-date information on open academies, free schools, studio schools and UTCs, see the monthly transparency data

State-funded AP schools and alternative provision

Alternative provision is defined in the  Alternative Provision Statutory Guidance as education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; education arranged by schools for pupils on a suspension; and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.  These placements are typically for children unable to attend a mainstream or special school.  This section details all pupils in state funded AP schools, as well as placements made by schools in AP settings (state- and non-state-funded) as well as LAs in non-state-funded provision.  a) State-funded alternative provision schools - includes pupil referral units, AP academies and AP free schools and the data is collected through the school census. This includes placements arranged by local authorities and by schools. b) School arranged alternative provision - Data on alternative provision arranged by schools is also collected in the school census from Spring 2023. This includes full or part-time education arranged by schools. c) Local authority funded alternative provision in non-state-funded provision collected via the alternative provision census.     This includes placements in non-state-funded provision when: i) LA arrange education for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; using their Section 19 powers.  ii) LAs make educational provision for children and young people with Education, Health and Care plans under their duties in the Children and Families Act.  Non-state-funded provision includes non-maintained special schools, independent schools, independent special schools, FE colleges and unregistered alternative provision settings. This may include some pupils who are included in the school census or school level annual school census, for example where the local authority is funding a placement in a non-maintained special school or independent special school.  There are expected to be some overlaps between these groups. This includes pupils attending pupil referral units, who also have  other alternative provision either arranged by the school, or local authority funded alternative provision. It is therefore not advised to sum across the totals in each section . 

State-funded alternative provision (AP) schools 

This includes pupil referral units, alternative provision academies and free schools.

The number of pupils in state-funded AP schools has increased by 20% to 15,900. This includes pupils placed by schools and local authorities and whose sole or main registration is in a state-funded AP school. This is similar to pre-pandemic levels.

Most pupils, 67.4%, are boys, as in previous years. The proportion of girls in the state-funded AP school population has increased annually from 27.1% 2020/21  to 32.6% in 2023/24. Three fifths of pupils in state-funded AP schools are eligible for free school meals (60.7%), compared with a quarter (24.6%) in the overall school population 

A further 11,065 pupils have a dual subsidiary registration in state-funded AP schools, this means that they also have their main registration at another school. This gives a total of 26,900 pupils enrolled in these schools.

School arranged alternative provision 

This includes open placements at census day where a school has arranged alternative provision for a pupil.

There were 26,400 pupils in school arranged alternative provision at January 2024. The most common reason recorded for schools arranging alternative provision was off-site placement for behavioural support with 55.3% of placements recorded with this reason. 

By characteristics:

• 23.9% of pupils had an EHC plan and a further 42.5% were in receipt of SEN support. 
• 62.8% of pupils in these placements at census date were male.
• 55.0% of pupils in these placements were eligible for free school meals. This compares to 24.6% for all school pupils.

Local authority funded placements in non state-funded alternative provision

This includes placements in non-state-funded provision when: i) LA arrange education for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; using their Section 19 powers.  ii) LAs make educational provision for children and young people with Education, Health and Care plans under their duties in the Children and Families Act. 

The figures below refer to the number of pupils with an open placement as at census date who have been recorded in the alternative provision census as being in a local authority funded alternative provision setting. The number of pupils attending alternative provision has increased by 16% to 47,600 in 2023/24. The number of pupils with an open placement has more than doubled since 2017/18.

By characteristics: 

• As in previous years, most pupils are boys (71.3%). However, there has been a year on year reduction in the proportion who are boys from 76.5% in 2017/18.
• Pupils in these placements have a lower rate of free school meal eligibility (21.6%) than the overall school population (24.6%).

The table below shows the number of Local authority funded placements in non state-funded provision . There are more placements in this table than pupils in the previous table as pupils can have multiple placements. The majority of LA funded placements (76.1%) are in an education setting with a URN. The most common reason for placement (80.9%) is that the setting was named on an Education, Health and Care Plan. 

Free school meals eligibility

Children in state-funded schools in England are entitled to receive free school meals if a parent or carer were in receipt of any of the following benefits: Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (provided they were not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and had an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits) Pupils in families with no recourse to public funds (NPRF) can also be eligible for free school meals – see here for further information: Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Children in nursery schools are eligible if they meet the criteria and attend for full days, or if part time, receiving education before and after the lunch break. Pupils are still eligible for free school meals in school in sixth form, but not sixth form college or further education. Since 1 April 2018, transitional protections have been in place which will continue during the roll out of Universal Credit. This has meant that pupils eligible for free school meals on or after 1 April 2018 retain their free school meals eligibility even if their circumstances change. Prior to the pandemic, this had been the main driver in the increase in the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals as pupils continue to become eligible but fewer pupils stop being eligible. Any pupil gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals until March 2025. After March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

The number of pupils eligible for free school meals has continued to increase

In January 2024, 2.1 million pupils were eligible for free school meals, 24.6% of all pupils. This is an increase of 75,000 pupils since January 2022, when 2 million (23.8%) pupils were eligible for free school meals. The increase is the lowest increase since the current trend of increases began in 2017/18.

The number of pupils eligible for FSM was increasing before the COVID-19 pandemic

The percentage of pupils with free school meals had been increasing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with increases each year since January 2018. The increase during the first period of the pandemic (January 2020 to January 2021), was higher than each of the previous year on year increases. 

The continuing year on year increase in the number and rate of pupils eligible for FSM reflects the continuation of the transitional protections described above. There is an increasing number of pupils who are FSM eligible as pupils flow on to free school meals when becoming eligible, but protections mean pupils do not flow off in similar quantities. 

Free school meal eligibility varies by region

The highest eligibility rates are seen in the North East where 31.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and West Midlands where 28.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The regions which have shown the largest increase are East Midlands and West Midlands which have both seen an increase of 1.0 percentage point since 2023.

By contrast, 19.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals in the South East and 20.1% of pupils are eligible in the East of England. The South West has the lowest increase - 0.5 percentage points, reaching a rate of 20.5% in 2024. All regions show some increase from 2023.

Free school meal eligibility varies by year group

FSM eligibility rates are highest for pupils during the years of compulsory schooling, reception to year 11. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals typically peaks among pupils of primary age - in 2023 it was 29.4% for year 6 pupils - and declines throughout the secondary phase.  

The percentage of pupils in both reception and year 1 who are eligible for free school meals has declined for the second year running and the percentage of pupils in years 2 and 3 who are eligible has not increased. There have been increases across all other year groups. 

There are high rates of FSM eligibility among pupils in year 14. This is a small cohort including pupils retaking the final year of key stage 5. Pupils not following the National Curriculum are also a small group who attend some special schools. 

Free school meals eligibility varies by ethnicity

Rates of FSM eligibility in 2023 were highest among pupils in the Traveller of Irish heritage ethnic group (64.9%) and Gypsy/Roma ethnic group (58.3%). Rates were lowest among pupils of Indian (7.3%) and Chinese ethnic groups (7.5%).

Universal Infant Free school meals (UIFSM)

The table below shows the number of pupils who took a free school meal on census day and the total number of infant pupils.

1.6 million infant pupils were recorded as taking a free school meal on census day, of which almost 1.3 million are not normally eligible for FSM through the criteria above and received them under the Universal Infant FSM policy. The proportion of infant pupils taking a free school meal on census day rose to 87.4% in 2024, from 87.1% in 2023. Breakdowns of UIFSM take up by local authority and region are available in the underlying data and via the table tool.

Eligibility for free school meals during the previous six years

This publication includes data on the number of pupils who are known to have been eligible for free school meals at any time during the previous six years. The figures are based on a linked version of the data which becomes available during the summer following initial publication. At present the most recent figures continue to be those included in the 2022/23 publication here: Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2022/23 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk) . The data is available by ethnicity and National Curriculum year group in underlying data files and via the table tool. 

37.0% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background

Those pupils of all school age who have been classified according to their ethnic group and are of any origin other than White British are defined as being of minority ethnic background in this release. 

The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is 37.0% across all school types, continuing a trend of increases in recent years. The percentage varies by school type:

• 37.4% in primary schools (up from 36.1% in 2022/23)
• 36.6% in secondary schools (up from 35.4%)
• 31.7% in special schools (up from 31.3%)
• 25.8% in AP schools (up from 25.4%)

These figures do not include those where ethnicity is unclassified.

First language

78.7% of pupils were recorded as having a first language known or believed to be english.

A pupil is recorded to have English as an additional language if they are exposed to a language at home that is known or believed to be other than English. This measure is not a measure of English language proficiency or a good proxy for recent immigration.

20.8% of pupils were recorded as having a first language known or believed to be other than English, an increase from 2022/23 and continuing a recent trend of increases.

This varies by school type from 7.8% in AP schools to 30.7% in nursery. In primary schools, the percentage recorded as other than English has increased from 22.0% to 22.8% while in secondary there has been an increase from 18.1% to 18.6%, following further small increases in recent years.

Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.

Young carers

54,000 pupils were identified as being a young carer in 2023/24.

Data on young carers was collected in the school census for the first time in 2022/23, with this being the second publication of this information in the series. The young carer indicator identifies, for those children on roll on spring census day, whether they have been identified as a young carer either by the school (including where the pupil self declares) or by parent or guardian. Section 17ZA of the Children Act 1989 says a young carer is a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person (which isn’t to a contract or voluntary work). As this is a new data collection, we expect the quality of the data returns to improve over time as the collection becomes established. All schools (except nursery) must send this information as part of the Spring school census but the recording and handling of the information is at the school’s discretion. 72% of schools recorded no young carers in 2024, down from 79% in 2023. Young carers carry immense responsibility in providing care and support at home but their own needs may remain ‘hidden’ from wider view. The increased pressures young carers have faced due to the pandemic has further highlighted the need to improve formal identification of this cohort in schools, understand their needs and to provide early help as outlined in statutory guidance on keeping children safe in education . Working together to safeguard children also outlines how school and college staff should be particularly alert to the potential need of early help for students who have taken on caring responsibilities.

54,000 pupils were identified as being known to be a young carer in 2023/24, an increase from 39,000 in 2022/23. The increase should be treated with caution - it is likely to be the more the result of the data item becoming established and familiar within the school census collection than to reflect a real increase in numbers.  Secondary schools had the highest rate of pupils known to be young carers at 0.9% (32,500 pupils). 0.5% of primary pupils (21,000) were known to be a young carer.

Large Classes -  An infant class is described as ‘large’ when it exceeds the statutory limit of 30 pupils. There are no formal policy restrictions on any other class sizes.  Lawful and unlawful infant classes - The School Admissions (Infant Class Sizes) (England) Regulations 2012 prescribe certain limited circumstances in which pupils may be admitted as lawful exceptions to the infant class size limit of 30 for one-teacher classes. This means that a class of, for example, 32 pupils is lawful if two or more of those pupils have been admitted under lawful exceptions. If fewer than two have been admitted as lawful exceptions then the class is termed ‘unlawful’. Classes taught by one teacher - The figures below represent classes taught by one teacher only, and therefore do not total to the overall number of pupils across the year groups.

The average class size for infant classes has remained stable

The average infant class size was 26.6, down 0.1 from 2022/23. Average infant class sizes showed a downward trend until 2020/21 and have remained stable since. The number of pupils in large classes has decreased from 62,100 to 57,500; this represents 3.7% of all pupils in infant classes.

Infant classes cover reception and key stage 1 (years 1 and 2) and class sizes are subject to the large class limits outlined above.

The average class size in key stage 2 has increased

Average class size is 27.9, a further small increase from 27.6 in 2021/22 and 27.7 in 2022/23. The number of pupils in large classes has increased from 398,800 to 421,500, representing 18.9% of pupils in key stage 2.

Key stage 2 includes pupils in years 3 to 6.

Average primary and secondary school class sizes have increased

The average primary class size has decreased to 26.6, having increased slightly to 26.7 in 2023, and the average secondary class size has remained at 22.4, the same as in 2023. 

Further information - Pupil teacher ratios

Pupil teacher ratios are published in the School workforce in England release. The pupil teacher ratios are calculated as the number of pupils reported in the January School Census divided by the number of teachers reported in the November School Workforce Census. This demonstrates the size of the workforce in relation to the size of the learner population. A decrease in PTR means that there are fewer pupils per teacher.

Cross border movement

The cross-border movement data describes patterns of movement for pupils who live in one local authority area while receiving state-funded education in another. Pupils educated in independent schools are not included in this data. Local authorities use the information for financial planning.

Cross-border movement is added into the publication when linked census data becomes available during the summer. At present the most recent figures continue to be those reported in the figures for January 2023 available here: Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2022/23 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk)

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Methodology.

Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.

National statistics

These accredited official statistics have been independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics . Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 .

Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority's Code of Practice for Statistics which broadly means these statistics are:

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Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing [email protected] or via the OSR website .

If you have a specific enquiry about Schools, pupils and their characteristics statistics and data:

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Teachers are paying for food for children out of their own pockets

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Teachers are dipping into their own pockets to help a rising number of students who are coming to class cold and hungry.

Nearly a third of primary school teachers said more children are showing up hungry, according to a survey by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) charity .

Roughly 40% have seen a rise in the number of students coming to school without appropriate clothing like proper uniforms or a winter coat.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), which represents teachers, said this ‘says everything we need to know about the impact that child poverty and the cost-of-living crisis is having on children and young people.

He added: ‘This daily struggle against hunger and worries about family finances seriously affects children’s ability to concentrate and learn during the school day.’

Just last month it was reported that more children than ever are relying on foodbank parcels , with more than a million distributed in a record-breaking year.

This has led to nearly one in five primary school teachers spending their own money to buy food and clothes for their students, the report found.

Some 79% of primary school teachers, and 62% of those in secondary schools, spend their own money buying items like stationary for the school and pupils.

The report’s findings reflect widespread cuts to spending on resources and targeted learning support in schools left with gaps in their budgets.

One 10% of senior leaders said that had made no cuts to provision this year due to cost pressures.

The online survey assessed the views of 884 teachers and 398 senior leaders in mainstream state primary and secondary schools in England this March.

Jude Hillary, the NFER’s co-head of UK policy and practice, warned that this ‘high level of need’ could become ‘an entrenched and persistent challenge’.

He said: ‘The cost of living is one of a number of significant cost pressures leading to schools having to make incredibly difficult trade-offs in their core provision – including staffing, teaching and learning.

‘Teachers are going above and beyond to meet pupils’ pastoral needs using their personal funds.

‘This unrecognised, informal support is being offered at a time when teachers individually continue to face their own financial pressures.’

To tackle the growing problem of hungry school kids, the NFER is calling for an extension of eligibility for free school meals.

Already, the number of children receiving free school meals has doubled to one-third of students since 2010.

Free school meals were extended to all primary school children in London for a year when Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a one-off £130million scheme in February 2023.

The NFER is also calling for targeted funding to help schools improve student wellbeing.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “It’s deeply troubling that significant numbers of young children are arriving at school without the basic necessities anybody would require to be in a fit state to learn.

‘The fact that so many teachers are spending their own money on supporting pupils’ pastoral needs is particularly revealing.

‘It perfectly encapsulates an education workforce going above and beyond despite the increasing number of societal problems they are being forced to deal with, seemingly on their own.

‘Politicians cannot just sit back and rely on the goodwill and finances of teachers and school leaders to stop children from going hungry.’

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: ‘We are determined to give every child, regardless of their background, the very best start in life, which is why we are committed to giving free school meals to those children who need it.

‘Under the Conservatives, free school meals have been extended to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century – doubling the number of children receiving free school meals since 2010 from one-sixth to one-third.

‘Our plan to set children up for a brighter future is working as we continue to climb up international education rankings and boost school funding to the highest ever level in real terms.’

The Conservative government was forced to extend free school meal provision during the Christmas holidays after a campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford in 2020.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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Teaching Assistant - September 2024 Start

11 days remaining to apply, job start date.

1 September 2024

Closing date

17 June 2024 at 9am

Date listed

5 June 2024

Job details

• Teaching assistant

Visa sponsorship

Working pattern, contract type, full-time equivalent salary, what skills and experience we're looking for.

We would like a Teaching Assistant who:

• Is a bright and positive person, who enjoys working with all children.
• Has experience or willing to learn how to work with children who have speech and language difficulties.
• Is experienced in helping children with Autism thrive.
• Has a commitment to getting the best outcomes for all pupils and promoting the ethos and values of the school.
• Is creative, enthusiastic, and proactive, keen to embrace new ideas and challenges.
• Has a commitment to safeguarding and equality.
• Has effective teamwork and communication skills.
• Is caring and sensitive

What the school offers its staff

Our school offers a welcoming, safe, happy learning environment where everyone is respected and listened to; a school where we take pride in ourselves and our achievements, enabling children to become confident and successful learners. Our Children are well behaved (come see for yourself) and we all benefit from a supportive staff team and governors.

STAFF WELLBEING CHARTER

At Castor C of E Primary School, we believe that our staff’s wellbeing comes first: happy staff means a happy learning environment for all.

Below is a list of some of the small things, which we believe contribute to supporting the wellbeing of our staff and show recognition that their efforts and work are always valued:

Teachers’ PPA time can be taken at home – we believe this gives our teachers the time, space and freedom to have opportunities for family time and to do all those things that can’t be done in a working day.

Open Door – Senior leaders’ doors are always open for advice and to discuss any matters.

Manageable Marking – we believe that teachers should use their time on creating fantastic lessons to meet the needs of their pupils rather than time spent marking.

Free Refreshments – school pays for all tea/coffee/milk for staff.

Staff Meetings – our staff meetings are used purposefully supportive CPD and essential tasks.

End of Term Breakfast – at the end of each term breakfast is provided for our staff to enjoy.

Duties – responsibility for duties is shared equally, as much as possible, to limit additional staff workload.

Social Gatherings – optional meetups are encouraged for staff to relax, unwind and celebrate.

Communication – WhatsApp, Google Calendar and email are used to try to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible with news and events. Staff can opt in and out of these notifications whenever they please, with no expectation of out of hours responses. Deadlines are carefully considered and well publicised.

Duvet Days – we offer all of our staff the opportunity to have a whole school day off per year, no questions asked!

Residential Reward – in recognition of the free time given up attending residential trips we reward each member of staff with a day off.

Mental Health First Aider – it is incredibly important to us that staff know that there is always someone available for them to talk to.

Buddy – new staff have a colleague who can offer support when needed.

Commitment to safeguarding

Castor C of E Primary School is committed to safeguarding children and all posts are subject to satisfactory references and Enhanced DBS checks. Posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and do require a criminal records check. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.

Applying for the job

Apply for the job by following the link below

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

About Castor CofE Primary School

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to join our friendly team at Castor and contribute to the academic growth and holistic development of the children in our school.

Castor Church of England Primary School is set in a beautiful village just four miles from Peterborough with excellent road links to the surrounding area. It is a place where every member of the team is highly valued and where the right candidate can make a difference to the lives of our children within a supportive caring environment.

Arranging a visit to Castor CofE Primary School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email [email protected] .

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