Should Homework Be Scrapped?

It is 7pm on a school night. Dinner is over, and a child sits at the kitchen table staring at a worksheet. A parent is trying to help while also answering work messages. A younger sibling wants attention. Nobody in that kitchen is having a great evening.

That scene is why homework is still such a heated debate. It is not really about one worksheet. It is about what school is for, how much of childhood should belong to school, and whether work done at home helps children learn. Some say it builds lasting habits. Others say it steals evenings and rewards children who already have the most help at home.

What would scrapping homework actually mean?

Scrapping homework could mean a few different things, and it helps to be clear about which one we mean.

The strictest version is a full ban: no set work outside school hours at all, for any age. A softer version is a ban only for younger children, with limited homework returning for older students. A third version is not a ban at all, but a reform: less homework, shorter assignments, and only work with a clear purpose, such as reading, practising a skill, or finishing a class project.

Those versions feel very different in real life. A full ban would change evenings completely. A reform would change them only a little, and only if schools actually stuck to the new rules. So when someone says homework should go, ask: all of it, for everyone, or just the pointless, pile-it-on kind?

Age matters too. A ten year old and a seventeen year old are not in the same situation. The younger child often needs an adult nearby to get through set work. The older student may be preparing for exams or college applications, and may benefit from working alone.

The case for scrapping homework

1. Evenings should belong to family life, not school

The strongest argument against homework is also the simplest: children already spend most of their weekday at school. When they come home to another round of schoolwork, there is less time left for dinner together, playing outside, sport, music, reading for fun, and simply resting.

Supporters argue those things are not wasted time. Play, rest, hobbies, and family time are part of growing up, not a break from it. A child who spends every evening on worksheets may be busy, but that does not mean they are learning better than a child who had time to recharge.

2. Too much homework can turn learning into a chore

Most of us remember at least one subject we started to dread, not because the subject was bad, but because the homework made it feel endless. When homework piles up across several subjects at once, evenings turn into a race to finish, rather than a chance to understand.

Critics argue that this is where homework does real harm. A student who rushes through work just to get it done is not practising carefully. A student who stays up late is tired the next day. And a student who repeatedly fails to finish can start to believe they are simply bad at school, when the real problem may be the workload, not their ability. If homework makes children like learning less, supporters of a ban ask, what is it actually for?

3. Homework is not fair, because home is not fair

This is the argument that is hardest to answer. Homework assumes every child goes home to a quiet space, a helpful adult, a working internet connection, and enough time. Many children do not.

One child might have a parent who can explain fractions. Another might have parents working evening shifts, or a crowded house with no quiet corner. The second child is not less bright or less hardworking. They just have less help. Yet both hand in their homework the next morning and are judged in the same way.

Supporters of scrapping homework say this turns a school task into a test of home circumstances. It rewards children for what their families can provide, rather than for what they learned in class.

4. A lot of homework is busywork

Not all homework is equal. Some assignments are thoughtful: read a chapter and come back with questions, practise a skill from class, or work on a project over a few weeks. Others are just filling in blanks, copying out notes, or repeating the same type of question long after the point has been understood.

When homework feels like busywork, students and parents notice. It takes up an evening without adding much understanding, and it can make even good students switch off. Supporters of a ban argue that if schools cannot guarantee homework will be meaningful, it is better not to set it at all.

The case for keeping homework

1. Practice helps learning stick

The strongest argument for homework is that practice matters. Learning something once in class is often not enough. Trying it again on your own, a day later, can help it stick. That is true for times tables, spelling, learning a language, and maths problems.

Supporters argue that without homework, that second chance to practise would disappear for many students. Class time is limited, and a short, focused piece of homework can fill that gap.

2. Homework builds independence

Homework is also about more than the subject itself. It is one of the first places where children learn to manage their own time, plan ahead, and finish something without a teacher standing over them.

Anyone who has watched a teenager plan around a project deadline will recognise this. College, work, and adult life all require people to manage tasks and meet deadlines. Homework, done well, is a safe place to practise those skills while the stakes are still low.

This is part of a wider question about how much work should follow us home, also at the heart of the four-day work week debate. Time at home is precious, but some work still needs doing somewhere.

3. It keeps parents in the loop

For parents, homework can be a window into what their child is learning. A worksheet on the table or a reading book in a school bag can show what topics are being covered and where a child might be struggling.

Without homework, supporters argue, that window closes. Parents may only hear about school at parents evenings or on report cards, by which time a problem may have been going on for weeks. Homework, even in small amounts, can start conversations at home about the school day.

4. Scrapping it completely could cause its own problems

Even people who want less homework often stop short of wanting none at all. Older students preparing for exams need to revise, practise essays, and learn to study on their own. If schools set no homework, that preparation would still have to happen somewhere, and it might fall even more heavily on families who can afford private tutoring.

A balanced view

Homework is not purely good or bad. It depends on how it is used.

The fairest version would look different from the pile of worksheets many of us remember. It would be short, purposeful, and matched to the age of the child. Younger children might get reading, or a small project, rather than nightly written work. Older students might get focused practice and revision. Busywork would go, as would work that only makes sense if a parent does half of it.

Schools would also need to think about fairness. If homework requires internet access, a quiet room, or adult help, schools need a plan for children who lack those things, such as time and support during the school day.

That is why the most realistic answer is probably in the middle. Scrap the pointless, excessive homework, especially for younger children. Keep the short, meaningful kind, especially for older students. Set clear limits, so homework from different subjects does not pile up on the same night. And judge homework by one question: does this help this child learn, or just fill their evening?

What do you think? Should homework be scrapped completely, kept as it is, or reformed into something shorter and fairer? Share your view in the debate below.

Frequently asked questions

Should homework be banned for all ages?
Not necessarily. Many people who want homework scrapped for younger children still support some homework for older students, where practice and independent study matter more. The debate is often about age, amount, and purpose, rather than one rule for everyone.

Does homework actually help children learn?
It can, when it is short, purposeful, and matched to classwork. Practice can help skills stick, and independent work can build confidence. But excessive, repetitive, or unclear homework can cause stress and put students off, without adding much understanding.

Is homework unfair to some children?
It can be, because children do not all have the same support at home. A child with a quiet space and an adult who can help has an advantage over a child without those things. That is why schools need a plan for children who lack time, space, or help at home.

What would replace homework if it were scrapped?
That depends on the version. A reform would replace busywork with shorter, more meaningful tasks and more practice during the school day. A full ban would mean all practice and revision happening in class, which would require schools to rethink lesson time and exam preparation.

Further reading

The Remote Work Debate: What Lies Ahead?

The Great Debate: Is Homework Beneficial or Harmful for Students?