How can secondary schools reduce anxiety around homework?

Explore the pressure privately

Ask the pupil which part feels difficult and compare task instructions with the time and help actually needed. Listen to family experience without assuming that home support is unlimited. Check whether a backlog makes new work feel impossible.

Agree a workable plan

Clarify priorities, a sufficient finish point and a route to help. Provide a supported start or school-based completion where appropriate. Coordinate subjects and agree how missed work will be handled so the pupil does not face an expanding hidden workload.

Example and review

The pupil begins one agreed task at school and knows how to flag a question they cannot access at home. Review time, prompting, distress and learning as well as completion. If work is finished only through prolonged family teaching, reconsider its accessibility rather than describing the plan as successful.