Homework is a great way to benefit your child's learning process, but in some cases it can be time-consuming and counter-productive.
For one particular primary school, homewark was deemed an uneffective way to educate children - so they banned it.
As an experiment, students at Orchard School - which includes kids from the ages of three to 12 - were asked to read and play instead of doing homework.
The school's principal, Mark Trifilio, said that when the school year began, he sat down with the teachers and gave them a proposal.
"What if we stopped homework in every year and replaced it with reading and outside play?" to which every teacher voted with a passionate 'yes'.
The school's new no-homework policy read:
No Homework Policy: Student's Daily Home Assignment
1. Read just-right books every night – (and have your parents read to you, too).
2. Get outside and play – that does not mean more screen-time.
3. Eat dinner with your family – and help out with setting and cleaning-up.
4. Get a good night's sleep.
This started six months ago, and the experiment has been a massive success.
Mark Trifilio said that the no-homework policy has not had a negative impact on the kids' academic performance, and has given kids "time to be creative thinkers at home and follow their passions".
The policy has been supported by the parents also, with the majority saying that the change had resulted in their children reading more and pursuing other activities.
The good news is that there is scientific research to support the claim that homework is not always the best idea.
A review of studies conducted between 1987 and 2003 found that there was no relationship between homework and academic achievement in primary school.
However, this is not the case for students in secondary school, where time spent on homework is actually associated with better academic outcomes.
"There are some benefits for junior school students, and around 50 percent of senior high school students show some benefit when it comes to academic achievement. But not for primary school kids," said Richard Walker, an associate professor of education at The University of Sydney.
What do you think, mums? Should we ditch the homework and get outside?
