Letter: Homework truths

Sir: I was interested to learn that "Ofsted queries value of homework" (26 January). Last year two psychologists, Dr Richard Cowan and Dr Susan Hallam of the Institute of Education, presented a review paper at a British Psychological Society conference, which concluded that homework is not always a good thing.

The paper received wide publicity and, during the debate, the Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead, also head of Ofsted, said on Radio 4, "I think it's rather sad that this piece of research comes up with statements like `Homework is not always a good thing'."

Now we read that the Ofsted report finds no hard evidence that homework raises educational standards.

It is good to find that after Chris Woodhead's initial sadness, the Ofsted research has found broad agreement with the psychological research.

Dr INGRID LUNT

President

British Psychological Society

Leicester