A PRIMARY school has banned homework – without even telling parents.

King’s Road Primary in Rosyth, Fife, scrapped extra work at the start of the new term in August.

Parents at the council-run school only realised things had changed when their children came home week after week without their usual academic chores.

The benefits of homework are hotly debated within the education profession, but it is extremely rare for compulsory homework it to be banned altogether.

King’s Road headteacher Gordon Buchanan said staff wanted to look at the impact homework is having on children’s learning.

The 480 pupils are instead being encouraged to read at home, although there will be no punishment for failing to do so pick up a book once out of school.

Many parents of children at the school are angry at the school for taking such a drastic step without informing them, let alone consulting.

The mother of one nine-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: “Since my son started back at school we’ve asked every week, ‘Where is your homework?’

“He just kept saying he hasn’t been given any. At first we just thought he was being a chancer, trying to get out of doing it, but after chatting to other parents, across different years, it seemed to be the case for everyone.

“It would be nice to be consulted as we feel his homework gives us an opportunity to keep an eye on what and how he’s learning.”

Fife Council issued a statement, attributed to Mr Buchanan, in which he said: “We are revising our current homework policy, looking at the impact that homework has on children’s learning.

“Some aspects of homework are on hold while we are looking at a new approach and parents are being kept informed.”

“Meantime children are being encouraged to take reading books home and next term we will be taking up the First Minister’s Reading Challenge with all pupils.”