Schools should ban homework because children have a right to “disconnect” from work, according to a principal. 

September spells the official return to school, with children kitted out with everything they need to get through the next year. 

Some argue, however, that what children don’t need is homework after school. 

Rathcoole Educate Together Principal Gemma Maher told The Anton Savage Show there is “no evidence” it helps children learn. 

“Also, adults have a ‘right to disconnect’ - so do children have a right to disconnect,” she said. 

“They're working really hard for us from 8.30am to 1.10pm or 2.10pm and they're giving their full effort to do whatever we're asking them to do. 

“In our school, for the most part, they are collaboratively learning, they're doing teamwork, they are actively learning.” 

Ms Maher, a mother of two herself, said it’s also important to make room for extracurricular activities. 

“One son does piano, one does taekwondo,” she said. “They go swimming, and we do mountain climbing and they do rock climbing. 

“So, for us as two working parents to add homework on top of that, even if it is just half an hour, there are days that we're not in the door until 6pm. 

“You're then going to add in homework for 30 minutes on top of that?” 

Homework 'vital'

Irish Independent columnist Mary McCarthy argued homework is a “vital part” of primary school. 

“The right kind of homework – it shouldn’t be over 30 minutes long,” she said. 

“But for me, it’s a no-brainer – it reinforces what they learned that day, it’s a good link with the parents and the school. 

“It encourages kind of parents to start reading with their kids... it feeds into a habit of sitting down, quiet time with your kids.” 

A child doing their homework. Picture by: BSIP SA / Alamy Stock Photo

Ms McCarthy said parents want children leaving school “confident and independent”, 

“Homework can really play a part in that, because after second class, I think that’s the cut off of sitting down and going through everything – I left them on their own [to do homework] after second class,” she said. 

“It’s really setting up good habits for secondary school. 

“It’s a competitive world out there and the school day in Ireland is quite short compared to others - half an hour of homework is not too much to ask.” 

A 2023 OECD study found Irish children complete on average 7.3 hours of homework each week. 

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