How to Build a Homework Routine That Sticks at KS3

A homework routine that sticks has three fixed elements: a consistent time, a dedicated place, and a clear sequence for tackling tasks. Students who build the habit in Year 7 carry it through GCSE and beyond; those who never build it spend those years in low-level conflict about homework every evening.

Why routines matter at KS3

The transition from primary to secondary school brings a steep increase in homework volume and complexity. In Year 7, students may receive homework from five or six different teachers on a rolling timetable, each with its own deadline. Managing that independently — tracking what is due, doing it well, handing it in on time — is a skill that has to be built deliberately.

The Education Endowment Foundation's Teaching and Learning Toolkit rates secondary homework as having a moderate positive impact on attainment, equivalent to approximately five months of additional progress. The evidence is strongest when homework is well-structured and linked to what is being taught in lessons — which is exactly what most school-set homework is designed to be. The key caveat is that poorly managed homework has little or no impact. The routine is the difference between homework that helps and homework that is rushed, late or copied.

Step 1 — Choose a fixed homework time

Consistency is the engine of a routine. Pick a time that works most evenings and defend it.

When works best?

Student type | Best time | Why
Prefers to decompress first | 5:00–5:30 pm start | 30–60 min after arriving home gives recovery without losing the school-day momentum
After-school activities most days | 7:00–8:00 pm | Clear block after dinner; limit to 60 min max for KS3
Morning person | 7:00–7:45 am | Works well if evenings are genuinely unavailable; requires earlier bedtime

One rule: choose the same time every school day. Flexibility sounds appealing, but for most KS3 students "I'll do it later" becomes "I'll do it tomorrow" becomes "I didn't do it." A fixed slot removes the daily decision and the daily argument.

Step 2 — Choose a dedicated homework place

The homework space does not need to be elaborate, but it should be:

Free from distractions — screen-free or with phone in another room

Well lit and comfortable — sitting at a desk or kitchen table, not a sofa

Consistent — using the same space most evenings trains the brain to switch into work mode when you sit down there

Many KS3 students do their best work at the kitchen or dining table, with a parent nearby but not looking over their shoulder. This works well because it is social without being distracting, and a question can be asked without making a special trip to find a parent.

If home is genuinely too noisy or cramped, most schools have a homework club or library that is open after school. This is worth exploring in Year 7 before a pattern of disrupted homework nights becomes the default.

Step 3 — Set up your task list before you start

Launching into homework without a clear task list is one of the biggest efficiency killers. Before the first session of the evening, spend two minutes writing down:

Every piece of homework set today and its deadline

Any homework from earlier in the week still outstanding

The order you will tackle them — hardest or most urgent first

Many schools use a homework planner diary or an online platform like Satchel One (Show My Homework). If yours does, check it at the start of the homework session rather than from memory alone. Memory of what was set often degrades by the time you get home.

Priority system for conflicting deadlines:

Due tomorrow → do today, no negotiation

Due in two days → do today if time allows, otherwise tomorrow

Due at end of the week → start today if the task is long, otherwise plan it in

Step 4 — Structure each homework session

A productive 60-minute homework block for a Year 8 student might look like this:

Minutes 0–2: Write out the task list and decide the order.

Minutes 2–30: First task — tackle the most demanding subject while mental energy is highest. Maths, science and essay writing typically belong here.

Minutes 30–35: Short break — move around, get a drink, do not touch a screen.

Minutes 35–55: Second task — a shorter or less demanding piece of work.

Minutes 55–60: Pack bag for tomorrow. Check planner. Done.

The break is not optional — it is structural. Research on cognitive load shows that short breaks between tasks maintain performance, whereas working continuously through 60 minutes without a pause often results in declining quality in the second half.

Step 5 — Handle the "I don't understand it" moment

Stuck on a piece of homework is the moment most KS3 students either give up or copy. Neither helps. A better approach:

Try for five minutes on your own — re-read the question, look back at your notes or textbook.

Write down specifically what you do not understand — "I don't know how to expand double brackets" is more useful than "I don't get any of it."

Ask a parent or sibling if they can help — sometimes explaining the problem out loud reveals the answer.

Leave a gap and note it — if the block remains, write "I tried X but got stuck because Y" and hand the homework in with that note. Teachers respond far better to honest evidence of effort than to a blank page.

The habit of identifying precisely where the confusion is — rather than labelling the entire subject as incomprehensible — is a key self-regulation skill that the EEF identifies as high-impact across all subjects.

How parents can help without doing the homework

The EEF's evidence is clear: direct parental involvement in the content of homework (checking answers, correcting errors) has a weaker effect on learning than creating conditions for homework. The most helpful things parents can do:

Protect the homework time from family disruptions, screen intrusions and younger siblings

Ask "What are you working on?" rather than "Let me see that"

Praise effort and persistence, not completion ("You really stuck with that" rather than "Is it done?")

Make sure the student gets enough sleep — sleep is essential for consolidating what was learned during the day

Frequently asked questions

How much homework should a KS3 student have?

There is no statutory requirement for the amount of homework secondary schools must set, but most KS3 students receive 45–90 minutes of homework per evening across all subjects. Schools set their own policies. If homework consistently takes more than 90 minutes per night in Year 7 or Year 8, speak to the form tutor — either the volume is above school policy, or there is an efficiency issue worth addressing.

What should I do if my child refuses to do homework?

Refusal is often about anxiety rather than laziness — the student may not know where to start, may be worried about getting it wrong, or may be exhausted. Start by asking a curious question: "What subject is it? What bit do you find hard?" rather than "Why haven't you done it?" Identify one specific obstacle and help with that obstacle only. If refusal is persistent across weeks, raise it with the school — teachers would rather know than receive a pattern of missing homework.

Should my child do homework straight after school or after a break?

Either can work depending on the child. A student who arrives home hungry and frazzled will do better after 30–60 minutes to decompress and eat. A student who finds it hard to restart once they have switched off will do better starting earlier. The key is consistency — picking one approach and sticking to it so the homework time becomes a habit rather than a nightly renegotiation.

How do I help my child without doing the homework for them?

Ask questions rather than giving answers. "What have you tried so far?" "What does the question actually ask?" "What do you remember from the lesson about this?" A student who works out the answer with your prompting has learned something; one who copies your answer has not. The EEF notes that asking metacognitive questions — prompting students to think about their own thinking — has a particularly strong positive effect.

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