What the evidence says parents need to do
The Education Endowment Foundation in England reviews the research on what helps children learn. It finds that parental engagement adds about four months of progress over a year on average. The effect is larger in primary school, about four months, than in secondary school, about two.
The surprising part is what does not help much. The same review found that efforts to involve parents directly in homework have generally not been linked to better results. Parents may not know the methods the school uses, and sitting over a child can turn every evening into a fight.
What the evidence does support is less tiring. Read with younger children. Help children of every age build a regular routine and good homework habits. Encourage them to set goals, plan, and manage their time and effort. Keep a two way conversation going with the school. None of that needs you to be a teacher, and none of it needs two hours a night.
A 15 minute daily routine
This is my advice, not a rule from any school. Pick a time you can keep on most days, even if it is breakfast or the drive to school. Consistency matters more than length.
| Age | Most days | Once a week |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 7 | Read a book together and talk about it. Practise one sound, word or number fact. | Look through the reading record or school app together. |
| 8 to 11 | Your child reads aloud for a few pages. Ask what homework is due and when. | Ask them to show you one piece of work they are proud of, and one they found hard. |
| 11 to 14 | Check the homework planner or app. Ask what they are doing first tonight. | Ten minutes on the week ahead: tests, deadlines, clubs. |
| 14 to 18 | A short check in, not an inspection. What is due, what is worrying them. | Talk about their revision plan and whether it is working. |
Reading together, at every age
For young children, the EEF says shared book reading should be a central part of supporting learning at home. The key ingredient is not the book. It is the conversation. Ask what might happen next, why a character did something, what a new word means. Longer and more frequent conversations are what make the difference.
When an older child reads aloud and gets stuck, the EEF suggests pause, prompt, praise. Pause to give them time to work it out. Prompt with a clue rather than the answer. Praise the effort when they get there.
Teenagers rarely want to be read to, but they will often talk about what they are reading or watching. Ask a real question and listen to the answer. That counts too.
Use the school's method, not the one you learned
This one causes a lot of quiet conflict in Nigerian homes. You learned long division one way in Primary 5. Your child's teacher wants it done another way, and your child comes home confused because you showed them yours. The method you learned is not wrong. But two methods at once can leave a child unsure of both.
- Ask the school which methods it teaches in your child's year, and whether it has a written calculation policy you can see.
- Ask your child to teach you their method. Explaining it is good practice, and you will learn what the school expects.
- If they are stuck and you only know your own way, write a note to the teacher instead of teaching it. The EEF suggests struggling pupils are often better directed to their teacher than taught by a parent.
- Keep your own method for later. Once your child is secure in the school's way, showing another can deepen understanding rather than confuse it.
Build habits that work without you
The goal is a child who starts their work without you in the room. That takes a few weeks of structure, then a gradual step back.
- Same place, same time. A clear table, a set start time and the phone in another room.
- Your child plans, you check. Before starting, they tell you what they will do and how long it will take. Afterwards, they tell you what they finished.
- Quality over quantity. The EEF finds the quality of homework matters more than the amount, and that gains shrink the more time pupils spend on it. For secondary pupils, the guidance notes the effect tails off beyond about one to two hours a day.
- Praise the right things. Notice when they concentrate and when they work a problem out, not only when they get top marks.
- Do not rescue too fast. A child who is allowed to be stuck for a few minutes learns to try again before asking.
Stay involved through teachers and reports
You do not need to see every piece of homework to know how your child is doing. You need good information, regularly.
- Read what the school sends. The EEF found that well designed messages from school, such as weekly texts, can improve results, partly because parents then talk to their child about upcoming tests.
- Make contact two way. Reply, ask questions, and tell the teacher what you see at home. A short email at the start of term is enough to open the door.
- Ask specific questions at parents' evening. What is one thing my child should work on this term? How can I help with it at home?
- If evenings are impossible, ask for a phone or video call instead. It is a reasonable request.
When to get extra help
Consider outside help when the same gap keeps showing up in reports, when homework turns into tears most nights, when a big exam is coming and you cannot give it the time, or when your own work or studies leave no room this term. Getting help is not failing as a parent. It is making sure the routine still happens on the weeks you cannot be there.
At Masani, lessons are one to one and online, with carefully vetted Nigerian teachers, and scheduled in your own time zone. Everything, from scheduling to feedback, is arranged with you. You get a written report after every lesson, can watch recorded lessons with your consent, and can follow progress skill by skill in the parent portal. A free 15 minute call is a simple place to start.
Quick answers
How much time should I spend helping my child with homework?
Less than you might think. Research reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation suggests a regular routine and good habits matter more than parents doing homework alongside their child, and 15 focused minutes most days is a sensible start.
Should I teach my child maths the way I learned it in Nigeria?
Use the school's method first, because two methods at once can confuse a child. Ask the school which methods it teaches and let your child show you theirs.
What is the most useful thing a busy parent can do?
For younger children, read together and talk about the book. For older children, help them plan their work and keep in regular, two way contact with their teachers.