Making Sense of Primary School Homework: Mothers' constructions of homework, homework support and mothering

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Homework is a common practice in UK primary schools. Research indicates the majority of primary pupils regularly receive homework and high proportions of parents actively support it. Dominant social ideas about mothers' suitability for care tasks means that, in many families, mothers principally undertake homework support. Studies find this is true regardless of work status. Mothers are responsibilised for their child's educational progress, yet paradoxically, are often simultaneously labelled as uninterested or deficient. Past research has focused on homework's potential to improve academic outcomes, with little exploration of homework as a home-based, family practice. How mothers understand, develop or experience their homework role is unknown, and mothers' work in support of their child's education is thus often overlooked.My PhD explored what drives mothers' involvement with primary homework, what shapes their ideas, how they make sense of their support role, what actions they take, and their reflections on these experiences. Using data from interviews and video of mother-child homework interactions, I constructed written 'portraits' which reveal mothers' practices and perspectives, highlighting their nuanced skills, knowledge, and motivation to support homework. I demonstrated that homework seeps into mothering, whilst mothering and mother-child relationships in turn shape how homework is experienced and enacted. This work suggests that homework is more than a school-directed educational exercise. It is a relational experience and indicator of mothering. Mothers are both important to, and have agency in, the homework process.The fellowship has 5 aims: i) further research with mothers of different racial heritages to broaden the study's relevance ii) producing publications, including an academic book and paper iii) building networks for future research collaborations through conferences and seminars iv) communicating findings to relevant audiences, such as academics, students, teachers and mothers, including by guest speaking, blog posts, articles, and face-to-face training events and v) preparing for future research which follows on from this project. It thus supports my development as an early researcher with expertise in mothering, parental engagement in education and homework.Although my PhD included mothers from different socio-economic backgrounds, mothers of children with learning difficulties, single mothers and mothers with disabilities, a small amount of additional research with mothers from different ethnic heritages will allow analysis of a greater range of maternal homework experiences. This strengthened foundation will enable me to develop both an academic book to disseminate the study's powerful stories of maternal agency and skill, and a paper, outlining a model of mothers' relational behaviours during homework support, including how they use their bodies, words, space, time, family practices and knowledge. This model can be used in future studies of relational behaviours in various family and school contexts. An artist will develop images from the video data, allowing me to illustrate, in both publications, mothers' intense, relational support.The fellowship supports my attendance at conferences where I can build networks in preparation for future collaborations, disseminate findings, and gain feedback for my developing book. I will give a guest talk for Primary PGCE students, seminars for colleagues working in educational research, and write short articles and blog posts for online educator and parenting outlets such as the TES and MumsNet. The fellowship ends with an event for local teachers interested both in parental experiences of homework and in developing positive home-school practices. By the end of the fellowship, I will have advanced my skills for an academic career, disseminated my work to academic, educator and non-specialist audiences, and established myself as an early career scholar.