7 Tips to Help with Primary School Homework

1. Be Prepared & Have What They Need
2. Plan Ahead & Add Homework to the Calendar
3. Create A Task List & Give Them Deadlines
4. Set Up A Quiet Space with No Distractions
5. Keep Them Motivated
6. Lead by Example
7. Get Help If You Need It

At Juggle Street, we’re all about taking the struggle out of your daily juggle. That’s why we’ve prepared 7 handy tips on how you can support your primary school aged kids get through their homework. From planning ahead to seeking support from a private tutor, you can show your children that hard work pays off in the end.

1. Be Prepared and Make Sure They Have What They Need

Make sure you have all of the necessary handouts from the teachers at school before you get started. If you find out they were missing one of the most important handouts at the end of term, this can lead to disappointment and frustration for both you and your child. Work with them to make sure they’re happy and have the required resources so they’re set up to succeed. If you need any supporting books, supplies or access to online resources, make sure you have this at the start of term.

2. Plan Ahead & Add Homework to the Calendar

To avoid the last-minute scramble at the end of the week or end of term, look over the homework supplied by the teacher at the start of term. Make sure your child knows what is expected of them to avoid disappointment. Block out time in their diary or if they don’t have one yet, add it to the family calendar. If they’re too young for a digital calendar, you could put a whiteboard up in their room and update it each week together. If they don’t know what’s expected of them, it’s difficult for them to get a sense of completion – they might start to think there’s no end to homework.

3. Create A Task List & Give Them Deadlines

By creating a list of actionable and achievable tasks with deadlines, you can help your kids feel more motivated and give them a sense of fulfilment when they complete each task. This can be created from the guides and handouts given by their teachers at the start of school term. If they need to do a public speech, be sure to start early so they have plenty of time to practice at home in front of you or other family members to boost their confidence. If you know they have a quiz or exam at school, set aside some time to do a practice at home so they can feel at ease when the big test day comes up at school.

4. Set Up A Quiet Space with No Distractions

To get them in the zone, make sure you have a dedicated homework spot set up. This could be at their study desk or you could clear a space at the kitchen table. But be sure to keep it separate from siblings and other distractions like TV, so they have more chance of staying focused. The last thing you want is bickering between kids while they’re trying to complete their homework tasks. Even as adults, we need a quiet space to stay focused.

5. Keep Them Motivated

Be there to answer questions if they need your help. Praise them for their efforts or give them guidance when they’re not correct. Consider creating a reward chart so they can get validation for their hard work along they way. A reward chart could be combined with the task list created at the start of the term. You don’t need to get them a huge reward each time they complete a homework task, it could be as simple as a green tick and saying, “great work, you’ve completed your Maths homework on time this week”.

6. Lead by Example

Kids learn by watching you, so be conscious of your actions when you’re around them. Sit beside them and read a book or do a puzzle while they’re doing their homework. You want to be available if they need to ask any questions, so stay close by. You don't need to do their work for them, but just be there to help if they need it. Try and avoid tuning out and looking at a screen while they’re trying to study because this can become a big distraction, especially for kids who love their screen time.

7. Get Help If You Need It

If both parents can help with homework, play to your strengths and split the subjects depending on what you feel more confident with. You might feel confident helping with English homework, but totally stuck when it comes to maths or coding. We can’t be experts at everything, so sometimes you may need extra support to get through the school subjects you didn’t ace as a kid. Consider whether you might need to find a tutor to help your children achieve great results. Primary school tutoring may not have always been your highest priority, but it can help boost your kids’ confidence at school and make them a lot happier, so it’s well worth looking into. Search tutor profiles to find help near you or login to your Juggle Street account and use the filters to find the right tutor for your needs.