SOME primary schools are setting “ridiculous” amounts of homework, it has been claimed, affecting the mental health of small children and leaving them little time to relax.

Darlington Borough Council’s healthy lifestyles survey across 30 schools and 6,560 pupils revealed more than three-quarters of ten-year-olds had suffered from stress and that homework was the biggest cause of the pressure.

Ken Ross, the authority’s public health principal, told the council’s children’s and young people scrutiny committee that homework was a common cause of stress for all children.

But the meeting heard concerns were mounting as an increasing number of primary schools were focusing on Standard Assessment Test results, the measure by which they are ranked in school league tables.

Former Mayor of Darlington Councillor Eleanor Lister said while traditionally primary school children had not been set homework, it appeared some youngsters were now being overwhelmed.

She said: “I’ve heard some teachers say it is ridiculous the amount of homework children are expected to do now, particularly in the more target-driven schools.

“I know one teacher who said she had left the profession because it was ridiculous what they are expected to do.

“It might not seem much to the school to do the homework. A lot of the kids go to clubs as well, so the whole of their lives are spent doing stuff rather than just chilling.”

Cllr Lister suggested a study could be carried out to find out how much homework primary schools were expecting children to complete.

In 2012, the government abolished guidelines over primary school homework, saying it was up to the head teacher to decide whether or not their school set extra work.

At Red Hall Primary School, which has about 220 pupils, the children are set “a couple of pieces of homework” a week, which could include practising times tables or researching for a topic.

Year 5 teacher Gillian Marshall, the school’s personal social health and education lead, said the pupils did not experience stress from the homework they set as the school recognised not all children would be able to complete it without the support of teachers.

She added: “We also understand that some of our children find it difficult as they do not have access to the internet or even a pen and paper at home, so we provide resources at school.

“The homework we set is not excessive, it’s to keep things ticking over.”